exhausted. Then, and then only, did the Brigadier issue the order which, given two hours and a half before, could scarcely have failed to achieve success. He ordered the line to advance. The line did advance, and, despite the fire from men stationed in most advantageous positions in Sassiah, the men fought their way into the village. They even captured and spiked one of the enemy's guns. But in advancing to and in taking the village the British losses had been heavy. D'Oyley was mortally wounded.[1] Major Thomas of the Europeans met the same fate. Several men were killed, but at last the village was gained. It required but the support of the guns to complete the victory, but by this time every round had been fired away. In his anxiety for the safety of his men Polwhele had prematurely, and despite of repeated warnings, exhausted the one means by which he could assure success.
For the rebels were not slow to recognise the cause of the silence of the British guns. They at least had ten, and still some, though not an abundance, of ammunition. They at once made a demonstration with the three arms against the village. Polwhele could not defend it with infantry alone, and he ran a great risk of being cut off from the fort. Under those circumstances, he had no other course but to retreat. The retreat was effected in good order; the infantry, though savage with their commander, to whose fatal tactics they rightly attributed the loss of the day, preserving their traditional calmness, and repulsing every attack. Fortunately, before the retreat was concluded, the rebels likewise fell short of gun ammunition.
In this fight the British had lost forty-five men killed, and 108 wounded, and missing. They had, also, left one
- ↑ Overcome by the intense pain of the wound, he turned to the man nearest him and said, 'They have done for me now; put a stone over my grave, and say that I died fighting my guns.'
