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
"These men in the carriage," said he in loud tones, "have not only
rebelled against the government, but have ordered and witnessed the
massacre and shameful treatment of women and children. Thus, therefore,
the government punishes such traitors and murderers!"
Then drawing his revolver, before the crowd could move or lift a hand
he shot the three prisoners through the head. The crowd, awed and
astonished, fell back, and the carriage with the dead bodies passed
into the city.
CHAPTER XIX.
A RIOT AT CAWNPORE.
While the guns of Delhi were saluting the raising of the British flag
over the royal palace, General Havelock and his force were fighting
their way up to Lucknow. On the 19th of September he crossed the
Ganges, brushed aside the enemy's opposition, and, after three days'
march in a tremendous rain, found them in force at the Alumbagh. After
a short, sharp fight they were defeated, and the Alumbagh fell into our
hands. All the stores and baggage were left here, with a force strong
enough to hold it against all attacks; and after a day to rest his
troops, General Havelock advanced on the 22d, defeated the enemy
outside Lucknow, and then, as the direct route was known to be
impassable, he followed the canal as far as the Kaiserbagh, and there
turning off, fought his way through the streets to the Residency, where
he arrived only just in time, for the enemy had driven two mines right
under the defenses, and these would, had the reinforcements arrived but
one day later, have been exploded, and the fate of the garrison of
Cawnpore might have befallen the defenders of Lucknow.
The desperate street fighting had, however, terribly weakened the
little force which had performed the feat. Out of fifteen hundred men
who had entered the city, a third were killed or wounded, among the
former being the gallant Brigadier-General Neil.
With so weak a force it was evident that it would be hopeless to
endeavor to carry off the sick, the wounded, the women, and children
through the army of rebels that surrounded them, and it was therefore
determined to continue to hold the Residency until further aid arrived.
The siege therefore recommenced, but under different conditions, for
the increased force enabled the British to hold a larger area; and
although the discomforts and privations were as great as before--for
the reinforcements had brought no food in with them--the danger of the
place being carried by assault was now entirely at an end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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