[CHAPTER XIII.]
I have now to give some account of the Camel Corps, which, as I have stated, was formed at Lucknow on April 5, 1858, by drafts of 100 men from the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, to which were eventually added 200 Sikhs. I have mentioned ([p. 381]) the names of the officers attached to this corps. The command of it was first proposed to Lieutenant-Colonel Julius Glyn of the 3rd Battalion; but on his declining it and preferring to serve with his Battalion, it was conferred on Major Ross[311] of that Battalion.
The men were to be mounted each on a camel, with a native driver to guide the animal. On April 7 they made their first attempt at camel-riding. The camel is, in fact, rather a difficult animal to sit, and the effects of this first lesson were rather ludicrous; the men clinging on in every possible position and appearing most uncomfortable. On the 8th they had two hours more of this drill, and the men began to sit much steadier; and this practice was repeated on the next day.
On the 10th the Camel Corps marched to the Dilkoosha at 5.30 in the morning, and encamped there for the completion of the formation of the Corps, and for camel-riding drill. But the ground on which they were encamped being found to be unhealthy—eight or ten men of the 3rd Battalion company having sickened—the camp was moved on the 12th at five in the afternoon to the front of and close to the Dilkoosha.
The men now made good progress in riding the camels; but with arms and accoutrements they found it harder to sit the camels, or to sling or dispose of their rifles. On the 16th Sir Colin Campbell inspected them, and seemed well pleased at their progress. The Camel Corps were all this time without a surgeon; and as the men were sickening daily from the climate, without a regular hospital or medical officer, this was a serious evil.
On the 27th they left the Dilkoosha at five in the morning, and marched about five miles to Jellalabad, where they found mud huts and plenty of mango trees to shelter them from the sun.
While here, at about nine in the evening they experienced a dust storm, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning. This was followed by a heavy fall of rain, which cleared and refreshed the atmosphere.
On the 28th the Corps marched at four in the morning eleven miles to Bunnee bridge. They halted on the 29th; and on the 30th struck tents at four in the morning, and marched seventeen miles to Bussarutgunge, and occupied some out-buildings of a mosque. On this march they loaded, as rebels were constantly crossing the road. It was found that the pace of the camels was a little over four miles an hour.[312]
On May 1 they marched to Cawnpore, fifteen miles, and occupied cantonments near Wheeler’s intrenchment. They had marched from the Dilkoosha to Cawnpore with the 200 Riflemen only, and 250 camels. At the latter place they found 150 camels awaiting them, which made up the mount to 400; and steps were at once taken to raise the two companies of Sikhs, of 100 each, to complete the Corps to its full strength of 400 men.