by G. A. Henty
Chapter 2.
Frank Mallet, after he had visited all his tenants, drove to SirJohn Greendale's.
"We have got the route," he said, as he entered; "and I leave thisevening. I had a note from the Adjutant this morning saying thatwill be soon enough, so you see I have time to come over and saygoodbye comfortably."
"I do not think goodbyes are ever comfortable," Lady Greendalesaid. "One may get through some more comfortably than others, butthat is all that can be said for the best of them."
"I call them hateful," Bertha put in. "Downright hateful, CaptainMallett--especially when anyone is going away to fight."
"They are not pleasant, I admit," Frank Mallett agreed; "and Iought to have said as comfortably as may be. I think perhaps thosewho go feel it less than those who stay. They are excited abouttheir going; they have lots to think about and to do; and the ideathat they may not come back again scarcely occurs to them at thetime, although they would admit its possibility or even itsprobability if questioned.
"However, I fancy the worst of the fighting will be over by thetime we get there. It seems almost certain that it will be so, ifDelhi is captured and Lucknow relieved. The Sepoys thought thatthey had the game entirely in their hands, and that they wouldsweep us right out of India almost without resistance. They havefailed, and when they see that every day their chances of successdiminish, their resistance will grow fainter.
"I expect that we shall have many long marches, a great manyskirmishes, and perhaps two or three hard fights; but I have not ashadow of fear of a single reverse. We are going out at the besttime of year, and with cool weather and hard exercise there will belittle danger of fevers; therefore the chances are very strongly infavour of my returning safe and sound. It may take a couple ofyears to stamp it all out, but at the end of that time I hope toreturn here for good.
"I shall find you a good deal more altered, Miss Greendale, thanyou will find me. You will have become a dignified young lady. Ishall be only a little older and a little browner. You see, I havenever been stationed in India since I joined, for the regiment hadonly just come home, and I am looking forward with pleasurableanticipation to seeing it. Ordinary life there in a hot cantonmentmust be pretty dull, though, from what I hear, people enjoy it muchmore than you would think possible. But at a time like the presentit will be full of interest and excitement."
"You will write to us sometimes, I hope," Sir John said, whenMallett rose to leave.
"I won't promise to write often, Sir John. I expect that we shallbe generally on the move, perhaps without tents of any kind, and towrite on one's knee, seated round a bivouac fire, with a dozenfellows all laughing and talking round, would be a hopeless task;but if at any time we are halted at a place where writing ispossible, I will certainly do so. I have but few friends inEngland--at any rate, only men, who never think of expecting aletter. And as you are among my very oldest and dearest friends, itwill be a pleasure for me to let you know how I am getting on, andto be sure that you will feel an interest in my doings."
There was a warm goodbye, and all went to the door for a few lastwords. Frank's portmanteau was already in the dog cart, for he hadarranged to drive straight from Greendale to Chippenham, where hewould dine at an hotel and then go on by the mail to Exeter.
It was three o'clock when he drove into the barracks there. Earlyas the hour was, the troops were already up and busy. Wagons werebeing loaded, the long lines of windows were all lighted up, and inevery room men could be seen moving about. He drove across thebarrack yard to his own quarters, left his portmanteau there, andthen walked to the mess room. As he had expected, he found severalofficers there.
"Ah, Mallett, there you are. You are the last in; the others allturned up by the evening train, but we thought that as you werecomparatively near you would come on by the mail."
"I thought I should find some of you fellows keeping it up."
"Well, there was nothing else to do. There won't be much chance ofgoing to sleep. We all dined in the town, for of course the messplate and kit have been packed up. We are not taking much with usnow, just enough to make shift with. The rest will be sent round toCalcutta, to be stored there till we settle down. The men had adinner given to them by the town, and as they all got leave outtill twelve o'clock, and the loading of the wagons began at two,there has been a row going on all night. Most of us played pooltill an hour ago, then we gradually dropped off for an hour'ssnooze."
"There will be a chance of getting breakfast, I hope?"
"Yes, there is to be a rough and tumble breakfast at a quarter tofive. We fall in at a quarter past. We got through the inspectionof kits yesterday. The mess sergeant and a party will pack up thebreakfast things, and the pots and pans will come on by the nexttrain. There is one at eight. It will be in plenty of time, as Idon't suppose the transport will be off until the afternoon,perhaps not till night. There are always delays at the last moment.
"However, it will be something to be on board ship. That is thefirst step towards getting at those black scoundrels. We are allafraid that we shall be late for Delhi; still there is plenty ofother work to be done."
"Any ladies with us?"
"No, there was a general agreement among the married officers thatthey had best be left behind. So for once the regiment goes withoutwomen."
"There is a levity about your tone that I do not approve of,Armstrong," Frank Mallett said, reprovingly. "There were no womenwhen we went out to the Crimea, at the time when you were a goodlittle boy doing Latin exercises."
"Well, altogether it is a good thing, Mallett, and we shall be muchmore comfortable without them."
"Speak for yourself, Armstrong. Lads of your age who can talknothing but barrack slang, and are eminently uncomfortable whenthey have to chat for five minutes to a lady, are naturally gladwhen they are free from the restraint of having to talk likereasonable beings; but it is not so with older and wiser men. Howabout Marshall?"
"He has been away on leave for the last ten days. He has not comeback here. There have been two fellows inquiring after himdiligently for the last week. There was no mistaking their errand,even if we did not know how he stood. I expect he is on board thetransport. I fancy the Colonel gave him a hint to join there. Nodoubt the Jews will be on the lookout for him at Plymouth, as wellas here; but he will manage to smuggle himself on board somehow,even if he has to wrap up as an old woman."
"He deserves all the trouble that has fallen upon him," FrankMallett said, angrily. "I have no patience with a young fool whobets on race horses when he knows very well that if they lose thereis nothing for him to do but to go to the Jews for money. However,he has had a sharp lesson, and as it is likely enough that theregiment won't be back in England for years, he will have a chanceof getting straight again. This affair has been a godsend for him,for had he remained in England there would have been nothing forhim to do but to sell out."
So they chatted until the mess waiters laid the table forbreakfast, when the other officers came pouring in. The meal waseaten hastily, for the assembly was sounding in the barrack yard.As soon as breakfast was finished, the officers went out and tooktheir places with their companies.
There was a brief inspection, then the drums and fifes set up "TheGirl I Left Behind Me," and the regiment marched off to thestation, the streets being already full of people who had got up tosee the last of them, and to wish them Godspeed in the work ofdeath they were going to perform.
The baggage was already in the train that was waiting for them inthe station, and in a few minutes it steamed away; the soldiershanging far out of every window to wave a last goodbye to theweeping women who thronged the platform. Two hours later theyreached Plymouth, marched through the town to the dockyard, andwent straight on board the transport.
There was the usual confusion until the cabins had been allotted,portmanteaus stowed away, and the general baggage lowered into thehold. A tedious wait of three or four hours followed, no oneexactly knew why, and then the paddle wheels began to re
volve. Themen burst into a loud cheer, and a few minutes later they passedDrake's Island and headed down the sound.
They had, as expected, found young Marshall on board. He kept belowuntil they started, although told that there was little chance ofthe bailiffs being permitted to enter the dockyard. As he had thegrace to feel thoroughly ashamed of his position, little was saidto him; but the manner of the senior officers was sufficient tomake him feel their strong disapproval of the position in which hehad placed himself by his folly.
"I have taken a solemn oath never to bet again," he said thatevening to Captain Mallett, who was a general favourite with theyounger officers; "and I mean to keep it."
"How much do you owe, young 'un?"
"Four hundred and fifty. What with allowances and so on, I ought tobe able to pay it off in three or four years."
"Yes, and if you keep your word, Marshall, some of us may beinclined to help you. I will for one. I would have done so before,but to give money to a fool is worse than throwing it into the sea.As soon as you show us by deeds, not words, that you really mean tokeep straight, you will find that you are not without friends."
"Thank you awfully, Mallett, but I don't want to be helped. I willclear it off myself if I live."
"You will find it hard work to do that, Marshall, even in India. Ofcourse, the pay and allowances make it easy for even a subaltern tolive on his income there, but when it comes to laying by much, thatis a difficult matter. However, so long as the actual campaignlasts, the necessary expenses will be very small. We shall liveprincipally on our rations, and you can put by a good bit. Theremay be a certain amount of prize money, for, although there isnothing to be got from the mutineers themselves, some of the nativeprinces who have joined them will no doubt have to pay heavily fortheir share in the business."
"Well, you won't give me up, will you, Mallett?"
"Certainly not. I was as hard as anyone on you before, for I haveno patience with such insane folly, but if you keep straight no onewill be more inclined to make things easy for you."
The voyage to Alexandria was unmarked by any incident. Drill wenton regularly, and life differed to no great extent from that inbarracks. All were glad when the halfway stage of the journey wasreached, but still more so when they embarked in another transportat Suez.
Here they learned, according to news that had arrived on theprevious day, that at the end of August Delhi was still holdingout; and that, although reinforcements had reached the British,vastly greater numbers of men had entered the city, and thatconstant sorties were made against the British position on theRidge.
Excitement therefore was at its highest, when on the 20th ofOctober a pilot came on board at the mouth of the Hooghly, and theylearned that the assault had been made on the 14th of September;and that, after desperate fighting extending over a week, the cityhad been captured, the puppet Emperor made prisoner, and the rebelsdriven with tremendous loss across the bridge of boats over theJumma.
The satisfaction with which the news was received, in spite of thedisappointment that they had arrived too late to share in thevictory, was damped by the news of the heavy losses sustained inthe assault; and especially that of that most gallant soldier,General Nicholson.
Nor were their hopes that they might take part in the relief ofLucknow realised, for they learned that on the 25th of Septemberthe place had been relieved by Havelock and Outram. Here, however,there was still a prospect that they might take a share in theserious fighting; as the losses of the relieving column had been soheavy, and the force of mutineers so large, that it had been foundimpracticable to carry off the garrison as intended, and therelieving forces were now themselves besieged. There was, however,no fear felt for their safety. If the scanty original garrison haddefied all the efforts of the mutineers, no one doubted that, nowthat their force was trebled, they would succeed in defendingthemselves until an army sufficiently strong to bring them offcould be assembled.
Not a day was lost at Calcutta. General Sir Colin Campbell, who wasnow in supreme command, was collecting a force at Cawnpore. Therehe had already been joined by a column which had been despatchedfrom Delhi as soon as the capital fell, and by a strong navalbrigade with heavy guns from the ships of war.
All arrangements had been made for pushing up reinforcements asfast as they arrived, and the troops were marched from the side ofthe ship to a spot where a flotilla of boats was in readiness. Themen only took what they could carry; all other baggage was to besent after them by water, and to lie, until further instructions,at Allahabad. As soon, therefore, as the troops had been packedaway in the boats, they were taken in tow by two steamers, and atonce taken up the river. Officers and men were alike in the highestspirits at finding themselves in so short a time after theirarrival already on the way to the front, and their excitement wasadded to by the fact that it was still doubtful whether they wouldarrive in time to join the column. Cramped as the men were in thecrowded boats, there was no murmuring as day after day, and nightafter night, they continued their course up the river.
At Patna they learned that the Commander in Chief was still atCawnpore, and the same welcome news was obtained at Allahabad; butat the latter place they learned that the news of his having goneforward was hourly expected.
They reached Cawnpore on the morning of the 11th, and learned thatthe column had left on the 9th, but was halting at Buntara. Not amoment was lost. Each man received six days' provisions from thecommissariat stores, and two hours after landing the regiment wason the march and arrived late at night at Buntara, being receivedwith hearty cheers by the troops assembled there.
They learned that they were to go forward on the following morning.Weary, but in high spirits at finding that they had arrived intime, the regiment lighted its fires and bivouacked.
"This has been a close shave indeed, Mallett," one of the othercaptains said, as a party of them sat round a fire. "We won by ashort head."
"Short indeed, Ackers. It has been a race all the way from England,and it is marvellous indeed that we should arrive just in time totake part in the relief of Lucknow. A day later and we should havemissed it."
"We should not have done that, Mallett, for the men would havemarched all night, and, if necessary, all day tomorrow, to catchup. Still, it is a wonderful fluke that after all we should be intime."
"There is no doubt that it will be a tough business," one of themajors said. "Havelock found it so, and I expect that the lesson hetaught them hasn't been lost, and that we shall have to meetgreater difficulties than even he had."
"Yes, but look at our force. Sixteen guns of Horse Artillery, aheavy field battery, and the Naval Brigade with eight guns; the 9thLancers, the Punjaub Cavalry, and Hodson's Horse; four Britishregiments of infantry and two of Punjaubies, besides a column 1,500strong which is expected to join us tomorrow or next day.
"I hope in any case, Major, that we shan't follow the line Havelocktook through the narrow streets, for there we cannot use ourstrength; but will manage to approach the Residency from some otherdirection. We know that it stands near the river, and at the veryedge of the town, so there ought to be some other way of getting atit. I consider that we are a match for any number of thesescoundrels if we do but get a fair ground for fighting, which wecertainly should not do in the streets of the town."
"I don't care how it is, so that we do get at them," anotherofficer said. "We have heard such frightful details of theiratrocities as we came up that one is burning to get at closequarters with them. I suppose we shall go to the Alumbagh first,and relieve the force that has so long been shut up there. I onlyhope that we shan't be chosen to take their place."
There was a general exclamation of disgust at the suggestion.
"Well, someone must stay, you know," he went on in deprecation ofthe epithets hurled at him; "and why not our regiment as well asany other?"
"Because I cannot believe that after luck has favoured us so longshe will play us such a trick now," Frank Mallett said. "Besides,the other regimen
ts have done something in the way of fightingalready while we have not fired a shot; and I think that Sir Colinwould be more likely to choose the 75th, or, in fact, any of theother regiments than us. Still if the worst comes to the worst wemust not grumble. Other regiments have had weary times of waiting,and it may be our turn now. Your suggestion has come as a damper toour spirits, and, as I don't mind acknowledging that I am dog tiredwith the march, after not having used my legs for the last seven oreight weeks, I shall try to forget it by going off to sleep."
Making a pillow of his cloak, he lay down on the spot where he wassitting, his example being speedily followed by the rest of theofficers.
The next morning the troops were on the march early, but they werenot to reach the Alumbagh without opposition, for on passing alittle fort to the right they were suddenly attacked by a smallbody of rebels posted round it.
But little time was lost. Hodson's Horse, who were nearest to them,at once made a brilliant charge, scattering them in all directions.A short pause was made while the fort was dismantled, and then thecolumn proceeded without further interruption to the Alumbagh.
There was some disappointment at its appearance. Instead offinding, as they had expected, a palace, there was nothing but alarge garden enclosed by a lofty wall, and having a small mosque atone end. It had evidently been a place of retirement when the Kingsof Oude desired to get away from the bustle and ceremony of thegreat town.
The Commander in Chief was thoroughly acquainted with the situationin the city, by information that he had received from a civiliannamed Kavanagh; who had at immense risk made his way out from theResidency, and was able to furnish plans of all the principalbuildings and the route which, in the opinion of Brigadier GeneralInglis, was the most favourable for the attack.
In the evening the reinforcements arrived, bringing up the totalforce to 5,000. When the orders were issued, the officers of the----th found to their intense satisfaction that, as Captain Malletthad thought likely, the 75th was selected to remain in charge ofthe baggage at the Alumbagh.
The force moved off, early on the morning of the 14th, but, aftermarching a short distance along the direct road followed byHavelock, struck off to the right, and, keeping well away from thecity, came down upon the summer palace of the Kings of Oude, calledthe Dilkoosha. It stood on an eminence commanding a view of thewhole of the eastern suburbs of the town, and was surrounded by alarge park.
As soon as the head of the column approached this, a heavy musketryfire broke out, and it was at once evident that their movements hadbeen watched and the object of their march divined. The head of thecolumn was halted for a few minutes until reinforcements came up.Then they formed into line, the artillery opened on their flanks,and with a cheer the troops advanced to the attack.
"The beggars cannot shoot a bit," Frank Mallett said to hissubaltern, Armstrong. "I expect they are Sepoys, for the Oudetribesmen are said to be good marksmen."
Keeping up a rolling fire at the loopholes in the walls, theinfantry pressed forward. The fire of the enemy slackened as theyapproached, and they soon forced their way in, some helping theircomrades over the wall, others breaking down a gate and so pouringin. A halt was made until the greater portion of the troops cameup, and then the advance was continued.
The defenders of the wall had been considerably reinforced bytroops stationed round the Palace itself, but they were unable towithstand the British advance, and soon began to retreat towardsthe city; stopping occasionally where a wall or building offeredfacilities for defence, but never waiting long enough for theBritish to get at them. In two hours all had been driven down thehill to the Martiniere College. Here again they made a stand, butwere speedily driven out, and chased through the garden and park ofthe college, and thence across the canal into the streets of thetown. Here the pursuit ceased, the ----th being told off to holdthe Martiniere as an advanced position. Sir Colin established hisheadquarters at the Dilkoosha, the rest of the troops bivouackingaround it or on the slope of the hill between it and the college.
After seeing that the men were comfortable, and getting some food,most of the officers gathered on the flat roof of the college,whence a fine view was obtainable over the town. The Residency hadbeen already pointed out to them, and the British flag could beseen floating above it. Several very large buildings, surroundedfor the most part with walled gardens, rose above the low roofs ofthe native houses in the intervening space.
"The way is pretty open. A good deal of the ground seems to beoccupied with gardens, and most of the houses are so small thatthey could not hold many men."
"I agree with you, Mallett. It is evident that we shall be passingthrough an open suburb rather than the town itself. Those bigbuildings, if held in force, will give us a good deal of trouble.They are regular fortresses."
"I don't think that any of them are built of stone. They all seemto be whitewashed."
"That is so," the Major agreed, as he examined them through hisfield glass. "I suppose stone is scarce in this neighbourhood, butit is probable that the walls are of brickwork, and very thick.They will have to be regularly breached before we can carry them.
"It makes one sad to think that that flag, which has waved over theResidency for the last five months, defying all the efforts ofenormously superior numbers, is to come down, and that thesescoundrels will be able to exult in the possession of the placethat has defied all their efforts to take it. Still one feels thatSir Cohn's decision is a necessary one. It would never do to havesix or seven thousand men shut up there, when there is urgent workto be done in a score of other places. Besides, it would need avast magazine of provisions to maintain them. Our force, even whenjoined by the garrison, would be wholly inadequate for sotremendous a task as reducing to submission a city containing atleast half-a-million inhabitants, together with thirty or fortythousand mutineers and a host of Oude's best men, with theadvantage of the possession of a score or two of buildings, all ofwhich are positive fortresses."
"No, there is nothing for it but to fall back again till we have aforce sufficient to capture the whole city, and utterly defeat itsdefenders. With us away, this place will become the focus of themutiny. Half the fugitives from Delhi will find their way here, andat least we shall be able to crush them at one blow, instead ofhaving to scour the country for them for months. The more of themgather here the better; and then, when we do capture the place,there will be an end of the mutiny, though, of course, there willstill be the work of hunting down scattered bands."
"We may look forward to very much harder work tomorrow than we havehad today," Captain Johnson said. "With these glasses I can makeout that the place is crowded with men. Of course, today we tookthem somewhat by surprise, as they would naturally expect us tofollow Havelock's line. But now that they know what our realintentions are, they will be able to mass their whole force tooppose us."
"So much the better," Frank Mallett said. "There is no mistakingthe feeling of the troops. They are burning to avenge Cawnpore, andlittle mercy will be shown the rebels who fall into their hands."
"I should advise any of you gentlemen who want to write home," theColonel said, gravely, "to do so this evening. There is no doubtthat we shall take those places, but I think that there is also nodoubt that our death roll will be heavy. You must not judge bytheir fighting today of the stand that they are likely to maketomorrow. They know well enough that they will get no quarter afterwhat has taken place, and will fight desperately to the end."
Most of the officers took his advice. Captain Mallett sat down onthe parapet, took out a notebook, and wrote in pencil:
"Dear Sir John:
"Although it is but four days since I posted you a long letter fromCawnpore that I had written on our way up the river, I think it aswell to write a few lines in pencil. You will not get them unless Igo down tomorrow, as I shall of course tear them up if I getthrough all right. I am writing now within sight of the Residency.We had a bit of a fight today, but the rebels did not make anyserious stand. Tomo
rrow it will be different, for we shall have tofight our way through the town, and there is no doubt that theresistance will be very obstinate. I have nothing to add to what Iwrote to you last. What I should like you to know is that I thoughtof you all this evening, and that I send you and Lady Greendale andBertha my best wishes for your long life and happiness.
"Yours most sincerely,
"Frank Mallett."
He tore the page from his notebook, put it in an envelope anddirected it, then placed it in an inner pocket of his uniform.
"So you are not writing, Marshall," he said, as he went across tothe young ensign who was sitting on the angle of the parapet.
"I have no one particular to write to, Captain Mallett, and theonly persons who will feel any severe sorrow if I fall tomorrow aremy creditors."
"We should all be sorry, Marshall, very sorry. Ever since we sailedfrom Plymouth your conduct has shown that you have determined toretrieve your previous folly. The Colonel himself spoke to me aboutit the other day, and remarked that he had every hope that youwould turn out a steady and useful officer. We have all noticedthat beyond the regular allowance of wine you have drunk nothing,and that you did not touch a card throughout the voyage."
"I have not spent a penny since I went on board at Plymouth," thelad said. "I got the paymaster to give me an order on London forthe amount of pay due to me the day we got to Cawnpore, and postedit to Morrison; so he has got some fifteen pounds out of the fire.Of course it is not much, but at any rate it will show him I meanto pay up honestly."
"Well done, lad. You are quite right to give up cards, and to cutyourself off liquors beyond the Queen's allowance; but don't stintyourself in necessaries. For instance, fruit is necessary here, andof course when we once get into settled quarters, you must keep ahorse of some sort, as everyone else will do so. How much did youreally have from Morrison in cash?"
"Three hundred; for which I gave him bills for four fifty and alien on my commission."
"All right, lad, I will write to my solicitor in London, and gethim to see Morrison, and ask him to meet you fairly in the matter.He will know that it will be years before you are likely to be inEngland again, and that if you are killed he will lose altogether;so under these circumstances I have no doubt that he will be gladenough to make a considerable abatement, perhaps to content himselfwith the sum that you really had from him."
"I am afraid that my letter, with the enclosure, assuring him thatI will in time pay the amount due, will harden his heart," Marshalllaughed. "I am much obliged all the same, but I don't think that itwill be of any use."
However, on leaving him, Mallett went downstairs, borrowed some inkfrom the quartermaster, and wrote to his solicitor, enclosing acheque for 300 pounds, with instructions to see the money lender.
"You will find that he will be glad enough to hand over youngMarshall's bills for four fifty for that amount," he said. "He hasalready had fifteen pounds, which is a fair interest for the threehundred for the time the lad has had it. He will know well enoughthat if Marshall dies he will lose every penny, and that at anyrate he will have to wait many years before he can get it. I haveno doubt that he would jump at an offer of a couple of hundred, butit is just as well that the young fellow should feel the obligationfor some time, and as the man did lend him the money it would beunfair that he should be an absolute loser."