The Story of the Indian MutinyMoncrieff, A. R. Hope (Ascott Robert Hope)
History
The Story of the Indian Mutiny
Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (Ascott Robert Hope)
India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858
The scene then ensuing has been often described--the garrison pressing
forward with cheers of welcome and triumph--the rough Highlanders
suddenly appearing through the darkness among the ruins they had fought
so many battles to save--their begrimed faces running with tears in
the torchlight, as they caught up in their arms the pale children, and
kissed their country-women, too, in that spasm of glad emotion; even
the ladies ready to hug them for hysteric joy--the gaunt, crippled
figures tottering out to join in the general rejoicing, now that for a
moment all believed their trials at an end. That picturesque incident
of a Highland Jessie, first to catch the distant strains of the
bagpipes, appears to be a fiction. But bagpipes were not wanting; and
one of the defenders, strolling over as soon as he could leave his own
post, hardly able to believe the good news true, tells us how he found
dancing going on to the music of two Highland pipers--a demonstration,
however, soon put a stop to by Havelock's orders.
Havelock had cause to think this no time for dancing. While the common
soldiers might exult over their melodramatic victory, the leaders
knew too well at what a cost it had been won, and what dangers still
encompassed them. Not all the little army of two thousand five hundred
men had pushed through on that memorable evening. Nearly a fifth part
of them were lost in the attempt. Neill had been shot dead, with the
goal already in sight. Outram himself was hurt. It had been necessary
to leave most of the wounded on the way, many of whom, deserted by the
natives who bore their litters, suffered a horrible fate, massacred
or burned alive while their comrades were making merry within the
works. Part of the relieving force bivouacked all night on the road
outside, where in the confusion a lamentable affair occurred, some of
our faithful Sepoys at the Bailey Gate being attacked in mistake by the
excited new-comers.
Only two days later, the rear-guard, hampered by the heavy guns,
could join its commander at the Residency; and even then a force, in
charge of baggage and ammunition, was left besieged in the Alum Bagh,
a fortified park beyond the city, which henceforth became an isolated
English outpost.
The relieving army had been hurried on at all risks, under a mistaken
belief that the garrison was in immediate straits of famine. It turned
out they had still food to last some weeks, even with so many more
mouths to fill, an unreckoned store of grain having been found heaped
up, by Lawrence's foresight, in the plunge-bath below the Residency.
Means of transport, however, were wanting; and Outram, who now assumed
command, could not undertake to fight his way out again with the
encumbrance of a long train of non-combatants. Much less was he in a
position to clear the city, still occupied by the enemy in overwhelming
numbers. All he could do was to hold on where he was, awaiting the
arrival of another army now on the march.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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