Accordingly he proceeded at three in the afternoon, and they had advanced some twenty miles, when at about two in the morning a camel messenger met them, with orders that all troops moving up were to push on as fast as possible. This opened their eyes and quickened their pulse, for it meant that an enemy was in front. So Major Ross pushed on as fast as he could to the next bullock-changing station, got fresh bullocks, and gave his men some tea. Following the Brigadier’s instructions, he awaited the artillery and 88th, which various native travellers assured him were only five or six miles behind him. Then he learned his first lesson of the falsehood of native reports. For he waited in some suspense, occupying a gravel pit, expecting every moment the appearance of the artillery; but he waited in vain, for they had never moved beyond Futtehpore. He had reduced at this place his _impedimenta_ from thirty-four waggons to twenty-three by re-packing; but of these ten were filled with ammunition; rather an onerous charge had the enemy attacked, for of his small party about thirty were band and buglers without arms. While waiting here, and longing for the appearance of the guns, a messenger arrived about noon from the front, with peremptory orders from General Windham, superseding all others, to fall back on Futtehpore and to hold it to the last extremity before retiring further; and with intelligence that Windham was so hard pressed by the fire of the enemy’s guns, that he could not meet them in the open till reinforced from Lucknow. Of course there was no alternative. Major Ross was obliged to march his detachment back the twenty-four miles they had come, to the no small disgust of the officers and men, who had been within hearing of the guns at Cawnpore (and in the night within sight of their flashes), and yet were not to take part in the fight. However, the soldier must obey, and they sorrowfully retraced their steps, keeping a sharp look-out, and reached Futtehpore at about two in the morning. They found that an attack was not unlooked for there; for Colonel Maxwell of the 88th ordered them to move their camp, which had been pitched about a mile and a half from the Great Trunk road, to a position in the open plain, where there had been a tank, now dry, the high banks of which formed an excellent intrenchment.