Page:Sir Henry Lawrence, the Pacificator.djvu/199

190 did not make the passage of the river elsewhere in any numbers. During the night of the 29th he directed that a force of about 700 infantry and cavalry (half Europeans, half natives), with ten field guns and an 8-inch howitzer, should start early next morning and move along the Faizábád road, to support a reconnaissance and to check the advance of the enemy's march.

In the morning Sir Henry, with some of the staff and cavalry, proceeded to Chinhat, but saw no signs of the enemy; he then resolved that should they be seen at Chinhat he would check them there with his own force at the village of Ishmaelganj, where the front of the road was protected by a swamp. Ishmaelganj lay on the north of the road (the left looking towards Chinhat), and another village lay on the right, which was the dangerous flank, as on that side would be the direct access of the enemy to the iron bridge and to Sir Henry's own communications, and also the route of his force. The neighbourhood of Chinhat was well wooded, and a grove of trees circled round from it, reaching on the left to the immediate neighbourhood of Ishmaelganj.

During the reconnaissance the force halted under the command of Brigadier Inglis, at the bridge over the Kokrail Nala, a short way behind Ishmaelganj, but did not get the morning meal which had been sent there for them. On the enemy being eventually seen, much later than had been expected, the British force closed up to Ishmaelganj — advanced parties occupying