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BAR

261

informed me that there was another gun close to the gate by which we entered; and on further search we found a 9-pounder, most skilfully masked, facing the road along which we had travelled, double-shotted with grape and round shot, ready primed, and having a slow match fixed and lighted. All this looked very suspicious, especially as at the same time an ofiicer reported that he had found a number of treasonable papers in the Rdja's house. " I therefore resolved not to let the old gentleman off, and the next day I sent a force, under Brigadier Horsford,* from Nawabganj to destroy the place. This was thoroughly carried into execution; the jungle was burned, and the palace levelled to the ground."i-

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Sir "

Hope Grant

writes as follows of the battle of |Nawabganj

A large body of



I

daring zamindari men brought two guns into the open and attacked us in rear. I have seen many battles in India, and many brave fellows fighting with a determination to conquer or die ; but I never witnessed anything more magnificent than the conduct of these zamindars. fine,

" In the first instance they attacked Hodson's Horse, who would not face them, and by their unsteadiness placed in great jeopardy two guns which had been attached to the regiment. Fearing that they might be captured I ordered up the 7th Hussars, and the other four guns belonging to the battery, to within a distance of 500 yards from the enemy they opened a fire of grape which moved them down with terrible effect, like thistles before the scythe. Their chief, a big fellow with a goitre on his neck, nothing daunted, caused two green standards to be planted close to the guns, and used them as a rallying point but our grape-fire was so destructive that whenever they attempted to serve their pieces, they were struck down. Two squadrons of the 7th Hussars under Sir William Eussell and two companies of the 60th Rifles, now came up and forced the survivors to retire, waving their swords and spears at us, and defiantly calling out to us to come on. The gallant 7th Hussars charged through them twice, and killed the greater part of them. Around the two guns alone there were 125 corpses. After three hour's fighting the day was ours we took six guns and killed about six hundred of the enemy. Our own loss in killed and wounded was sixty-seven and, in addition, thirty-three men died from sunstroke, and 250 were taken into hospital."







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Concluding remarks. The population of Bara Banki is very dense, hundred and thirty to the square mile the owners of property are, to an unusual extent, Musalmans they are dissevered from the Hindu people by religion, custom, and residence they are extravagant in their personal habits, and charitable to their numerous kindred many of the estates are small the result is that the landlords press hard upon the cultivators, and rents are perhaps higher in Bara Banki than in any ^®°*^other district of Oudh, Nor are commerce and mafaetures more flourishing. six











• Now Major General Sir Alfred Horsford, K. c, B., Commandiiig + Pages 264-270.— "Tie Sepoy War," by Sir Hope Grant. The Sepoy War. J Pages 291-292,—"

tlie

South-Eastern District,