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)
I have now to trace the march of Fyers’ detachment of three
companies, Captains the Hon. B. R. Pellew’s (commanded by Lieutenant
Grey[273]), Warren’s, and the Hon. L. W. Milles’,[274] whom we saw
were together with Woodford’s detachment at Allahabad. They marched
from Lohunga at midnight on the 23rd-24th in charge of Commissariat
stores; rum, rice, sugar and ammunition on donkeys. They marched
about sixteen miles, and halted under a tope of trees till about two
the next morning; when they proceeded to Futtehpore, about sixteen
miles further, the stores in their charge being a great impediment to
their progress. They left Futtehpore again on the 26th, and marched
about seventeen miles. As the men were pitching their tents, a
messenger on a camel (the same who had met Woodford) came in with a
pencil note from General Windham, addressed to the officer commanding
the detachment, urging him to make all speed, as troops were wanted.
The few tents already pitched were immediately struck. Fyers placed
the stores he was escorting in charge of the police, and directed
the men to carry only what was absolutely necessary. After a halt of
three hours in making these arrangements, he started again, placing
the most footsore and the sick on elephants, and marched the men,
weary as they already were, about nineteen miles further, allowing
them short halts at intervals. Many of the men were so fatigued
that when a ‘halt’ was sounded, they fell asleep almost as soon as
they lay down on the ground. After a halt about midnight for one
hour, during which a ration of rum was issued, falling in again,
they marched forward till the morning, when Fyers gave them another
halt of an hour to prepare some breakfast. Having had some tea and
biscuit, they started again very weary and footsore; but now the
sound of heavy guns and the rattle of musketry quickened the men.
They pushed forward with increased vigour, and arrived at Cawnpore
when the troops were retiring. They found the force engaged there in
full retreat; a mixed multitude of soldiers and civilians, these last
carrying property of various kinds, and endeavouring to make their
way to the intrenchment.
The distance from Futtehpore to Cawnpore is forty-eight miles and
three-quarters. It was marched in about twenty-six hours, the first
stage with all the impediment of the convoy of stores. The men were
wearing the European dress: cloth clothes and shakos. The march of
this detachment has never been exceeded in endurance and rapidity;
and Dr. Reade, who accompanied it, states that ‘all were well able
for any service when the march was over.’ It strikingly resembles in
more points than one the march of the 1st Battalion (with the Light
Division) from Calzada to Talavera in 1809. It differs from it in
this, that Fyers’ detachment came up in time to take part in the
fight of which the sounds had quickened their advance.
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