LEFT REAR PICQUET CANAL Maj Gen! Sir J. Outram's Position from 23rd Nov 1857 to 6th March 1858. ON THE PLAIN OF THE ALAM BAGH. Telka Tora Br Large NEW Village 90 18 75 ARTILLERY&LS COMSSORU PICQUET SIKH CAV PICQUET Village VOLUNTEER CAVY village Village of Village PICQUET Bangla Large Wheel impassable for Cavalry 279 CHAPTER IV. 1857-1858. Outram at the 'Alam-bágh.' THE Commander-in-Chief left 'Alam-bágh on November 27. Sir James Outram's instructions were to remain there until circumstances should admit of the recapture of Lakhnau; and 'hold the city in check,' in accordance with the desire of the Governor-General. Full justice has only recently been done to the manner in which he and his division carried out the duty thus imposed upon them-owing to a misconception of what that duty was. The prevalent idea appears to have been that it merely involved a continuance of the defence of the fortified enclosure hitherto so well held by Major MacIntyre; but that the manner in which it had been fulfilled nevertheless reflected much credit on the general and his troops, who had repelled several heavy attacks with very little loss to themselves. Colonel Malleson's graphic chapter devoted to the defence of the 'Alam-bágh, has, however, effectually removed all excuse for such an impression, and his eloquent narrative leaves nothing to be desired. For the general details of this, as of previous and subsequent phases of the war, in which Sir James Outram bore so prominent a part, the reader is once again referred to the 'History of the Indian Mutinies' and other military memoirs. We shall continue, as far as possible, to allow the General himself to With reference to his statement in the Preface regarding assistance derived in the present volume, the biographer would explain that he has rather edited' than 'written' this chapter on the "'Alam-bágh.' narrate events and explain his views. His reports are so full, so candid, and so suggestive of the man himself, that a freer use of official wording seems admissible in his case, than might be in that of more laconic, perhaps more terse, writers of despatches. When Sir James Outram, after covering the retirement of the army and non-combatants from the Dilkushá, took up the position appointed him-subsequently known as that of the 'Alam-bágh-he found the enclosure of that name, fortified in accordance with his instructions from the Residency, available for the defence of his right front, but capable of accommodating only a small garrison; while his right flank might be protected by another detachment thrown into the dilapidated old native Fort of Jalalabad, exactly two and a half miles distant. His main force must encamp on the open plain, across the Kánhpur road, and be protected by extemporised field works which necessitated a circuit of very nearly eleven miles. These detached works, added to as occasion required and time permitted, were not connected by continuous trenches. Such was really the position in which, for three months, Outram's division held in check 120,000 organised troops, with more than 130 guns, besides the crowd of armed fanatics which a Mohammedan population supplies in profusion. It must be borne in mind also, that across the front of the camp stretched for miles the outskirts of Lakhnau, affording advantageous cover, within easy range, for the rebel pickets and batteries. Outram's orders were to act on the defensive; but even if unfettered, to attack such advance posts, unless preparatory to an assault upon the city itself, would have been to throw away his men's lives to no purpose. A heavy gun or two might have been taken, a few of the enemy killed, but with no permanent result. So his part was to watch, to ward, and to strike only when he got an open chance. The country -1858 RETROSPECTIVE DESPATCH. 281 around, though level, abounded in villages which covered the approach of an attacking force, and facilitated its retreat when worsted. Sir James thus explains the whole situation clearly, in the retrospective despatch of February 28 :— . . Circumstances demanded that, on the relief of Lucknow, his Excellency should withdraw his army to other districts, certainly for months, possibly for the greater part of a year. But it was deemed of paramount importance that a military footing should be retained in Oude during his Excellency's absence, however protracted that might prove; and to the division which it has been my honour and good fortune to command, was allotted the task of maintaining for an indefinite period, the honour of the British arms, and of representing the authority of the British Government in this province. It was considered advisable, both on political and strategic grounds, that we should remain in close proximity to the capital. The position assigned us was within a mile and a half of the suburbs of Lucknow. Our advanced posts were within gunshot range of the outworks of a vast city, swarming with hosts of mutinous sepoys, with Nujeebs, the undisciplined but well-armed soldiers of the rebel government, with many thousand city "budmashes," the armed and turbulent scum of a population of 700,000 souls, and with numerous bands of those feudal retainers of the chieftains and great zemindars of Oude, whose normal state for the last fifty years has been one of warfare.1 14 MEMORANDUM. Strength of the Enemy on January 26, 1858, as ascertained by Captain 37 Regiments of Sepoys, including Oude Force 27,550 "The enemy thus ranged against us, and certain to receive large accessions from the Sepoys dispersed in other parts by the victorious forces of his Excellency, had the resources of the entire province at their disposal: while our supplies had to be derived periodically from Cawnpore, a distance of fortyfive miles they were known to be well furnished in artillery, and to be strong in cavalry, an arm in which we were ourselves lamentably deficient :-and they were animated by every motive of hostility and vengeance that could be supplied to men conscious of having irretrievably committed themselves, by the inflammatory exhortations of Hindoo and Mahomedan fanatics of reputed sanctity, and by the scornful taunts to which they were subjected by the spirited mother of the boy-king. 'Such was the position assigned to the 1st Division on the 27th of November last; and to enable it to perform the duties that must devolve on it, his Excellency increased its strength to 4,442 men of all arms, Europeans and natives. But his Excellency is aware that, of this nominal force, a detachment 540 strong (subsequently reinforced by 100 Europeans) was ordered to be kept at Bunnee, 12 miles off, where, though of service in keeping open our rear, and preserving the bridge over which the army had to return when advancing to the reduction of Lucknow, they were obviously of little use to Artillery.-Guns of all sorts and calibres, not including wall pieces, and the guns brought from Futtehpore, 131. Number of artillerymen not known. "The above is exclusive of the armed followers of the Talookdars and Zemindars still at Lucknow on January 26, amounting, at the lowest calculation, to 20,000 men, exclusive of the armed budmashes of the city, and exclusive also of four or five regiments that fled to Lucknow from Futtehghur with three to five guns, amounting to certainly not less than 3,000. The total aggregate of hostile forces at Lucknow on January 26, not less than 120,000 of all arms. Since that date several of the Zemindaree troops have left; but their place has been much more than supplied by the regiments ordered in from the district.' |