"And I think too that you had better not see him until tomorrow,
Isobel. Your cheeks are flushed now, and your hands are trembling,
and I do not want you laid up again, so I order you to keep yourself
perfectly quiet for the rest of the day."
But it was not till two days later that Bathurst came up to see
her.
The spies brought in, late that evening, the news that a small
party of the Sepoy cavalry, with two guns, were at a village three
miles on the other side of the town, and were in communication
with the disaffected. It was decided at once by the officer who
had succeeded General Neil in the command of the fort that a small
party of fifty infantry, accompanied by ten or twelve mounted
volunteers, should go out and attack them. Bathurst sent in his name
to form one of the party as soon as he learned the news, borrowing
the horse of an officer who was laid up ill.
The expedition started two hours before daybreak, and, making
a long detour, fell upon the Sepoys at seven o'clock. The latter,
who had received news half an hour before of their approach, made
a stand, relying on their cannon. The infantry, however, moved
forward in skirmishing order, their fire quickly silenced the guns,
and they then rushed forward while the little troop of volunteers
charged.
The fight lasted but a few minutes, at the end of which time the
enemy galloped off in all directions, leaving their guns in the
hands of the victors. Four of the infantry had been killed by the
explosion of a well aimed shell, and five of the volunteers were
wounded in the hand to hand fight with the sowars.
Pages:
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510