In Times of Peril A Tale of India

ation of India when the full extent of the peril caused by the rising of the Sepoys was first clearly understood. By the rising of Delhi, and o

om the south. Nor did it look as if the position of the English was much better in the north. At Sealkote, Lahore, and many other stations, the Sepoys mutinied, and the Sikh regiments were disturbed, and semi-mutinous. It was at this all-important moment that the fidelity of two or three of the great Sikh chieftains saved British India. Foremost of them was the Rajah of Puttiala, who, when the whole Sikh nation was wavering as to the course it should take, rode

with the enemy at Ghazee-ud-deen-Nugghur, a village fifteen miles from Delhi, where there was a suspension bridge across the Hindur. This fight, although unimportant in itself, is memorable as being the first occasion upon which the mutineers and the British troops met. Hitherto the Sepoys had had it entirely their own way. Mutiny, havoc, murder, had gone on unchecked; but now the tide was to turn, never to ebb again until the Sepoy mutiny was drowned in a sea of blood. Upon this, their first meeting with the white troops, the Sepoys were confident of success. They were greatly superior in force; they had been carefully drilled in the English system; they were le

e impetuous onslaught, abandoned their intrenchments, threw a way their arms, and fled, leaving five guns in the hands of the victors, and in many cases not stopping in their flight until they reached the gates of Delhi. The next day considerable bodies of fresh troops came out to renew the attack

d position, held by three thousand Sepoys with twelve guns. These pieces of artillery were much heavier than the British field guns, and as they opened a heavy fire, they inflicted considerable damage upon our advancing troops. The British, however, were in no humor for distant fighting; they panted to get at the murderers of women and children-these men who had shot down in cold blood the officers, whose onl

se had been prepared; but the mutineers stationed here were infected by the wild panic of the fugi

at British flag on the Ridge. Native and British alike recognized the fact that English supremacy in India depended upon its maintenance. That England would send out large reinforcements all knew, but they also knew that many an anxious week must elapse before the first soldier from England could arrive within striking distance. If the native leaders at Delhi, with the enormously superior forces at their command, could not drive off their besiegers and pluck down the flag from the Ridge, the time must come when, with the arrival of the reinforcements, the tide would begin to flow against them. So India argued, and waited for the result. The Delhi leaders, as well as the English, felt the importance of the issue, and the one never relaxed their desperate efforts to drive back the besiegers-the other with astonishing tenacity held on against all odds; while scores of native chiefs hesitated on the verge, waiting, until they saw the end of the struggle at Delhi.

siliers, six companies of the Second Fusiliers-both composed of white troops-the Sirmoor battalion of Goorkhas, the Sixth Dragoon Guards (the Carbineers), t

troops of cavalry and six companies of infantry. This little force had marched five hundred and eighty miles in twenty-two days, a rate of twenty-six miles a d

d of the country, scattered with mosques and tombs-the remains of older Delhi-can be obtained. The cantonments lay at the back of this hill, a few posts only, such as Hindoo Rao's house, being held in adva

from duty, made their way up to the flagstaff tower, on the highest point of the Ridge, to look down upon Delhi. Among t

superb

he left, as viewed from the Ridge, is the great mass of the king's palace-a fortress in itself-with its lofty walls and towers, and with its own mosques and minarets. These rise thickly, too, in other parts, while near the palace the closely-packed houses cease, and lofty trees rise alone there. The Ridge lies on the north of the city, and opposite to it is the Cashmere gate, through which our storming parties would rush later on; and away, a little to the right, is the

Warrener said, as the

ful of men we seem by t

to besiege the giant's

we got

way before the fire from the housetops and windows. There is nothing so terrible as street fighting; and drill and discipline are there of comparatively little use. The enemy will naturally fight with the desperation of rats in a hole: and it would be rash in the extreme for us to make the attempt until we are sure of success. A disastrous repu

can't do much in a siege; besides, the ground is all cut up into garde

o cut off convoys of the enemy, to scout generally, and to bring in news; still, I agree

f them plunging down behind the Ridge, among the troops who were engaged in getting up their tents; while a crac

tive corps. The Sixtieth Rifles, however, of whom two companies held Hindoo Rao's, repulsed the sortie, and all calmed down again; but the ene

r as the river, and our rear was covered by a canal, possessing but few bridges, and those easily

near Hindoo Rao's house, and the troops got

de-camp

ill move up your troop

cava

now all at work, and our artillery at Hindoo Rao's were answering them, and the sh

d broken ground near Hindoo Rao's was very heavy, and a large body of the enemy's cavalry was

aid-de-camp said; and with a cheer the G

halted before they reached them, and fled toward the city, with the British mixed with them, in a confused mass of fighting, struggling men. The pursu

t a general favorite alike with other officers and the men. Struck by a round shot in the body, his case was hopeless from t

decorum est pro patriá mor

before Delhi; and it is no wonder that, day after day, and week after week

left, and just as it began to be light, made a furious assault on the company of the Seventy-fifth who were holding the flagstaff battery. Warrener's Horse were

ng, and then the major's vo

nothing else. Quick, lads; fall in on foo

on, and fell into rank; and in less than two minutes from the sound of the first shot the whole were dashing up the

o right at them. Don't fire a shot till you are within five paces, then give them three barrels of yo

is sudden attack, and by the shower of pistol bullets which swept among them, the enemy wavered and broke at the fierce onslaught, sword in hand, of these new foes; while the Seventy-fifth, raising a shout of joy at the arrival of their friends

h ever-increasing force and fury, each fresh body of mutineers who came into the city being required to testify their loyalty to the emperor by heading the attack on his foes. Desperately the little British force had to fight to maintain their position, and their losses wer

their release by fair means, if possible; if not, to carry the place and release them, if it appeared practicable to do so with his small force; that he was then to press on to Cawnpore. Communications had ceased with Sir H. Wheeler, the officer in command there; but it was not known whether he was actually besieged, or whether it was merely a severance of the telegraph wire. If he could join Sir H. Wheeler he was to do so; if not, he w

ere similarly cased in flannel, and the rings and chains of the bits in leather. Nothing, save the sound of the horses' hoofs, was to be heard as they marched, and even these were muffled by the deep dust that lay on the road. Each man, moreover, carried four leathern shoes for his horse, with lacings for fastening them. Under the guidance of two nati

aintain secrecy by resting in woods. Food for men and horses was requisite, and this could only be obtained in villages. So far no difficulty had been met with. The head men of the

ortresses. Each is strongly walled and guarded, and petty wars and feuds are common occurrences. The people are warlike, and used to arms, and without artillery even a small village could not be carried without considerable loss. The troops therefore had made circuits round the villages, and bivouacked at the end of their march in a wood, having brought wi

to waver before the musketry fire, were to sweep round and take them in flank. Major Warrener himself took command of the dismounted troop, and posted the men along behind a bank with a hedge, a short distance in front of the trees. Then, each man knowing his plac

ttack. The enemy opened a heavy fire, yet at a long distance. "Answer with a shot or two, occasionally," Major Warr

f Warrener's Horse was a sportsman and a good shot, very few shots were thrown away. The enemy beat their drums more and mo

ut don't thro

in front, called them on, as slowly, and with heavy loss, the main body arrived within a hundred yards of the hedge. Those in front were, however, falling so fast that no efforts of their leader

and the men dashed back through the tope to the spot in the rear

The enemy in scattered bodies were in full flight, and the cavalry, dashing

age," Major Warren

he village, but the main body scattered again in flight. The cavalry dashed in through the gates, and sabered some men who were trying to close them. A few shots were fired inside, but resistance was soon over, and the male inhabitants who r

d, as the troop gathered round him; "there is an abundance of f

t aside for Major Warrener, and the rest of the squadron dispersed in the village, quartering themselves in parties of threes and fours among the cleanest-looking of the huts. Eight men were at once put on sentry on the walls, two on each side. Their horses were first looked to, fed and watered, and soon the village assumed as

ndred yards beyond the gates. Men lighted their pipes and chatted round the fires, while Major Warrener and a d