Page:The Indian Mutiny of 1857.djvu/420

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384
Sir Hugh Rose arrives at Indur.

pelled him to resign his command. His successor, Colonel C. S. Stuart of the Bombay army, a very capable officer, quitted Aurangábád the 12th of July, and reached Asírgarh the 22d. There Stuart was met by Colonel Durand, who had hurried westward to meet his column. From Asírgarh Stuart marched to Máu,and then proceeded to recover Gújrí, to protect Mandlésar, to bombard and capture the fort of Dhár, to disperse the rebels who had advanced from Nímach, to crush rebellion in Málwá, and to re-enter Indur in triumph (14th December). On the 17th Sir Hugh Rose arrived to take the command of the force which was to reconquer Central India.

Sir Hugh Rose was eminently qualified for the task committed to him. He was a diplomat as well as a soldier; and in Syria, at Constantinople, and in the Crimea he had displayed a firmness, an energy, a resolution which marked him as a man who required only the opportunity to distinguish himself. He found himself now in command of two brigades. The first, composed of a squadron of the 14th Light Dragoons, a troop of the 3d Bombay Cavalry (native), two cavalry regiments of the Haidarábád contingent, two companies of the 86th Foot — joined a little later by the remaining companies, — the 25th Bombay N. I., an infantry regiment of the Haidarábád contingent, three light field-batteries, and some sappers, was commanded by Brigadier Stuart. The second, consisting of the headquarters of the 14th Light Dragoons, the headquarters of the 3d Bombay Cavalry, a regiment of cavalry of the Haidarábád contingent, the 3d Bombay Europeans, the 24th Bombay N. I., an infantry regiment of the Haidarábád contingent, a proportion of field-artillery, and a siege-train, was commanded by Brigadier Steuart of the 14th Light Dragoons. Troops from Bhopál, to the number of 800, formed also part of the force.