Page:The Indian Mutiny of 1857.djvu/240

212 sulted, Tytler, Crommelin, and young Henry Havelock, he determined then to fall back. He had once again reached Mangalwár, on the 10th, when he heard that the rebels were making a great show at Bashíratganj. Glad to seize the chance of inflicting upon them a severe blow before he should cross, he promptly marched on that place, caught his enemy, killed 200 of them, and captured two guns; then turning again, he recrossed the Ganges into Kánhpur on the 13th. There he read the details of that insane action of the Government of India by which the much desired and needful reinforcements had been withheld from him at the most critical period of his command.

To understand how this happened I must ask the reader to return with me to Calcutta, and to accompany me thence to Dánápur and Patná.