The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95thCope, William Henry
History
The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th
Cope, William Henry
Great Britain. Army. Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
The Head-quarters with four companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Hill,
consisting of 3 captains, 8 subalterns, 5 staff, 30 sergeants, 14
buglers and 292 rank and file, proceeded by railway to Kingstown
on August 6, and embarking on board the ‘Sussex,’ hired transport,
started for India on the next day.
The first of these detachments (Woodford’s) arrived at Calcutta on
November 3, and disembarked.
On the 7th they paraded at 3.30 to cross the Ganges, which they did
in a steamer, and at 9.30 in the evening started by railroad for
Raneegunge, where they arrived at 6.30 on the following morning.
From thence they proceeded on the 10th in carriages at three P.M.
and arrived at Doomrhee at 7.30 on the next day; whence starting at
10.30 and passing through Brohal, the Dowah pass, and Bawa, reached
Sherghotty at 8.45 A.M. on the morning of the 12th.
After a short halt there they started again at one P.M. for Barroon.
Soon after which they crossed the river Sone, a most tedious process;
the river here being about two miles broad and reached by a long
plain of sand. The carriages had to be placed in boats; and having
got over one bend of the river, another long sandy plain had to be
traversed and then a still wider stream of water to be crossed. This
occupied a very long time; from midnight to 5.30 in the morning; but
having accomplished it they arrived at Sasseram at 8.45 A.M. on the
13th. At five o’clock they started again, and travelling through
the night, were about ten P.M. startled by an alarm that they were
about to be attacked. The ‘alarm’ was sounded; rifles and revolvers
were got into readiness, and some confusion occurred; but after a
few minutes it was ascertained that the alarm, from wheresoever
originating, was a false one. And on the 14th, about 10.20 in the
morning, they reached Annabad, where they halted till five, when
after passing Kurumnasa they reached the bank of the Ganges, and
crossing it in boats arrived at the Mint at Benares about 4.45 on the
morning of the 15th, where they halted till the 18th; this being the
first occasion on which they had taken any of their things off since
they left Raneegunge.
On the 18th they started again at 4.15 P.M. and reached Gopeegunge
at 1.45 P.M. on the 19th, and after halting till 5.50 started again.
Here Colonel Woodford was informed that a rebel force of 300 or 400
cavalry, 6,000 or 7,000 infantry and ten or twelve guns was encamped
on his right, about twenty miles from Gopeegunge. The march, or
rather the journey in bullock-carts, in the night was therefore
made with great caution and with every preparation to resist an
attack. But none was made, and on the 20th they reached the Ganges at
Allahabad about twelve P.M., and after great difficulty in finding
the camping-ground got into camp. On that night they again had a
false alarm.
They halted at Allahabad till the 23rd, the intervening time being
employed in getting clothing for the men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account