NICHOLSON'S NUJUFFGHUR EXPLOIT.

153

Trench, of the 35th N. I., who was A.D.C. to General Nicholson (that moment rising from the ground, his horse having been shot under him), quickly avenged his death by bringing down the rebel with his revolver. The guns were soon mastered, the drivers and gunners cut down, and the serai carried at the point of the bayonet.

In the meanwhile Lumsden had been carrying out his part of the programme on the village to the right, with his Rifles; at a given signal they rushed forward "with a frontier howl," and cleared it in gallant style. Having done this, he crossed over along the rear of the line, to strengthen the attack on the other village to the left, on which the guns had been playing all the time. Here the enemy had a stronger position, surrounded too by high grass and corn-fields; Coke's Rifles, flushed with their success in the other village, rushed on with a cheer; but they soon had to deplore the loss of their gallant young leader, who was shot down at their head. As soon as the serai was cleared, a small guard was left to hold it, and a part of the 61st sent off to support the attack on the second village, while the rest re-formed to attack the enemy's camp and the bridge in their rear. The rebels at once suspected this latter object; and as in that bridge lay their only chance of retreat, they did not wait for the advance of the Europeans, but bolted from all sides, and succeeded in dragging two of their guns over the bridge. But all their camp-baggage, stores, camels, horses, and an English buggy, fell into our hands; large quantities of

154

NICHOLSON'S NUJUFFGHUR EXPLOIT.

ammunition, seventeen tumbrils full, were abandoned. The powder was blown up, and all the baggage, tents, &c., burnt, there being no carriage available to bear off the goodly spoil. Thirteen guns were captured; and to crown all, the bridge was blown up, thus effectually closing that road for the future. The rebels confess to a loss of above 800 men, while ours was only sixty killed and wounded; but, alas! among the former the gallant young Lumsden, who proved himself worthy of the name he bore; Gabbett of the 61st, whose bravery has been mentioned, and also Lieutenant Elkington of the same corps, who lingered for some days, but at length died of his wounds. Dr Ireland was dangerously wounded, but recovered.

It was subsequently discovered that only the Neemuch Brigade were engaged, the Rohilcund force being a few miles in the rear, and either unable or unwilling to come to the succour. The heaviest loss of the rebels was in their artillery, and several of the 7th Scindiah's Contingent* were among the killed. The action had commenced about half-past five in the afternoon, and by the time all was over the evening had closed in. The troops received orders to bivouack on the bank of the river, and there these gallant fellows passed the night, weary and worn, without covering, and, what was perhaps worse, without food and grog, for they had not broken their fast since four o'clock in the morning, and all the commissariat supplies had

* The presence of these seems unaccountable; however, the fact is indisputable, as the regimental buttons showed.

NICHOLSON'S NUJUFFGHUR EXPLOIT.

155

The

been left at the village under the rear-guard. next morning the General gave them the choice of halting for the day, or marching back at once; they chose the latter, and reached camp about seven o'clock in the evening, having marched above thirty-five miles and beaten a force strongly posted, three times their own number, in less than forty hours! A fitting reception awaited them in camp; the regimental bands turned out to play them in; hundreds crowded round to greet them, and to offer their ungrudging welcome and congratulations on so triumphant an exploit."

"For the glorious result of these operations," in the General Order which they elicited, General Wilson declared himself "indebted to the judgment and energy displayed by Brigadier-General Nicholson, the steadiness and gallantry of the troops in action, and the cheerfulness with which they bore the fatigue and hardships they were called on to undergo."

Thus ended the month of August, and with it rose the fame of the young

General.

* For General Nicholson's Despatch, see Appendix N.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE ASSAULT OF DELHI-THE SIEGE-TRAIN ARRIVED-THE BREACHING BATTERIES-THE ASSAULT-NICHOLSON WOUNDED-FAILURE AT KISSENGUNGE-CRITICAL POSITION OF THE ARMYTHE SURRENDER OF THE KING-THE DEATH OF THE SHAHZADAS -DEATH OF NICHOLSON-DELHI OCCUPIED.

"Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery. hold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts."

Be

IN the dead of night-before the day had yet dawnedon Thursday the 14th of September 1857, these words, uttered 2570 years before against Nineveh, were read in more than one tent on the Delhi camping-ground; they came as a cheering omen of success to men awaiting the order to fall in for the "assault." A few hours later they were read in many a family circle, and in at least one church,† in the daily morning-service; and to many an anxious heart that knew the momentous crisis to be at hand, in which husband, or son, or brother, or friend might stand unscathed in the breach-or perhaps be left a lifeless corpse-did they sound forth their note

*

Nahum, iii. 1. The first lesson for September 14th. The whole chapter is awfully descriptive of the horrors of an assault.

Simla, where daily morning prayer was always said; and during this momentous week, evening prayer also, by the Rev. F. O. Mayne, chaplain.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE ASSAULT.

157

of solace, and soothe the intensity of personal anxiety with the mingled assurance of national success.

A few hours more, and the telegraph flashed up from the very walls of the bloody city, "Delhi has been assaulted." Who shall attempt to describe the feeling of exultant gratitude which filled the heart of every Englishman in the Punjab? The die was cast, Delhi taken, and the Punjab safe.

To make the doings of that day intelligible, the reader must be carried back to the point at which our history of the siege left him, and trace in their order the steps by which the breach was carried.

The siege-train had arrived. Over miles of flooded road, through a country teeming with a disaffected population, and exposed at almost any point to an attack from the rebels, with no escort but Farquhar's Beloochees and a detachment of H. M. 8th Regiment, did it drag its ponderous length along. As it drew nearer, and the risk of attack increased, a body of infantry and cavalry were sent out for its protection, and, thus escorted, it rolled into camp on the 3d of September. While it was yet on its way, the note of preparation for its arrival was heard on every side, so that once safely landed on the ridge, little would remain to be done to bring it into full play. Gabions, fascines, sand-bags, were ready in thousands, and a few hours would suffice to run out advance-batteries, and mount some of the heaviest guns within more effectual working-distance of the walls. All the reinforcements, too