Page:Clyde and Strathnairn.djvu/40

30 less; and although reserved and unbending in manner, he was respected by all who served under him. If he had a human passion it was to command a force in the field.

On arriving at Bombay in the latter part of May, 1857, from the Persian expedition, he heard the astounding news of the disasters at Meerut and Delhi. Unable to start for Delhi by the land route, he proceeded to Calcutta by sea, and shortly after his arrival in Bengal received the command he so much desired. Eight days later, he left Calcutta, charged with the relief of Cawnpur and Lucknow. 'After quelling all disturbances at Allahábád,' his orders said, 'he should lose not a moment in supporting Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow and Sir Hugh Wheeler at Cawnpur, and he should take prompt measures for dispersing all mutineers and insurgents.'

On June 30th, or three days after the massacre of the Cawnpur garrison at the Gháts, he reached Allahábád, where Colonel Neill had been employed in organising the preparations for an advance on Cawnpur. Leaving Allahábád on the 7th of July at the head of about 1500 European troops, he reached Fatehpur by forced marches, defeating a large body of the enemy there and capturing eleven guns without the loss of a single British soldier. On July 16th he arrived at the outskirts of Cawnpur, turned the enemy's flank by a clever and rapid movement, and obtained virtual possession of the town after hard