During the night of the 28th the enemy took entire possession of the town, and on the 29th began a heavy fire against the intrenchment; hitting the bridge of boats over the Ganges several times, damaging the Hospital and destroying stores. The Riflemen, who had during the night and morning occupied the principal outwork of the intrenchment, were ordered out by Sir Colin Campbell (who had arrived from Lucknow on the previous evening), to endeavour to take some guns which were doing much damage. Accordingly at three P.M. two companies of the 2nd Battalion and Atherley’s company of the 3rd, under Lieutenant-Colonel Fyers, who had succeeded to the command on Woodford’s death, made a sortie. Running out over some very uneven ground, they attacked some Sepoys who were in the Residency, and were for some time exposed to a very severe fire. However, after awhile they drove the enemy out of these buildings; and as these were escaping by the back of the compound, some Riflemen of Atherley’s company crept round stealthily under the wall, and succeeded in catching the retreating rebels on their swords as they leapt over it. They thus slew a large number. However, as they did not receive reinforcements, they were unable to take the guns, and returned to the intrenchment. On this occasion Captain the Hon. Lewis Milles was severely wounded, 1 man was killed, 1 sergeant and 6 privates were wounded, of whom 1 died on December 1, and 1 on December 7, and 1 was missing.[280] The Riflemen, or some of them at least, had not had their clothes off since they left Allahabad; had been scantily fed, often being for twenty-four hours with only one meal, and sometimes that only of biscuit and tea or rum; exposed to heat by day and great cold by night, and suffering from sore feet. Yet they kept their spirits up, and did their work on these four hard-fought days in a manner to elicit General Windham’s marked approval repeatedly expressed to them. At this time the ladies and others rescued from Lucknow were crossing the bridge of boats, an operation which occupied about thirty hours, and Sir Colin with these and their escort encamped near the Old Dragoon lines. From December 1 to 5 the Riflemen continued to occupy the outwork of the intrenchment; the enemy keeping up an occasional fire from guns planted about 450 yards from them. On the evening of the 1st Captain Warren and Lieutenants Eccles and Grey went out with some men to recover the body of Colonel Woodford, which they succeeded in doing, though fired at by the Sepoys; and he was buried on the morning of the 2nd in the intrenchment, where a tombstone was subsequently placed over his remains by his brother officers. On the 5th the women and children having started, the Riflemen were ordered to move up to Sir Colin Campbell’s camp. They started at four P.M., and did not reach their camping-ground till after dark. Having got their tents pitched they lay by their arms all night.