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Rh with a considerable force, in very light marching order, turned the British camp, and occupied a position whence he could fall upon the convoy as it marched. Fortune seemed to favour him, for a violent dust-storm concealed his presence from the leader of the covering party, who, moreover, had no warning of his presence. But the careful watchfulness of Outram foiled him. Noting how the weather favoured an attack, he despatched Olpherts, with two guns and a detachment of infantry, supported by others troops, to aid in bringing in the convoy. Olpherts cleared the ground of the Maulaví and his troops, and the convoy reached the camp in safety. On the 16th another attack made by the rebels was repulsed with loss. From that date till the 15th of February they made no sign.

Then, directed by the Maulaví, they made an attack in force, only to be repulsed. They followed it up by a second the following day, with a like result. On the 21st they made a third, and on the 25th a fourth and very serious one. In all they were completely beaten. The last defeat apparently convinced them that it was hopeless to attempt to dislodge Outram.

Thus did that illustrious man, aided by his capable officers, by Berkeley, his chief of the staff, by Vincent Eyre, by Olpherts, by Maude, by Dodgson, by Macbean, by Moorsom, by Gould Weston, by Chamier, by Hargood, by Barrow, by Wale, and by that excellent officer of the Engineers, Nicholson, by Brasyer, and by many others, for the list is a long one, maintain, with a comparatively small force, the position assigned to him by the Commander-in-Chief. Towards the end of February his force had been increased, but it never equalled 5000 men. It was computed, on the other hand, that the rebels had at their disposal no fewer than 120,000 men. Of these 27,550 were trained sipáhís, and 7100 trained cavalry