At the Point of the Bayonet

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General Fraser himself led the attack upon these. They were also
carried; but the general fell, mortally wounded. Colonel Monson,
who now succeeded to the command, reformed the troops--who were in
some disorder, owing to the impetuosity of their charge--and led
them forward again. Battery after battery was captured. Numbers of
Holkar's men tried to cross the morass, but sank in the mud and
lost their lives. The rest took refuge under the walls of Deeg,
whose guns at once opened fire upon their pursuers.

While the tide pressed forward, unchecked, the Mahratta horse had
ridden down in the rear of the British; and had taken possession of
the first line of batteries, and had turned their guns upon their
late captors. The consequences would have been serious, had not
Captain Norford gathered together twenty-eight men of the 76th
Regiment, and led them against the Mahratta horse. These, staggered
by the daring with which this handful of men advanced against them,
fired a hasty volley and fled. Captain Norford was killed, but the
men took possession of the guns; which the Mahrattas, thinking that
the day was altogether lost, did not attempt to recapture.

As the fortress of Deeg was far too strong to be attacked by any
force unprovided with siege guns, the British drew back, until
beyond the range of its cannon; carrying off all the guns captured
in the batteries, eighty-seven in number. The total amount of
artillery employed against our troops was no less than one hundred
and sixty guns. Our loss was naturally heavy, amounting to over six
hundred and forty killed and wounded; while that of the enemy was
estimated at two thousand killed, or smothered in the morass.

The force encamped beyond the reach of the guns of Deeg, awaiting
orders from General Lake. The battle was scarcely over when Colonel
Monson rode up to Harry, and said:

"It is of great importance that General Lake should receive the
news of our victory, as soon as possible. There is no one so well
fitted to carry it as you are. There will be no occasion for
disguise, this time; for Holkar's depredations must have excited
the whole population against him. At the same time, you had better
take your havildar and his troopers with you. It will command
respect and, if you should come across any small body of Holkar's
marauders, I am sure that you will give a good account of them."

"Can you give me any indication as to where General Lake is likely
to be, at present, sir?"

"He marched from Shamsheer to Mahomedabad and, as he probably took
the road through Sekerah, he no doubt settled accounts with that
rascally rajah. I understood, from him, that he suspected Holkar
would make for Sherdanah; as the Begum of that place has five
battalions of drilled troops, and forty guns, which would be a
welcome reinforcement. After that he will, of course, be guided by
Holkar's movements.

"The reports of the peasantry lead me to believe that the enemy are
advancing in the direction of Furukabad. I should say that you had
best cross the Jumna at Muttra, and ride to Alighur. In that way
you will not be likely to meet Holkar's force; which must, at
present, be beyond the Ganges."

Half an hour later, Harry started with his escort. He crossed the
Jumna at Muttra, and there learned that Holkar had, the night
before, arrived within twelve miles of the town; and was, as usual,
destroying everything before him. Harry continued his course to
Cod, within a mile or two of Alighur, which he reached late in the
evening.

The capture of the fort, believed to be impregnable, had had the
effect of producing so profound a respect for the British arms that
Harry, on his arrival, was received by the principal men of the
town; and a large house was placed at his disposal, for himself and
his escort. Supplies were at once furnished and, when a meal had
been eaten and the horses attended to, the troops lay down for the
night.

Harry had been informed that a horseman had brought in news that
the British army had arrived at Bareilly. He started at daybreak
and, late the next evening, after a ride of over one hundred miles,
rode into Lord Lake's camp.

"What news do you bring?" the general asked, as he alighted from
his horse.

"I have to report, sir, that on the 13th the force under General
Fraser attacked the enemy, who were very strongly posted within
gunshot of the fortress of Deeg. After hard fighting he completely
defeated them, captured eighty-seven of their guns, and drove them
from under the guns of Deeg, which at once opened fire on us. The
enemy's loss was estimated at two thousand. Ours was not known,
when I left the camp; but it was roughly estimated at over six
hundred in killed and wounded. Among the former, I regret to say,
was General Fraser, who was mortally wounded by a cannon shot,
while leading on his men."

"I am sorry to hear of his loss," General Lake said, "while the
rest of your news is satisfactory, indeed. Reports had reached me
that the Rajah of Bhurtpoor had joined Holkar but, after coming
into Agra and begging that we would accept him as an ally, I had
difficulty in believing that he would have turned against us;
especially as he must have known that, if Holkar was defeated, he
would have to bear the whole brunt of our anger--which he could not
hope to escape, as his territory lies within two or three days'
march of Agra."

The general called his staff, and told them of the brilliant
victory that had been won at Deeg. The news spread rapidly through
the camp, and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers by the troops.
In the meantime Lord Lake had entered his tent, and obtained full
particulars of the battle.

"I was close to General Fraser when he was struck, sir," Harry
concluded. "He and his escort were with the cavalry, when it
charged the second line of their batteries. Five of the escort were
killed; and I may say that the others, led by their havildar, were
among the first in at the guns."

"I have just received news," the general said, "that Holkar crossed
this morning, at Surajepoor; and was believed to be on his way to
Furukabad. He is evidently on the march to Deeg and, if he joins
his troops there, they may attack Colonel Monson's force. Therefore
I intend to leave the tents and infantry to follow; and shall start
at daybreak, with the cavalry and horse artillery; and hope to
overtake him, especially as he has lately moved fast, and will
probably rest a day or two at Furukabad."

The next day the cavalry marched upwards of forty miles and, on the
following morning, continued their journey. They had fifty-eight
miles now before them. With occasional halts they marched all day,
crossed the Ganges at Surajepoor, and pushed on until within a mile
of Holkar's camp. Believing the British to be many miles away, no
precautions had been taken against surprise; and the first
intimation of an enemy being near at hand was the opening of fire,
at daybreak, by Lord Lake's artillery into their camp--the guns
being posted so as to permit the British cavalry to attack, without
coming across the line of fire.

Round after round of grape was poured into the camp; and then the
guns ceased firing, as the six regiments of cavalry dashed in among
the panic-stricken enemy. Scarcely any resistance was attempted
and, in a few minutes, the ground was strewn with dead. Holkar had
mounted and ridden off, with a portion of his cavalry, before our
men entered the camp; and did not draw rein until he reached
Caline, eighteen miles distant. His troops fled in all directions,
hotly pursued by the cavalry, for twelve miles; great numbers being
overtaken and cut down. The cavalry halted from sheer fatigue,
having performed the almost unparalleled march of seventy miles
since their last halting place; an exploit rendered all the more
wonderful by the fact that they had made a march of three hundred
and fifty miles in the preceding fortnight.

Their loss, in the action, was only two killed and twenty wounded.
Holkar's loss was estimated at three thousand killed on the field;
and half of his cavalry, which was previously sixty thousand
strong, were now but scattered fugitives.

That day three royal salutes were fired, for as many victories;
namely, that at Furukabad, that at Deeg, and the capture of
Shaddone--the last of Holkar's fortresses in the south--by Colonel
Wallis. As was expected, Holkar and his cavalry, as soon as they
recovered from their panic, rode to Deeg and joined the remains of
the infantry and artillery there.

General Lake remained a day or two, to rest the troops after their
exertions. The brigade of infantry that, had been left behind when
the cavalry started on their last march, had been ordered to move
rapidly down to Agra; and to escort thence the heavy guns that
would be required for the siege of Deeg and, on the 1st of
December, General Lake joined the force near that fortress. The
battering train arrived from Agra on the 12th, and the trenches
were opened on the following day.

In point of territory, the country ruled over by the Rajah of
Bhurtpoor was a comparatively small one. It was inhabited by a
people called Jats, who differed in many respects from the
communities round them. They were hardy, industrious, and brave;
and had, at one time, taken a prominent share in the wars of that
part of India, and had been masters of Agra. They had lost the
city, however, in 1774; and with it a considerable portion of their
territory. Under the present rajah, however, they had regained some
of their lost ground and, on his entering into an alliance with the
British, he had received a considerable increase of territory.

In these circumstances the defection was wholly unexpected. The
rajah had a standing army of six thousand men; and could, on an
emergency, place fifty thousand in the field. Nevertheless, seeing
how other very much more powerful native princes had been unable to
withstand the British arms, his conduct was not only ungrateful and
treacherous, but wholly unaccountable.

It was necessary for the army to move forward to Deeg with great
circumspection. Holkar's cavalry constantly hovered round them, and
they had to protect an enormous train conveying the siege
appliances and provisions for the force. In view of the
comparatively small equipage now deemed sufficient, in native wars
in India, the size of that which accompanied Lord Lake's army, on
this occasion, appears prodigious. The followers were estimated at
not less than sixty thousand. Besides elephants and camels, a
hundred thousand bullocks were employed on preparations for an
advance into the town.

But, during the night, Holkar and the garrison of Deeg retired, and
made for Bhurtpoor. On the morning of the 25th, therefore, the
British took unopposed possession of Deeg; capturing, there and in
the batteries outside, a hundred guns. A week later, General Lake
moved forward to Bhurtpoor. Holkar, as before, had not entered the
town; but had formed a camp a few miles distant. Here he was able
to maintain himself, for the Rajah of Bhurtpoor had called to his
assistance a great marauding leader, Ameer Khan, who was raiding in
Bundelcund; and also a leader named Bapeejee Scindia; and these,
with the rajah's cavalry and that of Holkar, formed so powerful a
force that the British cavalry were fully occupied in keeping them
at a distance from camp, and in protecting the convoy.

On the day of the arrival of the army before Bhurtpoor, Harry--who
had now been gazetted to the rank of major--was sent to Agra,
thirty-four miles distant, with orders respecting a convoy that was
about to be sent off from there. He was accompanied by Abdool and
ten troopers. At that time Ameer Khan had not appeared upon the
scene, and it was not considered that there was any danger of the
communications with Agra being interfered with.

Harry reached the city in the afternoon, and waited there until
four o'clock next day; seeing that the preparations for the convoy,
which was a very large one, were completed. It started at that
hour, and was to get as far as possible by nightfall; so that it
would be able to reach the camp by the following evening. After
seeing it in motion, Harry started with his escort for the ride
back. He was some ten miles away from the convoy when night fell.
Bhurtpoor, like Deeg, stood on a plain, surrounded by swamps and
morasses; the situation having been chosen from the difficulties
these offered to the advance of an enemy.

After proceeding for five miles farther, Abdool, who was riding
with Harry, said:

"I do not know, sahib, but it seems to me, by the sound of the
horses' hoofs, that we have left the track."

Harry called a halt; and Abdool dismounted, and found that his
suspicion was correct, and that they had certainly left the road.

"This is awkward," Harry said, "for we do not know how long it is
since we left it, or whether it is to the right hand or left."

The night was indeed a very dark one, a mist almost covered the
sky, and it was only occasionally that a star could be seen.

"We must go carefully, or we shall fall in one of these morasses."

Two troopers were sent off, one to the right, the other to the
left. One of them, when he had gone about a quarter of a mile, was
heard to shout that he was fast in the morass. Abdool and four of
the men rode to his assistance, and presently returned with him,
having with the greatest difficulty extricated his horse. Nothing
had been heard of the other trooper. Again and again Harry shouted,
but no reply came back. They waited half an hour, and then
concluded that either the man, on his return, had missed his way
altogether; or that he had fallen into a swamp, when they were too
far off to hear his voice, and had perished there.

Harry again gave the word for them to move on, this time at a walk.
Abdool preceded them on foot. Presently he said:

"The ground is getting softer, sahib. I think that we are
approaching a swamp."

"We had better all dismount," Harry said, setting the example.

"Now, let each move in different directions, going very cautiously,
and calling out if he comes upon soft ground."

He himself, with two of the troopers, remained with the horses. One
after another, the men came upon swampy ground; one only continued
to find it firm.

"I suppose that that is the way we came into it, Abdool," Harry
said, as the others returned to the horses. "We must follow him,
and will do it on foot. This is getting serious."

For a quarter of a mile, they kept on ground that was comparatively
firm. Then the man ahead of them gave a sudden shout. He had
fallen, waist deep, into a little stream. He was soon hauled out.

"There is nothing to be done, Abdool, but to halt till morning. Let
us go back, till we can find a piece of ground dry enough to lie
down upon."

They had made, however, little progress when their feet began to
sink up to the ankles.

"It is no use, Abdool. We have evidently lost our bearings,
altogether. We must stay where we are till morning, or we shall get
helplessly bogged."

The hours passed slowly and painfully. From time to time, the men
endeavoured to find firmer ground, but always without success; and
it was with the deepest satisfaction that, at last, they saw the
sky begin to lighten. Half an hour later, they were able to form an
idea of their position.

They were far in what appeared to be a wide morass. There were
pools of water in some places, and it seemed almost miraculous that
they should have succeeded in so far entering the swamp where, even
by daylight, there scarcely seemed a yard of firm ground. Abdool
again went ahead and, step by step, the little troop followed;
frequently having to turn back again, on finding the line that they
were pursuing impassable.

They were still a hundred yards from what appeared to be solid
ground when they heard loud shouts and, looking round, saw some
fifty horsemen skirting the edge of the morass. When they reached
the point opposite to the little party, they dismounted and opened
fire. One of the troopers fell dead, and several of the horses were
hit.

"There is nothing for it but to surrender, Abdool," Harry said, as
some of the troopers returned the fire.

The enemy rode off for a hundred yards; and then, leaving the
horses in charge of a few of their number, they returned to the
edge of the morass, threw themselves down in the long coarse grass,
and again opened fire. Two more of the troopers fell, at the first
discharge. Harry drew out his handkerchief, and waved it.

[Illustration: Harry drew out his handkerchief, and waved it.]

"We will not surrender, if they are Holkar's men," he said to
Abdool. "We should only be tortured, and then put to death. If they
are Bhurtpoor's men, we may have fair treatment."

Therefore, as soon as the enemy had stopped firing he shouted:

"Whose soldiers are you?"

"The Rajah of Bhurtpoor's," was shouted back.

"We will surrender, if you will swear to take us to Bhurtpoor and
hand us over to the rajah. If you will not do so, we will defend
ourselves to the last."

A native officer stood up.

"Assuredly we will take you to the rajah. I swear it on my faith."

"Very well then, send a man to guide us out of this place."

An order was given. One of the men went back and mounted his horse,
and rode along by the edge of the morass for nearly half a mile.
The others, more slowly, followed him.

"It is clear that this place in front of us is absolutely
impassable," Harry said, "or they would never all move away."

"It is lucky that you have not got your favourite horse today,
sir," Abdool said--for Harry had bought, from one of the cavalry, a
horse that had been captured from the Mahrattas, as one was
insufficient for the work he had to do.

"I should be very glad, indeed, Abdool, if I thought that I was
likely to return to camp soon. But in such peril as this, it is but
a small satisfaction to know that he is safe."

"What do you think of our chances, sahib?"

"I don't think the Rajah of Bhurtpoor will harm us. He must feel
that his situation is almost desperate, and it would put him beyond
the reach of pardon, if he were to massacre his prisoners."

The Jat had now dismounted, and could be seen making his way
towards them on foot; sometimes coming straight, but more often
making long bends and turns. It was evident, by the absence of any
hesitation in his movements, that he was well acquainted with the
morass.

"If that is the only way to us," Harry said, "it is marvellous,
indeed, that we made our way so far."

"I think, sahib, that it was the instinct of the horses. I felt
mine pull at the rein, as I was leading him, sometimes to the right
and sometimes to the left; and I always let him have his way,
knowing that horses can see and smell better than we can and, as we
were all in single file, you followed without noticing the turns."

In ten minutes the man arrived. He spoke to Harry, but his language
differed widely from either Mahratti or that spoken by the people
of Bengal. However, he signed to the troopers to lay down their
arms and, when they had done so, started to rejoin the others; and,
leading the horses, the party followed. The path was fairly firm,
and Harry had no doubt that it was used by fowlers, in search of
the game with which, at certain seasons of the year, the lakes and
morasses abounded.

When they arrived at the edge of the swamp, where the others were
awaiting them, Harry handed his sword to their leader. He and his
party then mounted and, surrounded by the Jats, rode to Bhurtpoor.
Their entrance was greeted with loud shouts and acclamations by the
populace. Making their way straight through the town, which covered
a large extent of ground, they reached the palace, a noble building
built upon a rock that rose abruptly from the plain. Ascending the
steep path leading to the gate, the party entered the courtyard.
Here the captives remained in charge of the horsemen, while the
leader went in to report to the rajah.

[Illustration: View of the Rajah's Palace, Bhurtpoor.]

Presently he came out, with four of the rajah's guard, and these
led Harry and Abdool into the audience chamber. The rajah, with a
number of personal attendants, entered and took his seat.

"You are an officer in the English army. What is your rank?" the
rajah said in Mahratti.

"I am a major."

"Of what regiment?"

"I am on the personal staff of the general."

"And this man?"

"He is a native officer, at present commanding a portion of the
general's escort."

"How was it that you were alone, last night?"

"I had ridden to Agra, the day before; and was too late, in
starting back, to gain the camp before it was dark. I lost my way
and, finding that we were in the heart of the morass, we were
obliged to wait till morning."

"It is well that you did not try to get out. Had you done so, none
of you would be here now.

"You speak Mahratti like a native."

"I was some years at Poona and, as a child, had a Mahratta woman as
a nurse, and learnt it from her."

The rajah was silent for a minute or two, then he asked:

"Does your general think that he is going to capture my town?"

"I do not know, but he is going to try."

"He will not succeed," the rajah said, positively. "We gave up
Deeg, because we did not want a large force shut up there. Our
walls are strong but, were they levelled to the ground, we would
still defend the place to the last."

"I am aware that your people are brave, Rajah. They fought well,
indeed; and if Holkar's troops had fought as stoutly, the result
might have been different."

The rajah again sat in thought for some time, then he said:

"I do not wish to treat you harshly. I can honour brave men, even
when they are enemies. You will have an apartment assigned to you
here, and be treated as my guest; only, do not venture to leave the
palace--at least, unless you leave it with me. There are many who
have lost friends at Deeg, many who may lose their lives before
your army retires, and I could not answer for your safety. Would
you like this native officer to be with you?"

"I should esteem it a great favour, Rajah. He has been with me for
several years, and I regard him as a friend. Thank you, also, for
your courtesy to me."

"You will give your promise not to try to escape?"

As Harry believed that, in the course of a short time, the British
would be masters of the town, he assented without hesitation.

The rajah looked pleased.

"You need be under no uneasiness as to your troopers. They will, of
course, be in confinement but, beyond that, they shall have no
reason to complain of their treatment."

The rajah said a few words to one of his attendants, who at once
motioned to Harry and Abdool to follow him. Harry bowed to the
rajah and, with Abdool, followed the attendant. He was taken to a
commodious chamber. The walls and divans were of white marble; and
the floor was paved with the same material, but in two colours. The
framework of the window was elaborately carved, and it was evident
that the room was, at ordinary times, used as a guest chamber.

The attendant left them, for a few minutes.

"This is better than I had even hoped for, Abdool. There can be no
doubt that the rajah, though he put a good face on it, is
desperately anxious; and behaves to us in this way, in hopes that
he may finally obtain better terms than he otherwise would do, by
his good treatment of us."

"He looks honest and straightforward, sahib. 'Tis strange that he
should have behaved so treacherously, just after the Company had
granted him an increase of territory."

"We must make some allowances for him. No doubt, like all the
Indian princes we have had to do with, he is ready to join the
strongest side. He heard that Holkar was coming down with an
immense army, and believed that we should not be able to withstand
him. In that case he, as our ally, would share in our misfortunes.
His territories would be ravaged; and he himself killed or taken
back, as a prisoner, to the Deccan. He was probably hesitating,
when the news came of Monson's disastrous retreat. This doubtless
confirmed his opinion of Holkar's invincibility; and he determined,
as the only way of saving himself, to declare for him."

The attendant now entered, with four men bearing cushions for the
divans and carpets for the floor, large ewers and basins, with
soft, embroidered towels, and a pile of rugs for beds. After he had
retired, Harry went to the window and looked out. Below was the
courtyard, and the room was on the first story.

"Well, if we are to be prisoners, Abdool, we could hardly wish to
be better suited. A fortnight's rest will do us no harm, for we
have been riding hard almost ever since we left Agra with Monson's
force."

"It is well, sahib, that you were with us when we were captured.
Had we been alone, we should have had no mercy. It is because the
rajah regards you as such a valuable prisoner that we have been
spared.

"If you had not given your promise, I think we might have made our
escape."

"We might have done so, Abdool; but if I had not given my promise,
you may be sure that we should not have been lodged so comfortably."

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