The Sabre's Edge mh-5

by Allan Mallinson

  Another three hundred yards: the sun seemed to be racing them. Hervey could now see huts all along the rise. He would risk it - no words of command, just press to the canter and let the rest follow. Gilbert struck off eagerly with his off-fore, as he always favoured, Hervey peering intently ahead, praying that a cut or a bund would not suddenly check them. Four hundred horses pounding the till - if they could not be heard, then the earth must surely be shaking enough to rouse the dead. He thought he saw the odd figure on the ridge - with luck, terrified villagers.

  Now there was light enough to make out the walls, but still in the dim distance barely more than a silhouette. They had the grass and the reeds as a backdrop, the advantage yet. Would the guns on the walls be trained on the approaches to the jheel bund, shotted and run out ready? Hervey knew they ought to be. Would they have the range? A thousand yards, he had estimated, perhaps a bit more. He had heard all manner of stories about the Bhurtpore guns, massive affairs, immovable, which could send an eight-inch ball of iron with great velocity over the outworks and beyond. Such a gun, well-served, could visit terrible destruction on a battery or a sap. This was Colonel Anburey's fear, that his sappers and miners would be too exposed to develop their work, but it could be no less a concern for Colonel Macleod, who had to expose his guns to some extent in order that they might fire at all. There was bound to be ground less dominated by the bigger guns, but the whole art of fortification was the facility to rake any approach and demolish any siege device. Hervey did not envy the engineers as they dug their saps and tunnels, nor the artillerymen, who heaved shot and powder and made themselves senseless and deaf - nor, indeed, the infantry who would have to sit patiently waiting for a breach and then storm it. And all these men relying on him now.

  The sun broached the jungled horizon to his right, a brilliant torch which at last signalled an end to the night watch and to stealthy manoeuvre. It was day, the time for fighting.

  And fighting they would have - directly ahead, a quarter of a mile (no more), a cavalry camp come hastily to life. He could see men rushing for their horses, and others already mounted forming up. How many they were he could have no true notion. It might be the entire Jhaut host beyond them, and these a picket only. Even so, they barred his way as effectively as any earthwork.

  'Left wheel into line!' he called, checking the pace to a trot to allow them the manoeuvre time.

  Trumpeter Storrs blew the call perfectly: just the four notes, and a simple fifth interval - easy enough with the bugle, even at a bounce.

  Hervey's own troop wheeled effortlessly, an evolution they might do in their sleep so often had they practised it. The Eleventh, behind, had a harder time of it, with more ground to make up and two ranks to form, not one. Hervey wished he were leading with lances: they were not much use to him at the rear, and the sight of them lowered might well send the enemy packing. As they stood, he could only let them pursue once the dragoons had broken the Jhauts up. He cursed himself.

  He looked rear again to see if the Eleventh were close enough yet for support. His jaw dropped. Up on the rise was a line of lances and yellow kurtas. He could scarcely believe their celerity and address. Skinner's sowars had taken post as flankers, and on the commanding ground, and without a word from him.

  'Draw swords!'

  Out rasped two hundred blades.

  Four hundred yards now, and the ground ahead was even. He put Gilbert back into a canter, glancing over his shoulder again. There was Wainwright, covering, and Perry, upright and assured. He saw Green struggling with both hands to hold his mare. This was the best time, the troop in hand, every man intent on his next word of command. In another two hundred yards or so, when he shouted

  'Charge!' he would relinquish all control for a frenzied few minutes, as each man fought his own battle, self-reliant instead of, as now, knee to knee.

  He glanced left. The rissalah was pulling ahead

  - good! They would cut off any flight to the fortress, pin the enemy against the stream. Hervey lengthened the stride to a hand-gallop. How would the Jhauts meet them? They were still standing. Would it be with the flintlock? Surely not! Yet they showed no sign of movement. Why didn't they counter-charge? It was their only hope . . .

  Then the Jhauts turned.

  They're breaking!' shouted Hervey, waving his sabre their way. 'Charge!'

  Four hundred cavalry at the gallop, lances couched, but swords held high. Only infantry and guns saw the sabre's point; fleeing horsemen felt its edge.

  Hervey fixed on a distant tree on the centre line and pressed Gilbert for all he was worth. In seconds they were among them. There was no need of his blade at first: the Jhauts were over-matched. Skinner's sowars were doing good execution, and his own dragoons were drawing blood. Yet an unseated man, sword in hand still, received his point cleanly at the throat - foolish or determined was he? It did not matter.

  He tried to estimate how many they had bolted

  - two, three hundred at least. Gone like chaff in a puff of wind - no need to sound recall. He could see his objective clearly now. The lone thicket of jhow marked it unmistakably - the bund. Another half a mile at most. Come back to a canter, he told himself - but press on. Trust the squadrons to rally and conform.

  Now he had to pray the bund was intact, the moats not yet inundated. Was that why the Jhauts had run - their job done, the bund breached, nothing more to cover?

  There was a thunderous eruption of smoke and flame from the north-east bastion, the same distance away to his left. Shot whistled overhead - miles too high, he sneered. Had their gunners no art? Had they not ranged in their idle moments? Could this truly be the fortress that had defeated Lord Lake?

  He could see no movement at the jhow. Was this really to be so easy an affair, or were they too late? More guns fired their way from the smaller bastions and redoubts as they bore on, but with no greater effect. He felt only contempt for the Jhauts’ perfunctory opposition, even if they were safe behind their water-filled ditches.

  He pressed Gilbert to a final effort.

  Then they were at the jhow. His heart sank as he saw water in the channel. He could see the breach - not large. He needed his engineer. 'Mr Irvine!'

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  SIEGE

  10 December

  To Major W. S. Beatson, Deputy Adjutant-General

  Before Bhurtpore, 10 Dec. 1825

  Sir,

  I have the honor to report, for the information of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, that, in obedience to his command, I proceeded to make a reconnaissance on the Fortress of Bhurtpore with the object of intercepting the means of inundation of its defences at what is known as the Mottee Jheel, with under my command one troop 6th Light Dragoons, one squadron 11th Light Dragoons under the direct command of Captain Rotton, and a detachment of Colonel Skinner's Horse, under Major Fraser. On advancing in the vicinity of the Bund at first light, I encountered an encampment of the enemy's cavalry, which was at once attacked and the enemy driven off without loss. The body of Colonel Skinner's Horse, acting on the initiative of Major Fraser, made a flank movement; by which they intercepted and cut up more than five hundred of the Enemy's cavalry, before they could reach an outwork in which the greater proportion of them took refuge. At this time the guns of the Fortress opened a moderate fire upon the force, but without damage.

  After the affair of the Enemy's cavalry, I proceeded at once for the Bund which was found to be cut in two places, though the breaches had not been quite completed. A moderate amount of water, only, was judged to have entered the channels, and this was later confirmed by reconnaissance, the ditches of all the outworks being dry. Work was begun at once, under Lt Irvine of the Engineers, to repair the breaches, and this was accomplished by late morning. The Enemy mounted two attacks on the Bund during this time, but they were heartless affairs and easily beaten off. At thirty minutes past midday, the relieving party under the command of Brig.-General Sleigh took possession of the Jheel Bund, and, as instruc
ted to do so, I relinquished my responsibilities in this regard.

  I beg I may be allowed to express my approbation of the intelligence and zeal of Major Fraser and Lt Irvine, and that the conduct of the body of Colonel Skinner's Horse was exemplary.

  I have the Honor to be,

  &c. &c. &c.

  M. P. Hervey, Major

  Hervey led his troop into the Sixth's lines late that afternoon, his command now dispersed, but their feat of arms already the talk of the army. Edmonds had turned the regiment out in their honour, mounted ranks with swords drawn, and the quarter-guard with carbines at the present. Local rank Hervey's majority might be, but it entitled him to arms presented rather than a mere butt salute, and Edmonds would have the regiment know what a day in its annals this would surely become.

  Hervey could scarce believe the material for the siege now assembling - the ordnance, the tentage, camp stores, provisions, transport; the livestock, somehow driven from Agra and Muttra with as much ease, it would appear, as a Wiltshire shepherd might press his flock along a downland drove. And the regiments, King's and sepoy, battling for good order and military discipline as they began their routine of the siege - proud, colourful, cheery, possessed of self-confidence in limitless quantity. Hervey knew that he and his men had saved them blood, and he was glad of it also because the mounted arm would after all be able to look the infantry in the eye in this affair of digging and then the bayonet.

  What a scene it was. In Agra and Muttra he had known its individual elements, but only now did it appear to him as a whole. It was a scene from many a picture he had thrilled to in his youth -the Crusades, the Hundred Years' War, Cromwell and the King, the Peninsula. It mattered not where, for the principle was the same: the paraphernalia of the siege, the methodical, patient, painful marshalling of resources, and then their remorseless application, until the besieged struck their colours or had them torn down, or else the besieger, his resources exhausted, struck camp and stole away. Only the detail of the brown-skinned servants and camp followers - the sutlers, dhobi-men, sweepers, bhistis, syces, Lascars and countless others - gave the scene its place.

  Hervey nodded modestly to the salutes and well-wishers. His troop were less restrained in their acknowledgements. Enjoy it for the moment, he thought; the monotony of the siege will soon dull the remembrance. But, oh indeed, it had been a very fine affair at the Motee Jheel, and nothing could take from them the rightful sense of victory, if only as local as their leader's rank.

  But two days later it seemed that the monotony of the siege would have them all exchange places with any man elsewhere than at Bhurtpore. Major Joynson read the day's general orders to the captains and staff assembled in his orderly-room tent, a well-made affair the size of a tennis court, twelve feet high and lined with vivid yellow cotton - though the smoke of a wood stove and a dozen cigars rendered the lining not as striking as once it had been:

  FIELD GENERAL ORDERS.

  Camp Before Bhurtpore 13 th Dec. 1825

  Parole - FUTTYGHUR

  Officiating Assist. Surgeon, J. Douglas, 14th N. Infantry, proceeding to join the army, is, on his arrival in camp, to be attached to the Field Hospital.

  A working party of the following strength, from each of the Infantry divisions, to be sent to the Engineer Park to-morrow morning, and to be in attendance there at daybreak, or as soon after as possible - 100 Europeans, 250 Sepoys.

  A Detachment, consisting of one and a half Company, to be furnished immediately from the 2nd Infantry Division, for the protection of the Engineer Park, and to provide small Escorts with cattle sent out for materials. The Officer commanding the party, to place himself under the orders of Brigadier Anburey, C.B.

  Lieut. G. E. Smyth, 3rd Light Cavalry, Major of Brigade Western Division, is directed to join and do duty with his regiment on service with the Army on the Agra and Muttra Frontier.

  Officers in Command of Posts and Piquets, are peremptorily required to detain all persons coming out of the Fort at the Piquets or Posts, reporting the circumstance immediately to the Field-officer of the Piquet, or to the Quarter-Master-General, and not to send them, as hitherto has been the practice, into the interior of their Camp, unless desired to do so by competent authority. Individuals also who may be bearers of Letters or Despatches from the Fort, are not to be permitted to pass the Piquets, but to be detained there, and their Despatches to be forwarded to the Quarter-Master-General, for Lord Combermere's information.

  Officers commanding Corps and Departments, to which public or hired camels are attached, are directed to prohibit in the strongest terms, the owners or attendants, when going out with their cattle for forage, from advancing too far into the Jungle in the direction of the Fort, or from proceeding too great a distance from the Camp, as they are liable to fall in with scattered parties of the Enemy's horsemen.

  'It's all working parties and foraging, I'm afraid,' Joynson concluded. 'And we have received orders to strengthen patrols and escorts. Dull work, but better than labouring for the sappers.' The troop-captains nodded.

  'I have made a roll of the duties. The adjutant is having them copied as we speak. That is the long and the short of it. Are there any questions, gentlemen?’

  There were none.

  'Very well, that is all. But let us see if we can dine together promptly at seven tonight. Hervey, stay a while longer if you please.'

  Major Joynson sounded confident enough, if a shade tired. When he had said, 'I have made a roll of the duties,' Hervey knew full well the major would have done just that - himself, and in every detail, rather than delegating the task to the adjutant. That was what Eustace Joynson did best, better than anyone, indeed, and such was his conscientiousness that he could not allow a task to be performed any less well than was possible. Throughout Lord Towcester's diabolical time in command, Joynson had tried his best in these regards, but all too often he had counted himself a failure - including for his part in the events that culminated in Henrietta Hervey's death. Not that Hervey himself would apportion one ounce of blame to the major, whom he had grown to respect on account of both his conscientiousness and his doggedness in the face of the most wretched personal circumstances. And there was no doubt, too, that the painstaking attention to detail occupied Joynson's mind admirably. Daily he fretted about Frances, for despite everyone's best efforts his daughter had lately become engaged to an officer of native infantry, a penniless and stupid one at that. The responsibility of allowing his daughter to embark on an unsuitable marriage weighed heavily with him. Yet he simply did not have the strength of mind to forbid her.

  'Lord Combermere's express orders are that you keep the rank of major, Hervey, pro tempore. I should be much obliged if you would act therefore as second in command.'

  Hervey was not disposed to agreeing without some qualification, for besides aught else he would have no job to do if Joynson continued to attend to every detail. 'Of course, but I must keep command of my troop.'

  Joynson nodded blankly. If Hervey thought himself capable of both then who was he to gainsay him? 'I gather Combermere asked that you join his staff.'

  Hervey smiled. 'A nice gesture, but a siege is a dull enough thing to be engaged in without having to watch it from headquarters!'

  'No gesture, I heard. It was to be General Whittingham's deputy.'

  'Yes, but an affair of paper all the same.'

  'Sooner or later, Hervey, you'll have to submit to such a regime. Armies aren't run from the saddle, as well you know.'

  Hervey smiled again. Joynson's paternalism was endearing, if not always deft; he was no Edmonds - not in his sureness of touch, that is. 'I know, but I would wish for the time being that it were later rather than sooner. This affair will not be at all easy.'

  Joynson looked troubled. ‘You doubt we will prevail?'

  Hervey considered his words. 'Nothing is certain. It would be well to remember it. The engineers say they can't tunnel; they can only sap the guns forward, and General Edwards says he can't guar
antee a breach of walls so thick, even with his twenty-four-pounders. The train begins arriving today, by all accounts.'

  'You are well informed. Is there word of how long the engineers will need?'

  'Upwards of ten days before they get the first battery into position, according to Brigadier Anburey's major.'

  'I think we shall be much occupied, then, with our little escorts and the like. I've agreed with the Eleventh that we shall patrol alternate nights throughout our allotted sectors. Without a natural feature as our boundary it's too chancy to have patrols from both beating about the place. They will take duty tonight.'

  (Five days later)

  FIELD GENERAL ORDERS.

  Camp Before Bhurtpore, 19th Dec. 1825

  Parole - GAZEEPORE

  A working party from each of the Infantry Divisions, of the same strength as yesterday, to be sent to-morrow at day-break to the Engineer Park. The Quarter-Master's Establishments, and public cattle, to be sent there as usual. A Carpenter is also directed to be furnished from each of the Corps in the 1st and 2nd Divisions of Infantry.

  A Detachment, consisting of five Companies from the 1st Infantry Division, will march to-morrow morning, and take charge of 300 Hackeries proceeding from the Artillery Park, for ammunition and stores, to Agra.

  With reference to an Act of Parliament, 54th and 86th Geo. III. On the subject of Prize Property Agents, and claims thereto, the Field General Orders of the 16th Instant, appointing a Prize Committee, and directing Prize Agents to be nominated by ballot for each of the Divisions of the Army, and by the General Staff, is hereby cancelled; and it is now ordered, in conformity with the provision of the said Act, that two Agents only be appointed for the Army.

  His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and the Field Officers will nominate one Agent, and the other to be appointed by the Captains and Subaltern Officers with the Army. The Prize Agents will be furnished with the required letters of attorney appointing them Agents for the Army; and they will be prepared on their part, to give security in the sum of £2000 sterling each. The Prize Agents, on all points of duty connected with their Agency, will be guided by the spirit and letter of the Act of Parliament before cited, and which is to be found in Carroll's Code of Regulations, Chap. 59.