curtain was beaten down, but the next morning the breach was found stockaded; the firing being continued, the piles gave way, and a hole was made completely through the work; but on the 18th the breach was again stockaded. On that day the Anglo-Indian Army was reinforced by the arrival of Major-General Smith, with three battalions of Sepoys, and some convalescent Europeans, with a few field-pieces.
The batteries continued their fire till the 21st, when a breach, reported practicable, had been made; and the enemy, fearful that their guns should be dismounted, withdrew them behind the parapets, thus keeping them in reserve, to be employed against the next storming-party. On the preceding night the English had been compelled to remove from the batteries the two twenty-four-pounders, the whole of the shot being expended, and to supply the deficiency by two four and a half-inch howitzers. To add to the difficulties of the besiegers, Ameer Khan had been invited by the Rajah of Bhurtpore to march to his assistance; and the invitation being accompanied by several lacs of rupees, had been accepted.
Before making a second attempt to cross the ditch, it was deemed advisable to gain some knowledge of its breadth and depth at the place where a passage was to be sought. The duty of making the requisite observation was committed to a havildar and two privates of the native cavalry, who reported that the ditch was not very broad, nor did it appear very deep, and that the breach was easy of ascent. Upon this vague statement, the result of an inspection made under circumstances which almost precluded the possibility of any approach to accuracy, it was resolved once more to risk an attempt to storm. Noon on the 21st of January was the time fixed on for the assault. The troops by whom it was to be made were brought into the trenches before daylight, and the interval was to be employed in destroying the impediments with which the enemy, in the course of the night, might have incumbered the breach.
