1858 FINAL ADVANCE UPON LAKHNAU. 323 forth in the Memorandum accompanying the Commanderin-Chief's despatch to Government of March 22. But no account of his own, official or non-official, could render justice to the service performed by him on that occasion. Before reproducing his narrative, therefore, we shall say a few words on the nature and importance of the duty entrusted to his hands. It had been already proved that the defences of Lakhnau were of no common kind, and that the defenders, whatever dissensions might arise from time to time in their counsels, could act with courage and determination on an emergency. The lines of works set up, and the preparations generally made in September 1857 to resist the British advance, were such that it was found impossible to remove with safety the families then besieged in the Residency. The intended relief thus became involuntarily a reinforcement. Again, in the following November, while the relief or withdrawal was actually effected by a fresh body of troops, it was considered unadvisable to reconquer or to occupy the city. The only assertion of sovereignty that could be made was the maintenance of a watching force at the 'Alam-bágh; and that force was fortunately in such good hands that its existence was a cause of weakness and humiliation to the neighbouring enemy. It dimmed the prestige which the rebels would have acquired by undisturbed possession of Oudh; and it humbled their pride by defeating their attempts to harass its movements or dislodge it from its chosen position. Now that a sufficient army had been brought to the spot, and that Lakhnau was again to be entered with every prospect of successful occupation, it was prudently resolved to move upon the city in two directions; that is to say, by the further side of the Gúmti, as well as by the Dilkusha and Martinière and across the dry bed of the canal. Outram's progress with his division would guide the remainder of the force; for until he had succeeded in turning the first or canal line of the enemy's works, no forward movement could be made from the Dilkushá. He did his part ably crossing the river on March 6, to pitch his camp near the Faizabad road; driving off the enemy who attacked him on the following day; and on March 9, seizing upon the Chatarwala Kothi, called by the Commander-in-Chief the key of the enemy's position in that quarter. On March 10, Outram employed himself in strengthening his position, repelling the attack of the enemy, and directing the fire of his batteries upon the Kaisar-bágh and main street. The programme prescribed for his guidance was all carried out' by him with the most marked success.' On the night of the 12th he was reinforced with heavy guns and mortars, and directed to increase his fire on the Kaisar-bágh. This building and its surroundings fell on the morning of the 14th, to the assault of the main force under Sir Colin, which, vigorously fighting its onward way, had successfully stormed the more difficult and stoutly defended positions. On the 16th Outram, having recrossed the Gúmti, advanced according to order, through the Chattar Manzil, to take the Residency.' A movement of the enemy in retreat across a bridge becoming at this juncture apparent, he was able, almost without opposition,' to seize upon positions which secured the full repossession of the city. Three days later, aided by Sir Hope Grant, he drove the enemy from their 'last position on the line of the Goomtee.' Sir Colin Campbell's interesting report of the whole proceedings also contains the following paragraph in reference to Sir James Outram :- It was matter of real gratification to me to be able to entrust the Trans-Goomtee operation to this very distinguished officer, and after that had been conducted to my perfect satisfaction, to bring him forward again to put the finishing stroke on the enemy, while the extended 1858 TRANS-GÚMTI OPERATIONS. 325 position in the town was of necessity held by the troops who had won it. My thanks are eminently due to him, and I trust he will receive them as heartily as they are offered.' We reproduce the memorandum by Sir James to which reference has been made.' It shows that he had carried out his instructions to the letter from day to day, calmly, cautiously, and yet with promptitude and daring when occasion called for the exercise of these qualities: 1. On the morning of the 6th instant, shortly before daybreak, I proceeded with the force named in the margin,2 to cross the Goomtee River, over the two temporary bridges which had been constructed by the order of his Excellency, the whole of the cavalry being under the command of Brigadier-General Sir James Hope Grant, K.C.B.; the infantry under that of Brigadier Walpole; the field artillery under Brigadier D. Wood, C.B.; the siege artillery, which subsequently joined me, under Lieut.-Colonel Riddell, R.A. After proceeding a short distance in a northerly direction, the enemy became visible on our left flank, and on being approached by the cavalry, they were discovered to be in considerable force, chiefly sowars. The 2nd Punjaub Cavalry then attacked on the right, while Major Smith, of the Queen's Bays, with 1 Inverted commas show extracts from the Commander-in-Chief's official despatch. The plan at the end of the volume will enable the reader to follow the course of the several troops employed on the first occasion, and help, moreover, to elucidate the operations of September and November. Some notice of the extent of ground traversed will be gathered from the circumstance that Outram's first position on the Faizabad road east of the city is at a distance of seven or eight miles from the Musa Bâgh' on the west of the plan. But his camp at the latter place was pitched three miles further still. Lieutenant-Colonel D'Aguilar's Troop, R.H.A.; Major Remington's and Captain McKinnon's Troops; Bengal H.A. under Lieutenant-Colonel P. Turner; Capts. Gibbon and Middleton's Light Field Batteries, Royal Artillery, and Head Quarters Field Artillery Brigade; Head Quarters Cavalry Division and of 1st Cavalry Brigade; H.M.'s 2nd D. G. [Bays]; H.M.'s 9th Lancers; 2nd Punjab Cavalry. Detachments 1st and 5th Punjab Cavalry, under Capts. Watson and Stanford; 3rd Infantry Division under Brigadier-General R. Walpole : 5th Brigade, Brigadier Douglas, f H.M.'s 23rd Fusiliers, H.M.'s 79th C.B. Highlanders, 1st Bengal Fusiliers. 6th Brigade, Brigadier Horsford, ƒ 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, 3rd Battalion, ditto, 2nd Punjab Infantry. C.B. two squadrons of his own regiment, one squadron of the 9th Lancers, and Lieut.-Colonel D'Aguilar's troop of Horse Artillery, advanced from our left. The enemy were immediately driven back, and pursued to the banks of the river, many being cut up; but I regret to state that in this charge the gallant Major Smith was killed. Our camp was then formed on the Fyzabad road, about half a mile in advance of the village of Chinhut, on the Lucknow side. Early on the following morning, March 7, the enemy made a smart attack on our advanced picquets, and brought out several guns under cover of ravines and clumps of trees in our front. They were, however, speedily withdrawn, on skirmishers and horse artillery and Captain Middleton's field battery, protected by the cavalry, coming to the front and opening their fire. The artillery practice on this occasion, as on the preceding day, was admirable. 2. The following day, the 8th instant, under the instructions of his Excellency, Colonel D'Aguilar's troop of Horse Artillery and the 9th Lancers re-crossed the river to the head-quarters camp, and the siege guns named in the margin joined me. Having decided upon an attack on the enemy's position, on the next morning, the 9th instant, I caused an entrenchment for eight 24-pounder guns and three 8-inch howitzers, to be constructed during the night. The battery was armed, and commenced its fire at daybreak with excellent effect, after which the right column of infantry, accompanied by Captain Gibbon's field battery, under Brigadier-General Walpole, covered by a cloud of skirmishers, commanded by Brigadier Horsford, C.B., and supported by the 5th Brigade under Brigadier Douglas, drove the enemy through the jungles, walls, and villages, which afforded them an excellent cover, and bringing the right shoulders forward, occupied the Fyzabad road. In the meantime, the left column of attack, composed of the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, supported by two companies of the 79th Highlanders, which had been held in readiness on the left of the battery, together with the horse artillery under Brigadier Wood, which had been formed in rear of the bridge across the Kokral, advanced, and in concert with the right column, carried the Chuker Kothee (or Yellow-house), the key of the rebel position, in gallant style, and thereby turned the strong line of entrench 1 24-pounder guns, 8; 8-inch howitzers, 4; 8-inch mortars, 10. Total, 22. 1858 TRANS-GÚMTI OPERATIONS. 327 ment which had been constructed by the enemy on the right bank of the Goomtee. Of this success the skirmishers on the other side of the river were subsequently apprised by Lieutenant Butler, of the Bengal Fusiliers, who swam across the Goomtee, and climbing the parapet, remained in that position for a considerable time, under heavy fire of musketry, until the work was occupied.' After the occupation of the Chuker Kothee, we drove the enemy rapidly through the old irregular cavalry lines, and suburbs, to the Badshah Bagh. The fortified gates of this strong-walled enclosure were blown open, and the garden occupied, where two guns were found by our troops. Three guns and a howitzer were then placed in position to enfilade the works in rear of the Martinière. A battery of two 24-pounder guns and two 8-inch howitzers was placed near the river to keep down the fire from the town. A battery for five mortars was constructed during the night, and in the morning commenced playing on the Kaiser Bagh. Four heavy guns were also placed in a work thrown up by the enemy at the east entrance into the Badshah Bagh. 3. On the 10th, we were occupied in strengthening our position, the enemy being in force in the suburbs in our front, from which they made an attack in considerable numbers on a picquet held by the 79th Highlanders, but were repulsed with heavy loss. General Sir James Hope Grant occupied himself the while in patrolling the vicinity, during which operation a most valuable young officer, Major Sandford, of the 5th Punjaub Irregular Cavalry, was unfortunately killed; but the enemy suffered severely. 4. During this night, another battery was constructed at the Badshah Bagh for four 24-pounders, two 8-inch howitzers, and five 8-inch mortars, which kept up a vertical and direct fire on the defences in the interior of the Kaiser Bagh. Two more 24-pounders were also brought to bear on the Mess-house, and on the Kaiser Bagh, in compliance with the instructions of his Excellency. I made arrangements to attack the suburbs in the vicinity of the iron and stone bridges, and shortly after daylight, on the 11th instant, the right column, as per margin,2 formed on the Fyzabad road under the immediate command of Brigadier For this singularly gallant action Lieutenant Butler received the Victoria Cross. 279th Highlanders; 2nd and 3rd battalion, Rifle Brigade; 1st Bengal Fusiliers; Captain Gibbon's Light Field Battery, and two 24-pounders. |