by logs of wood, shot, and various missiles from above. Others attempted to effect their object by means of the shot-holes caused by the English fire; but they generally failed, and the fall of one man brought down those beneath him.
All this time the enemy from the next bastion kept up a sweeping and destructive fire; but, amongst all these dangers and difficulties, Lieutenant Templeton, a gallant young officer, who had volunteered to lead the Forlorn Hope, succeeded in again planting the British colours near the summit of the bastion. As soon as he had performed this act he fell dead. Major Menzies, a volunteer, and aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, whose animating language and heroic bearing are represented to have inspired with renewed energy all who were enabled to hear the one and observe the other, met the same fate, after having actually gained the summit. At every point where an opening seemed to present itself an attempt to render it available was made. On the part of the enemy an incessant fire of grape was kept up, and from the walls were poured showers of destructive missiles – ponderous pieces of timber, flaming packs of cotton steeped in oil, followed by pots filled with gunpowder, and other combustibles, which exploded with fearful effect. Thus raged the conflict for the space of two hours, when Colonel Monson, finding it hopeless, ordered a return to the trenches. Such was the result of the fourth attempt to carry Bhurtpore by assault. It was attended with a loss of nearly a thousand in killed and wounded.
Thus ended the memorable first siege of Bhurtpore, in which the British were repulsed in four successive attempts, sustaining in killed and wounded a loss of 3,203 men and officers, greater than had occurred in any two battles during this obstinately-disputed campaign. The historian from whose luminous pages we have borrowed our description,[1] ascribes our failure to the want of sufficient strength. To this we beg leave to add that our
- ↑ Thornton's "History of India," Vol. III.
