Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/335

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OUR ANGLO-INDIAN ARMY.
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sequence of a famine which prevailed in the Deccan, General Wellesley was unable to advance; but he directed Colonel Murray, who commanded the force in the Guzerat, to march with the greater part of it to co-operate with Lord Lake. The latter, to protect the city of Jyenagur, made a detachment of three battalions of native infantry, which were placed under the command of Colonel Monson, of his Majesty's 76th regiment. Their approach disturbed Holkar in the exercise of his vocation, and caused him to retire with some precipitancy to the southward, whither he was followed by General Lake, the detachment under Colonel Monson continuing in advance.

On the 10th of May, another detachment was made from the main body, for the purpose of attacking Tonk Rampoora, a Rajpoot town about sixty miles from the capital of Jyenagur, in the occupation of Holkar. The detachment, consisting of three battalions of native infantry, a regiment of native cavalry, and a proportion of artillery, was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Don. The attack was made at two o'clock on the morning of the 15th of May. Colonel Don advanced with his party, undiscovered, to within two hundred and fifty yards of the gateway; they were then fired upon by a picquet on their right, but the party moved on without noticing the interruption.

On coming within a hundred yards of the passage, they encountered a smart fire from the rampart. This was returned by a fire of musketry, which did considerable execution among the men on the ramparts. The first gate was then successfully blown open; the fire of musketry being kept up for the purpose of dislodging the people who occupied the works. The second gate, being out of repair, was not shut; the third and fourth were blown open, and the British force entered the town. While some of the assailants scoured the ramparts, Colonel Don pushed on with the remainder to a small gateway on the south side of the fort through which the enemy were making their escape. The success of this