A Narrative of the Siege of Delhi | Page 9

plains, suffering incredible
privations. Some few there were who reached a friendly station, or
were succoured and hidden by loyal natives. But the greater number
fell by the hands of the wretches who in these times of outrage and
anarchy swarmed out of the low quarters of the cities, and swept
unchecked over the whole country in hundreds and thousands.
The officers had taken up their quarters in the barracks in one or the
centre buildings, which was reserved entirely for their use. Here we
endeavoured to make ourselves as comfortable as possible under the

circumstances, the large apartment serving at once as mess-house
sitting-room and bedroom for us all. The Colonel alone lived apart,
while the married ladies and their families for the present occupied the
main guard bungalow pending arrangements for more suitable quarters.
The poor ladies, as was natural, were in a state of great agitation, and
would not be comforted. We did our best to quiet their fears, telling
them there was not the slightest danger as regarded their safety; that,
even were we attacked by the rebels, they need have no dread of the
result, for we were more than a match for double our number of sepoys.
Still, it pained us much to see their distress, and we could only be
thankful that, come what might, they were under the protection of
British soldiers.
On the evening of May 14, at sunset, I was sitting smoking and chatting
in the barrack-room with some of our officers when, quite unexpectedly,
I was again called to the orderly-room, and directed to march with the
Grenadier company on outlying picket to the left rear of the cantonment,
and close to the lines of the disarmed sepoys. Two guns of the Light
Field Battery, under a subaltern, were also placed under my orders, and
I took with me a young ensign to assist me in my duties.
The Brigadier said he had received intelligence that an attack by the
mutineers was expected from the direction of Lahore; and I was told to
keep a sharp lookout, in case the enemy made during the night a flank
movement on the station. I was also constantly to patrol the lines of the
native regiments, to confine the sepoys to their huts, and to take
prisoner any who ventured outside.
The short Indian twilight was drawing to a close when I arrived on the
ground, and, without losing time, I drew up the Grenadiers in line, with
the two guns a little in advance and on my left flank.
Two sentries were posted in front of the guns, two on the right and left
of my small detachment, and two in the rear.
The plain extended before us for miles to the horizon, bare and treeless,
without one intervening obstacle.

Evening closed and night came on--a night dark as Erebus, though the
stars shone bright and luminous in the heavens. All nature was silent as
the grave, and, save for the tramp of the sentinels and the marching
away and return of the patrolling parties, for hours we heard no sound.
Before leaving barracks the picket had loaded the guns with grape and
the old Brown Bess (there were no rifles in most of the Indian
regiments in those far-off days) with ball-cartridge. I had also ordered
the men to fix bayonets, and we were thus fully prepared to give a
warm reception to any sepoys who might attack us. The arms were
piled, and in silence we lay on the ground.
Presently, about midnight, one of the sentinels in front of the guns
challenged:
"Who comes there?"
There was no answer, and the cry was repeated, the sentry at the same
moment firing off his musket.
The company sprang to their arms, and I called on the sentries in front
to retreat under cover of the guns. Almost simultaneously, and before
the men could retire, flashes of fire appeared on the plain, and
numerous shots came whistling over our heads, while, clear and distinct,
a cry rang out, and we knew that one of the sentries had been hit. Close
following the first came several straggling shots, but the rascals fired
too high, and we had no casualty. I then ordered the men to fire a volley,
and the artillery officer at the same time swept his front with grape
from the two guns.
After these discharges all was still, and we strained our eyes in the
darkness, but could see nothing. Then, taking with me a sergeant and
four men, I proceeded to where the sentry had made the first challenge.
We found the poor fellow lying face downwards on the ground, and
raising him up, saw that he was quite dead. Slowly and tenderly the
body was borne to the