In Times of Peril: A Tale of IndiaHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
In Times of Peril: A Tale of India
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858 -- Juvenile fiction
"So far it has been easy work, except for the legs," Major Warrener
said, as he sat with his sons and his officers on the evening of the
13th; "but it will be very different work now. These scoundrels are
fighting with ropes round their necks; they know that every Cawnpore
Sepoy who falls into our hands will have but a short shrift, and they
can't help fighting. Altogether, they have something like five times
our force; and as they have all been most carefully drilled and trained
by ourselves, the scoundrels ought to make a good fight of it."
"I don't mind the fighting," Ned said, "so much as the heat; it is
awful."
"It is hot, Ned," Captain Dunlop said; "but at rate it is better for us
who sit on horseback than for the men who have to march, and carry a
rifle and ammunition."
"Do you think we shall have fighting to-morrow, father?" Dick asked.
"We are certain to do so. The pandies have been intrenching themselves
very strongly at Dong, which is five miles from here. But this is not
the worst part. We know they have placed two heavy guns on the other
side of the Pandoo Nuddee, which is a large stream three miles beyond
Dong. These guns will sweep not only the bridge, but the straight road
for a mile leading to it. The bridge, too, has, we know, been mined;
and our only chance is to go on with the mutineers, so as to give them
no time to blow it up."
The work of the 14th, however, was less severe than was expected. The
enemy fought stoutly at the village, advancing beyond the inclosures to
meet our troops. Our superior rifle and artillery fire, however, drove
them back, and then they clung stubbornly to the village and
inclosures, our advance being retarded by the threatening attitude of
large bodies of the enemy's cavalry, who moved upon the flanks and
menaced the baggage. The force under Havelock being so weak in
cavalry--for the native irregulars had been disarmed and dismounted for
their bad conduct--there remained only Warrener's Horse, who were known
in the force as the "volunteers." These covered the baggage, and
executed several brilliant charges on parties of the enemy's cavalry
who came too boldly forward; but the artillery had to be brought from
the front, and to open upon the heavy masses of the enemy's cavalry,
before they would fall back. Then the column pressed forward again,
captured Dong, with two guns placed there, and drove the enemy out in
headlong flight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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