Lahore to Luknow by David Blomfield

Author:David Blomfield [Blomfield, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473815841
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Published: 1992-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

Up the two ‘V’ roads galloped Guns and Cavalry. On the left at the open gateway of the long half-serai, half-street, Tonnochy Ganj, Cracklow worked a gun in most plucky style, tho’ soon, with two horses killed, one Artillery man killed and five wounded, only two men were working the gun. Green’s men were supporting him, doing lots of wild musketry. On the right the Lancers charged through the street from the right to the left, doing little execution but fired upon from side streets and having lots of men and horses knocked over and four officers wounded.

The 8th had charged to the right and Gough and Younghusband (Hudson’s Plungers and Punjab Cavalry) had killed each their 40 or 50 of the enemy, and nearly taken two guns, which the 8th had pointed out to Hugh Gough, who having his eyeglass broken by a ball, could not see and galloped the wrong way! Then the 9th Lancers, a couple of guns and the 8th charged through Tonnochy Ganj, and except catching and shooting Pandies in the streets the action was over.

With a few sowars I galloped over the bridge to reconnoitre the ground. Pandy had got clear away, though his course was marked by a few deserted gharis [carts], a palka-ghari [covered cart] and red coats of the N.I. thrown off in flight.

Fred Roberts joined me, we found a place for camp and our troops crossed over. I for one was not sorry for breakfast, considering we marched at 2 and had been fighting from sunrise till noon. It was a very pretty sight, and as an independent staff officer I could be about everywhere, right, centre and left, propose an order to Colonel Greathed and immediately gallop off to carry it. Our loss was 47 killed and wounded: no officer killed, but three dangerously and two slightly wounded.

That evening at Colonel Greathed’s tent we were assembling a reconnoitring party to ride to Malagarh, five miles off, when it came news that the Fort was abandoned – rather a relief to Home and me!

1 October, Malagarh Here I am seated in the cool open room over the river gateway of the stronghold of that scoundrel Walidad Khan (nephew of the King of Delhi and levyer of blackmail and stopper of daks between Aligarh and Meerut). Here are also Home and Stevenson and Hugh Gough: our garrison consists of a detachment of Hodson’s Horse, the 10th and 11th companies of the Punjab Sappers and 50 true sappers.

This is our third day here and our occupation is the demolition of this Fort: we live very well on plunder, on the geese, ducks, and pigeons of Walidad, from whose stores we are also well provided with tables and chair, and plates and dishes; beautiful beer, unlimited in quantity; cones on cones of lump sugar, and numberless great yellow bottles of rose water with which we bathe! In fact we are living in style, conquerors and marauders. Our camp, from which we are detached,

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