one, as darkness had set in, and the road was jammed with horses, elephants, bullocks, guns, However, it was carried out. The 5th and men. The other The BOOK IX. Chapter III. 1857. Sept. 23. He contents himself with occupying a strong posi tion for the night. Fusiliers occupied the A'lambagh. regiments were more or less provided for, some occupying hamlets, some lying in the open. Madras Fusiliers bivouacked in mud ankle deep; but they and the rest of the force "were as merry and jolly as possible.* The rain had ceased. The men had been greatly cheered by the news that reached them that day that Dehlí had been captured, and were in a humour to bear up against evils far greater than those they were encountering. They had shown their enthusiasm by loudly Fine temper cheering Olpherts's battery as, led by that most daring officer, it had passed in front of the infantry line at a gallop to charge the enemy. The force halted throughout the day of the 24th to prepare for the desperate deed of the morrow. During the day the position was further changed so as to remove the men entirely from the range of the enemy's guns, which nevertheless continued their cannonade. The enemy's cavalry likewise, creeping round to the rear, made an attempt on our baggage, but, after killing, by surprising them, some ten or twelve of our men, they were driven off. That night all the baggage of our men was stored in the A'lambágh and a guard of two hundred and fifty men was placed there. of the men. The force halts during the 24th. At last the day of trial dawned. General Have- The advance * MSS. Journal kept at the time. on the 25th. BOOK IX. Chapter III. 1857. Sept. 25. Early successes of the British. 536 THE CRUCIAL 25TH OF SEPTEMBER. lock, in consultation with Sir James Outram, had The next point to be reached was the Chárbágh bridge, and to reach this a village had to be stormed. To the right of it were some enclosures occupied by the enemy. Before attacking this village the force made a short halt. Then Sir James Outram, taking with him the 5th Fusiliers, made a dash at the enclosures at the right, whilst Neill led the Madras Fusiliers and the combined 84th and 64th against the village. Both attacks were most successful. Whilst Outram forced the enemy from the enclosures, Neill occupied the village, driving the enemy headlong over the bridge and capturing the four guns posted for its protection. He did this under a perfect hailstorm of musketry bullets. Many were knocked down THE FORCE MOVES AGAINST THE CITY. 537 never to rise again. It seemed a miracle how anyone escaped. BOOK IX. Chapter III. 1857. Sept. 25. determines the main At this village the 1st brigade halted to wait for its gallant companions of the 2nd. The cap- Havelock tured guns were spiked. On the 2nd brigade not to force closing up the whole force advanced, but, in pur- streets, but to suance of the resolution already referred to, turn them. instead of moving straight on through the city, they took a turn to the right at the bridge, and advanced by a very bad and narrow road along the outskirts. The troops pressed along this road, subjected here to but little opposition. ments de tached to cover the The enemy, however, having made a demon- Two regi stration on the rear of our force, two regiments were detached to cover the advance of the remainder, as well as to protect the heavy guns, the dragging of which over the heavy road was found both tedious and difficult. rear. our men This road gradually led into the outskirts of the Progress of city, and our men were forced to penetrate through through the narrow streets and lanes, every one of which city. seemed alive with the enemy's fire. Still the one way to win the day was to press on, and the men continued to dash forward, overcoming or disregarding every obstacle. Suddenly, however, they found their progress impeded by a most formidable obstacle. Before them lay a narrow bridge over a nullah with high banks on the opposite side. This bridge lay under the lee of Terrible the Kaisarbagh, partially commanded by the their way. two guns posted there and by the muskets of the numerous enemy occupying it. Our infantry and our guns were forced to cross that bridge, and obstacles in BOOK IX. Chapter III. 1857. Sept. 25. They gal. lantly sur Outram pro poses to halt at the Chattar 538 THEY ENCOUNTER GREAT DIFFICULTIES. to cross it almost singly. The fire opened from the Kaisarbagh was tremendous. It happened, however, that a sheltered position was attainable on the other side from which the enemy might be fired at with advantage. Our troops, then, as they ran across the bridge took up this position, and opening a fire, to some extent covered their comrades. But the ordeal was a mount them. terrible one and many men fell at this point. Having passed this obstacle, the force re-united and halted under cover of some deserted buildings near the Chattar Manzil and Farídbaksh palaces. Darkness was now coming on. Our rear-guard, with the heavy guns, the wounded, and the baggage, were behind and exposed to the fury of the enemy. In a consultation with General Havelock Sir James Outram proposed that the force should occupy the Chattar Manzil palace for a few hours to permit the junction with the rear-guard. The proposition showed judgment and prudence, for the Chattar Manzil was a strong position easy to hold, and virtually communicated, by means of intervening palaces, with the Residency. Had the suggestion been adopted the safety of the rearguard would have been assured, and the entrance into the Residency enclosure could have been effected with comparatively little loss. But General Havelock considered that the importance of sire to push letting the beleaguered garrison know that succour was at hand outweighed every other consideration. The troops, re-formed, accordingly pushed on. The houses in Khás Bazaar were thronged with the enemy. As our men approached the archway, Manzil till the rear guard should rejoin; but accedes to Havelock's earnest de on. BOOK IX. Chapter III. 1857. Sept. 25. The troops again push g on. a tremendous fire opened upon them. Neill, who was leading them, passed through the archway, then, suddenly pulling up his horse, he directed his Aide-de-camp, Gordon, to gallop back and recall a half-battery which had taken a wrong road. He remained there sitting on his horse, his head turned in the direction from which he expected the half-battery to emerge, when a sepoy, who had taken post on the arch, discharged his musket at him over the parapet on the top. The bullet entered his head behind the left ear, The death of and killed him. Neill. Thus fell one of the bravest and most deter- James Neill. mined men in the British army. Neill had only required opportunity to become great. Hating pedantry, cant, and circumlocution, he was essentially a man of action. In the early days of the mutiny, when everyone from highest to lowest seemed utterly abroad, Neill suddenly appeared on the scene, and by his prompt decision and quick energy had in a moment stayed the plague. He was a born warrior, very cool, very keen-sighted, and very determined. His military capacity must not be judged by his condemnation of Havelock's retreat from his first advance. He, I believe, under similar circumstances, would have acted similarly. But his judgment was clouded on this occasion by his personal feelings. He had felt deeply his supersession by Havelock, and he disliked him. Every one of his acts was marked by judgment, by a keen appreciation of the end to be attained. In a word, he was a noble type of the northern land that owned him. Though |