The battles of the British Army : $b being a popular account of all the principal engagements during the last hundred yearsBlackwood, Robert Melvin
History
The battles of the British Army : $b being a popular account of all the principal engagements during the last hundred years
Blackwood, Robert Melvin
Battles -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
At Chakota, then, arrived our now largely increased force by nine
o’clock on the morning of the 4th February, and a halt of some hours
was indulged in, the troops loading arms and making preparations for an
immediate engagement. By four o’clock the march was resumed, and the
enemy’s videttes in the neighbourhood of Borasjoon were sighted by noon
on the following day.
The enemy had been steadily falling back, and up to the present our
men had encountered nothing more formidable than heavy rain and
thunderstorms. Now, however, the army was halted, positions for attack
assigned, and final orders given, when, “to the disgust of all, the
entire army in our front was descried in full retreat, and going off
at such a pace as to render it hopeless to overtake them.” Some of our
cavalry, however, managed to get into touch with their rearguard, and a
few wounds were received by our troopers.
The majority of the enemy, however, were quickly out of sight, having
taken to the hills, where it was impossible to follow them, the hills
hereabouts being “formidable and of great height, and, except at two or
three pathways, utterly impassable.”
The 6th and 7th were spent by our men in the enemy’s vacated camp,
during which time stores were destroyed and some treasure was
discovered, together with many horses and carriage cattle.
An amusing incident was reported at this time. On the night of the 6th,
an alarm was raised that the enemy was at hand, and in point of fact
a half-hearted attack was commenced but came to nothing. During the
“turn-out,” however, the picket of one regiment, observing a suspicious
appearance in the darkness ahead of them, surrounded the spot with
extreme caution, and gallantly captured--an old house-door which had
been accidentally left propped up against a bush! There was much
laughter in the morning over this “daring exploit.” On the night of the
7th, the return march to Bushire was commenced.
Up to midnight all went well, but shortly after, a sharp rattle of
musketry was heard in the direction of the rearguard, and a halt was
at once called. In about half an hour, however, all was pandemonium.
Little could be seen, the night being intensely dark, but the enemy
were heard screaming like fiends on every side. Horsemen galloped
almost up to our lines, bugles were blown, and everything done to cause
confusion. From the first moment of attack our troops behaved with
admirable steadiness. The necessary movements were perfectly executed,
in spite of the darkness, and the formation of a hollow square, in
which to await the break of day, was rapidly performed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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