The help of these Riflemen on this occasion was most opportune; for the enemy had crept up under cover of the ravines to the battery, which was placed 500 or 600 yards beyond the right of Sir Hugh Rose’s position; the picquet posted there had given way; and the rebels would assuredly have had the guns, from which they were not more than fifty yards distant, and in good cover from a ravine.
On the 23rd, about two in the morning, ‘rouse’ sounded, and their camels came up; but they were without orders. After waiting about two hours a staff officer appeared, who informed them that they ought to have been with Sir Hugh Rose long before. They mounted their camels and the staff officer undertook to show them the way; but as he could not wait he left them to themselves. So proceeding in the dark as best they could, they happily fell in with Sir Hugh Rose about daybreak. They made a long circuit to the left, and on arriving at a well which a cavalry picquet had just deserted, the rebels opened on them from two guns with a brisk fire of shot and shell; aiming well, but not hitting any of them. These guns were so well concealed in a ravine that our artillery could not touch them. They then dismounted and covered the advance, Captain Nixon’s company forming the reserve. They kept on advancing and returning the enemy’s fire for some time. At length, when the rebels saw the skirmishers working round their right flank, they fled, and the Riflemen, on arriving at Calpee, about two miles distant, found that the Sepoys had disappeared and that the place was empty.
They reached Calpee about ten, and put up in a house till five in the afternoon, when they marched to their camping-ground; a dusty place, but with plenty of water: a luxury they had not had for some days. The force opposed to them was the Gwalior Contingent, the same the Riflemen had met at Cawnpore; and here, as there, they fought harder and stood longer than any other enemy they had encountered in India. They were commanded by Tantia Topee.
In this action the Riflemen had one sergeant and two privates wounded, one of them severely.
In his despatch reporting these engagements, dated, Gwalior, June 22, 1858, Sir Hugh Rose (Lord Strathnairn) writes thus:—
‘The very important service rendered on this occasion by Major Ross, commanding Camel Corps, requires that I should make especial mention of the ability and resolute gallantry with which he led his brave Corps.... Lieutenant Buckley[313] of the same Corps attracted my attention by the spirit with which his party attacked and bayonetted rebels; for which I beg to mention him specially.’
On the 24th, being the Queen’s birthday, they paraded at sunrise, presented arms, and gave three cheers, while the English flag was hoisted on the fort of Calpee.
They halted during the next day; and on the 26th they marched at two in the morning, and moving along through the ravines, reached the ford of the Jumna by which they had crossed on the 21st, but which was now (owing to rain on the preceding day) running with a strong current. Four natives were drowned in crossing. On reaching the other side they marched to Bhogneepore, which they reached about half-past eight, having made a march of about fifteen miles; and they rejoined Maxwell’s column.
On the 29th they marched to Ukburpore, about sixteen miles, and encamped in the same tope of trees they had occupied on their march from Cawnpore to Calpee.
On the 30th they marched to Suchendee, about fifteen miles, and arriving at about seven o’clock pitched their camp in a cool and pleasant place under some trees.