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78 Commander-in-Chief had provided for the safety of the women and wounded whom he had brought from Lucknow; but quickly getting the convoy across the Ganges, en route for Allahábád, he attacked the rebel forces, and without difficulty drove them back again to Kálpi.

It would be tedious as well as inconsistent with the scope of this volume to relate in detail the further events of that period. It may be said, however, that after successful operations directed against Fatehgarh, a question arose as to whether the subjection of Oudh or an immediate advance into Rohilkhand should be the next move. Lord Canning advocated the former course, and Sir Colin Campbell the latter. The views of the Governor-General prevailed, and were loyally carried out by the Commander-in-Chief. But the progress made was slow and became very trying to the army. From one cause or another valuable time was lost, and the few precious months of the cold weather were allowed to slip away almost unawares. There was still a tendency, from causes which no one could fathom, but from which all caught a certain contagion, to assemble large bodies of troops, and to move about unwieldy brigades, charged with orders to risk nothing and to act 'according to the rules of war.'

The mutineers took advantage of these tactics to spread themselves over the country and defy the 'bull-dogs who were unable to catch jackals,' while all this time the rebels left unmolested in Lucknow had ample leisure to devote their energies to the task