THE ENGINEERS ARE BLAMED. 279 Near 4 P.M., and all going on well. The enemy's guns, it is said, are all silenced except two which are firing across the river, and two from the Selimgurh Gate. Ours are all in full operation. (Diary) 12th September.-Up very early again, and go to the Flagstaff; the heavy breaching battery still not ready. It seems that the embrasures were made in the wrong direction, and all had to be done over again. Great crying out, against the Engineers especially, who had the superintendence of this battery. opens partially in the afternoon. Short ride in the evening, but nothing visible; lots of noise. Poor Fagan killed this evening in the breaching battery. It CAMP, DELHI CANTONMENTS, Sunday, 13th September. Mrs Hodson certainly writes an amusing note. I hope she heard from her husband the next day; but you can tell her, if he has not written to-day, that he was in my tent a little while ago, and in high health and spirits, except a little cold, from which many in camp are suffering at present. He was telling me that he hopes to go on with the Movable Column under Nicholson (the hero of the last fight) when we take Delhi, to pursue the flying enemy. You see, we have settled all this to our satisfaction, though I suppose Mrs when she hears of this arrangement, will still adhere to her belief that none of our party who go into Delhi will be permitted to leave the city. We shall soon now have this determined for us, and God grant us all the success that every one in our camp expects. To-morrow, or the next day at the very latest, the assault is intended to take place. The day will depend in a great measure upon the practicability of the breaches. The guns and mortars are all now hard at work, and from reports lately brought up from the batteries, all is progressing very well. We blew up two of their small magazines this morning. Our losses yesterday were very trifling; but, I am sorry to say, one officer of Artillery-Captain Fagan-was amongst the few killed. He was a first-rate officer, and there is very great regret in camp at his loss. His poor wife is at Dalhousie with some four or five children. Poor fellow! What makes the matter worse is that he lost his life entirely from his own imprudence; 280 THE TELEGRAPH ESTABLISHED IN CAMP. he would expose himself unnecessarily against continual remonstrances. Major Scott, in whose battery he was, was insisting upon his being more careful, when the fatal shot took effect: it was a rifle-ball in the head. When the assault takes place, I suppose my place will be with General Wilson, who will, of course, remain with the Reserve Column, so that I shall be comparatively safe and free from danger; and may God protect me, if only for your sake and that of the dear children. But, as I told you yesterday, little or no opposition is expected on first entering the city; and the arrangements appear to be so good for overcoming any after obstacles that I trust we shall meet with very little loss. But there is not much use my saying anything on this subject now, as, in all probability, ere this reaches you you will hear the result of our attack, by electric telegraph, through Lord William Hay, to whom, no doubt, a copy of the first despatch will be sent up by Mr Barnes. The telegraph, I think I told you, is now established in our camp, and I will try to send you a message; but I don't think there is much chance of my being able to do so, as no private messages are taken now, they say; and, in fact, there will be such confusion on the day of the assault that you must not be surprised if you get neither letter nor message from me that day. But you may be sure I shall write as soon as I can, and a happy day will it be for me when I can write and tell you that it is all settled when I am to leave for Simla. Becher, I told you, has quite determined now on going up there. He was proposing that we should go together. I enclose a letter that came yesterday evening from Arthur, and you will be sorry to see that the scoundrels of the Legion have plundered Erinpoorah after all. Poor Arthur! I hope, however, as L. was at Aboo, that some of their most valuable articles were up there also. How very fortunate it was that he was with her! There seems every chance, I think, of the mutineers meeting with their deserts. Nothing in to-day from Agra or Cawnpore, and from the city there is the old story of the Sepoys deserting in great numbers, and the inhabitants of the city are all leaving now the gates have been thrown open to them at last. They must think they are all going to be massacred, and I don't think the soldiers will be EVE OF THE ASSAULT. 281 very particular; but General Wilson has issued a very proper order, calling upon them not to harm women or children. Nearly 4 P.M., and no news of any kind. but we can hear none of the enemy's in reply. Our guns firing away, (Diary) Sunday, 13th September.-Service at six; heavy firing all day. In the evening settled that the assault takes place the next morning. Colonel KEITH YOUNG to Colonel H. B. HENDERSON. CAMP, DELHI, 13th September. When Delhi is taken, if my life is spared, I expect to be able to run up to Simla, where all my office still is. By this mail you ought to receive a telegraphic message at any rate, announcing the fall of Delhi. To-morrow the assault will probably be made, and God grant that we may be as successful as we anticipate. We have now about eight thousand men of all arms, European and Native, fit for duty-half nearly Europeans-and there are about three thousand reliable men of the Cashmere and Jheend contingents; and the enemy, though forty thousand strong at one time, have not now more than ten or twelve thousand, so we ought to beat them. Sixty guns and mortars are now playing away, preparing the way for us. CHAPTER XIII ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF DELHI. Colonel KEITH YOUNG to his wife. DELHI (IN THE CHURCH), Monday, 14th September (21⁄2 P.M.). By God's great mercy here we are, safe within the walls of Delhi, and all of our Staff party have escaped unharmed. Shute, Nicoll, and Metcalfe are now here in the veranda with me; Hodson I saw a little while ago, well. Mactier is up at the field hospital looking after the wounded, of whom, I am sorry to say, there are a good many; the only officer I have heard of as killed is Fitzgerald, Her Majesty's 75th. We have guns (the enemy's, that we took at the Water Gate) bearing on the bridge, and we are now shelling from near this some parts of the city where the mutineers still are. We hold the Cashmere Gate, the Cabul and Moree Gates, Skinner's house, and the College; and I hope the whole city will be ours before night, for the wretches have run away in great numbers. May God watch over and protect you and the dear children, is my constant prayer. (Diary) 14th September.-Up at 3 A.M., and soon after go down to Ludlow Castle with the General and party. Such noise and confusion! The storming parties in three columns. and a reserve column. Anxious time waiting for the assault; it was rather late, coming off an hour after daybreak. I should think quite successful, but great loss on our side; few of the enemy killed, apparently. The Water Bastion a terrible smash. At the Church, and in the evening Skinner's house. ASSAULT OF DELHI. 283 Extract copy from Mr BARNES's letter, The troops were under arms, and left camp this morning at 3 A.M. Assault at daybreak, and city successfully carried. General Wilson sent a despatch to his wife, dated City of Delhi, 10 A.M. Hard fighting going on, and the columns making słow progress. Several strong positions still to carry, and a stand will probably be made around the King and Palace. No list of casualties. Lord WILLIAM HAY to Mrs KEITH YOUNG. SIMLA, 16th September. MY DEAR MRS YOUNG,-Oblige me by sending these copies of telegrams to all Chota-Simla, including Colonel Congreve, Mrs Norman, Mrs Thomson, Wiggins, Greathed, &c. I think it most satisfactory. The loss in the 1st is very heavy, but the rest have got well off.-Yours in haste, Telegrams. W. H. 14th September (11 P.M.). Our position is the same as the last report, 3.30 P.M., and no attempt will be made to make further progress to-night. Our mortars have been taken into the city, and are firing against the Palace, and Selimgurh, and the town. The battering guns have also been taken in to breach the magazine. The guns and mortars captured on the bastions have been turned against the mutineers. They continue to offer the most determined resistance. Our loss is very severe, especially in officers. KILLED. Captain G. G. M'Barnett, 55th Native Infantry. DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED. Brigadier Nicholson. Captain Rosser, 6th Dragoon Guards. Major Jacob, 1st Fusiliers. Captain Greville, 1st Fusiliers. |