BOOK IX. Chapter II. 1857. June 16. 422 LEARNS OF THE FALL OF KA'NHPU ́R. later he wrote to Lord Canning; "It is deep grief to me to be unable to help Kánhpúr; I would run much risk for Wheeler's sake, but an attempt, with our means, would only ruin ourselves, without helping Kánhpúr." No military critic will question the soundness of these views. Soundness of To cross the Ganges, even with the entire force at the disposal of Sir Henry Lawrence, in the face of the army serving under Náná Sáhib, would have been impossible. those reasons. Learns the fate of the Kánhpúr garrison. Hears that the enemy are moving on Chinhat. A few days later a letter reached Sir Henry with the information that Wheeler had agreed to treat with Náná Sáhib. He then knew that all was over. His forebodings were confirmed by the receipt of details of the massacre on the 28th of June. "If Kánhpúr holds out I doubt if we shall be besieged at all." Thus had Sir Henry Lawrence written to Lord Canning on the 23rd of June. But five days later he learned that Kánhpúr had fallen. Prior to that date, and with more certainty every day, had come the intelligence that the mutinous troops of the Oudh Irregular force -the troops who had revolted in the provinceswere gradually collecting at a place called Nawábgánj Bárá Bánkí, only twenty miles from Lakhnao. The subsequent movement of these troops, whose numbers were not inconsiderable, obviously depended on the result of the leaguer of Káhnpúr. It was known on the 28th that that place had fallen. The following morning the advanced guard of the enemy's force marched on Chinhat, a village on the Faizábád road, within eight miles of the Residency. DETERMINES TO STRIKE A COUNTERBLOW. 423 BOOK IX. Chapter II. 1857. June 29. His reasons for deter mining to strike a blow. This gave Sir Henry an opportunity at which he clutched. With the foresight of a real general opposed to Asiatics he felt that for him to await an attack would be to invite a general insurrection, whereas, an effective blow dealt at the advanced troops of the rebels would paralyse their movements, and spread doubt and hesitation amongst them. He hoped and believed, in fact, that it might not be impossible to reply to Kánhpúr by Chinhat. To say that because he did not succeed his plan was bad and impolitic is not a logical argument. His plan was justified alike by military science and by political considerations. Whilst he fought a battle in which victory would Those reasons have been decisive, he lost nothing by defeat. He did not, in a word, risk part of his general plan, nor was he in a worse position after his defeat than that which he had occupied before he went out to fight. In some respects, indeed, his general position became more assured, because more clearly defined. sound. his forces. Sir Henry's first step was to withdraw the Concentrates troops from the cantonments and to bring them within the Residency. He then ordered that a force composed of three hundred men of the 32nd Regiment; two hundred and thirty men of the regular native infantry; the small troop of volunteer cavalry, thirty-six strong; one hundred and twenty troopers of the Oudh Irregulars; ten guns and an 8-inch howitzer, should assemble at the iron bridge at daylight the following morning to march thence at once in the direction of Chinhat. It deserves here to be remarked that of the ten BOOK IX. Chapter II. 1857. June 30. Marches on guns six were manned by natives and four only by Europeans. The howitzer was on a limber drawn by an elephant driven by a native. The force had been ordered to march at dawn, but the necessary arrangements caused unavoidable delay, and the sun was already high-it was past 6 o'clock-when it marched from the iron bridge across the Gúmtí in the direction of Chinhat. After marching three miles along the metalled road it reached the bridge spanning the rivulet Kúkrail. Here a halt was ordered whilst Sir Henry with his staff, and a few cavalry, rode in front to reconnoitre. From the summit of a rising ground under some trees he could see nothing. He then and there decided to return to Lakhnao, and sent the Assistant Adjutant-General to countermarch the force, in view to its marching back. This order was carried out, when suddenly fresh instructions arrived for the force to move on towards Chinhat. The men then advanced along "a newly raised embankment, constructed of loose and sandy soil, in which every now and then gaps occurred, indicating the positions of future bridges."* The force was formed in regular order. An advanced guard of cavalry, with vedettes thrown out, led. This was followed, first, by the 8-inch howitzer, then by the four guns manned by Europeans, then by four manned by natives. An hundred and fifty men of the 13th Native Infantry came next, followed by two guns manned by natives, then by three hundred * Gubbins. BOOK IX. Chapter II. 1857. June 30. men of the 32nd Foot, and then by the remaining native troops, eighty in number. After marching in this order for about a mile and a half they descried the enemy drawn up at a distance of Descries the about twelve hundred yards, their right covered enemy. by a small hamlet, their left by a village and a lake, their centre resting on the road. Simultaneously the enemy saw them and at once opened a heavy round-shot fire. Chinhat. Sir Henry immediately halted his column and Battle of deployed the infantry into line. Then placing his European guns in position, and ordering the infantry to lie down, he returned the enemy's fire. A continuous cannonade from both sides was now kept up. Then, after something of a lull, which induced many officers to believe that the British were getting the best of the day, the enemy suddenly divided, and menaced both flanks in considerable force. That on the British left was made not only in overwhelming numbers, but from the cover of the village of Ishmáilganj―a village which ran parallel to that part of our line occupied by the 32nd. The fire from this village caught The enemy that regiment in flank, and in a very few minutes Bank. nearly half of its number present, with a large proportion of officers, including the commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Case, were lying dead or disabled on the ground. Meanwhile every effort had been made to bring the native artillery into action but with very indifferent success. The native artillerymen were traitors. Two of the guns had been upset in the ditch, and the traces of some of the others had been cut. gain our left BOOK IX. Chapter II. 1857. June 30. The British retreat. Gallantry of Captain Radcliffe and his companions. The pursuit is checked at Kúkrail; Elated with their first success, the enemy The danger, however, was not over. The enemy's infantry was pressing on. All our gun ammunition was exhausted. In this dilemma Sir Henry showed a nerve and decision not to be surpassed. He placed the guns on the bridge and ordered the portfires to be lighted. The feint had all the hoped-for effect. The enemy shrunk back from a bridge apparently defended by loaded guns. They at once relaxed their pursuit, and |