village of Ishmailgunj. The European troops and the howitzer with the Native Infantry held the foe in check for some time; and had the Sikh Cavalry and the six guns of the Oudh Artillery been faithful, the day would have been won by the British in spite of the immense disparity in numbers. But the Oudh Artillery-men and drivers proved traitors, They overturned the guns into ditches, cut the traces of their horses, and deserted, regardless of the remonstrances and exertions of their own officers. These field pieces were, however, spiked before they were abandoned.
57. The elephants attached to the limber of the 8-inch howitzer took fright shortly after the firimg began, and ran off with it in the direction of the enemy. Every effort to induce the native troopers to stand by their guns having proved ineffectual, the British force, exposed to a vastly superior fire of Artillery, and completely out-flanked on both sides by an overpowering body of Infantry and Cavalry which actually got into its rear, was compelled to retire, with the loss of three pieces of Artillery and a quantity of ammunition, and witha very grievous list in killed and wounded.
‘* Full many a warrior on that dreadful day,
Brave, generous, noble, breathed his soul away,
But none more noble, generous, or brave,
In battle ever found a soldier’s grave.”’
THE BATTLE OF CHINHUT.
AN account of the battle, which was fought at the village of Ishmailganj, is given below:—
The force destined for this service assembled, from the Machhi Bhawan and the Residency, at the Iron Bridge at sunrise, and marched to the bridge over the Kikrail Nuddee[1], which is a small stream intersecting the Fyzabad road about half-way between the Residency and Chinhut. So far
- ↑ The natives have such faith in the waters of this stream (Kuk- rail or dog-river, from the Hindee word Kikr, a dog) being a pro- phylactic against Hydrophobia, that they, from distant parts, resort thither immediately they are bitten; and numbers of men, wo- men and children, may be seen, at all seasons of the year, collected: on its banks, near the bridge. The person, or persons, bitten bathe in the stream and wade across it backwards and forwards, seven times, feeding the dogs on either shore, each time, with balls of sweetened flour prepared by the Brahmins, or Hindu priests, who are always in attendance on such occasions. Poojah, or worship, is then performed, and alms distributed, which ends the ceremony and calms the fears of those concerned. This small stream joins the Gumti a litte below the Upper India Paper Mills.
