Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/462

 442 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. right foot from the stirrup, which he then told Lieutenant Moore to grasp. Having assured himself that the other had done so, he applied the spur to his horse, which leaping forwards bore both the officers beyond the reach of pressing danger. On the cavalry and artillery was thrown nearly all the burden of this day ; for some delay occurred in order- ing the advance of the infantry regiments, in consequence of the general commanding having been stunned by a fall from his horse. As Sir James Outram was thus unable to guide the progress of the battle, the task of giving directions fell upon General Stalker, the second in command, and upon Colonel (now Sir Edward) Lu- gard, the chief of the staff. It thus happened that the infantry portion of the army scarcely came into action at all, the enemy being in full retreat before ten o'clock in the forenoon. Two Persian guns were captured, and a third would have fallen into the hands of the English, had those who attempted to take it adopted the expe- dient of firing at the horses harnessed to it instead of at the gunners ; but as fast as one man was shot down another mounted in his place, and so the gun was saved. Great astonishment was created in the minds of the Persian troops on this day by the marvellous celerity of the movements of the English artillery ; and they were also greatly surprised by the unexpected effect of the new rifles, which had been partly introduced into the English army, and some of which were tried on the field of Khushab. A group of four Persian horsemen remained looking at the battle at what they considered to be a safe distance from the scene of operations ; an officer of the 2nd Bombay European Eegiment, wishing