when suddenly swarms of natives set upon them. For three hours they resisted every attack; then, the number of the rebels increasing, they stormed a temple, and held it against the infuriated enemy. Vainly did the latter bring up three brass guns. The British soldiers, led on by Webster, Herbert Macpherson, and other gallant officers, charged and captured these, and threw them into the canal. Still the fight went on, and it required another charge before the rebels could be compelled to renounce their hopes of success. The Highlanders then, seeing nothing of the heavy guns, pushed on, with the idea of rejoining their comrades of the main body, but taking a shorter road, through the Hazratganj quarter, they arrived in close vicinity to the Kaisarbágh just as the guns from that building were playing on the Fusiliers in the manner related. The 78th dashed into the battery, and made the road easy by its capture. They then pushed on in an alignment with the rest to the Baillie guard.
But the heavy guns? Their progress had been rendered very difficult by the deep trenches which the rebels had cut across the road. But under the guidance of Lieutenant Moorsom, who knew every inch of the ground, sent by Havclock to direct them, they had deviated from the main road and went by a shorter cut, unopposed, to the Baillie guard. The rearmost guard, however, with two big guns, still remained unaccounted for. To search for and rescue these, Outram, who had assumed command, despatched, on the 26th, a force under Colonel Robert Napier.[1] Napier found them holding the passage in front of the Motí Mahall, and brought them in the following morning. It is sad to have to record that the wounded who had reached that palace were not so fortunate in their attempt to reach the Residency. The
- ↑ The late Lord Napier of Magdala.
