The next morning three days' rations were served out to the troops,
and the advance begun; the movement being directed against the
Secunderbagh, a large garden surrounded by a very high and strong
wall loopholed for musketry. To reach it a village, fortified and
strongly held, had first to be carried. The attack was led by
Brigadier Hope's brigade, of which the regiment formed part. As
they approached the village, so heavy a musketry fire was opened
upon them that the order to advance was changed and the leading
regiment moved forward in skirmishing order. The horse artillery
and heavy field guns were brought up, and poured a tremendous fire
into the village, driving the defenders from their post on the
walls.
As soon as this was accomplished, the infantry rushed forward and
stormed the village, the enemy opposing a stout resistance,
occupying the houses and fighting to the last. The main body of
them, however, fled to the Secunderbagh. The 4th Sikhs had been
ordered to lead the attack, while the British infantry of the
brigade were to cover the operation. The men were, however, too
excited and too eager to get at the enemy to remain inactive, and
on leaving the village dashed forward side by side with the Sikhs
and attacked the wall. There was a small breach in this, and many
of the men rushed through it before the enemy, taken by surprise,
could offer a serious resistance. The entrance was, however, so
narrow that very few men could pass in, and while a furious fight
was raging inside, the rest of the troops tried in vain to find
some means of entering.
There were two barred windows, one on each side of the gate, and
some of the troopers creeping under these raised their shakos on
their bayonets. The defenders fired a heavy volley into them, and
the soldiers, leaping to their feet, sprang at the bars and pulled
them down by main force, before the defenders had time to reload.
Then they leaped down inside, others followed them, the gates were
opened, and the main body of troops poured in.
The garden was held by 2,000 mutineers. With shouts of "Remember
Cawnpore," the troops flung themselves upon them; and although the
mutineers fought desperately, and the struggle was continued for a
considerable time, every man was at last shot or bayoneted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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