The 93rd, however, virtuously marched past the rum barrels, while the supernumerary rank, as Campbell had ordered, upset the barrels and poured their contents out. It was, fortunately, _not_ whisky! Forbes-Mitchell, again, describes how, covered by the heavy fire of Peel’s guns, their line advanced, with the pipers playing and the colours in front of the centre company. “By the time,” he says, “we reached the canal, Peel’s blue-jackets were calling out, ‘⸺ these cow-horses’—meaning the gun bullocks. ‘Come, you 93rd! Give us a hand with the drag-ropes as you did at Lucknow;’” and a company of the 93rd slung their rifles and dashed to the help of the blue-jackets! The sailors gave a vehement cheer for “the red and blue,” and some well-known vocalist in the ranks of the 93rd struck up a familiar camp-song with that title, and, says Forbes-Mitchell, “the whole line, including the skirmishers of the 53rd and the sailors,” joined with stentorian voices in singing— “Come, all you gallant British hearts, Who love the red and blue!” The British line swept across the enemy’s camp, and so complete was the surprise, so unexpected was the onslaught, that the chupatties were found in the very process of being cooked upon the fires, the bullocks stood tied behind the hackeries, the sick and wounded were lying in the hospitals. The smith left the forge and the surgeon his patient to fly from the avenging bayonets. Every tent was found exactly as its late occupants had sprung from it. Beyond the camp the Gwalior contingent had rallied, and stood drawn up in steady lines. The eagerly advancing British line—to the wonder of the men—was halted. Suddenly through some fields of tall sugar-cane the 9th Lancers came galloping, and behind them, masked by the close lines of the Lancers, was a field battery. When the enemy saw the gleaming tips of the British lances, they fell instantly into squares of brigades, and opened fire on the cavalry at a distance of about three hundred yards. “Just as they commenced to fire,” says Forbes-Mitchell, “we could hear Sir Hope Grant, in a voice as loud as a trumpet, give the command to the cavalry, ‘Squadrons outwards!’ while Bourchier gave the order to his gunners, ‘Action front!’ The cavalry wheeled as if they had been at a review on the Calcutta parade-ground, and thus uncovered the guns.” The guns, charged with grape, were swung round, unlimbered as quick as lightning within about 250 yards of the squares, and round after round of grape was poured into the enemy with murderous effect, every charge going right through, leaving a lane of dead from four to five yards wide. The Highlanders could see the mounted officers of the enemy, as soon as they caught sight of the guns, dash out of the squares, and fly like lightning across the plain!