the enemy's camp, carrying everything before them — the Rání of Jhánsí received her death wound; and the spot was afterwards shown where her body was burnt with great ceremony[1]. Thus fell 'the bravest and best military leader of the rebels' at the early age of twenty years.
Sir Hugh Rose's reconnaissance of Gwalior satisfied him that the information on which he had decided to attack was trustworthy. He could not leave Morár, however, without adequate protection. Brigadier-General Napier was accordingly posted at the cantonments to guard the position, with instructions to pursue the enemy when they retreated; while Sir Hugh himself, in order to complete his communications with Brigadier Smith and to attack Gwalior from the east, marched on the afternoon of June 18th towards Kotah-ki-Sarai. The march was very harassing, 100 men of the 86th Regiment alone being compelled by the sun to fall out and go into doolis. There was clearly no time to lose, and the enemy had to be attacked at once. A deep ditch surrounded the high hills which overlooked Gwalior; but notwithstanding this obstacle, the troops quickly gained possession of the heights to the east of the town, and came in full view of it. A large party of the rebels,
- ↑ This Indian Joan of Arc was dressed in a red jacket and trousers and white turban. She wore Sindhia's celebrated pearl necklace which she had taken from his treasury. As she lay mortally wounded in her tent, she ordered these ornaments to be distributed among her troops. The whole rebel army mourned her loss.
