Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/77

Rh enced to their proper causes, — in the eastern theatre of operations to inactivity and incapacity, and in the western to imprudence and rashness. Knowing that the Company's armies had never before had to contend against a foe like the Gúrkhas, he had been specially careful to provide for contingencies, which his more varied experience in the field had taught him were only too likely to arise in a mountain warfare, directed against so formidable an enemy as the Nepalese.

'The mischief which had occurred from inconsiderate attempts to storm places by no means calculated to be carried in that manner, had made me insert as an article in the instructions to each of the generals commanding divisions, a special prohibition against that species of attack upon any works which should be of a quality to require artillery for their reduction. When Colonel Mawbey was to be dispatched against Kalanga, Major-General Gillespie was directed by me to enforce upon Colonel Mawbey's mind a strict attention to the above injunction. I received from Major-General Gillespie an answer, saying that he had impressed strongly on Colonel Mawbey the caution dictated by me. Colonel Mawbey, in consequence, on reconnoitring the place forebore to assault it, and reported to Major-General Gillespie that he meant to establish batteries against it, as he conceived it was impossible to carry it by storm. The Major-General on this quitted his own column, repaired to the camp before Kalanga, and on examining the fortress resolved to assault it. The result was the only one that could be rationally expected. The discredit to our arms, and the baneful influence which this reverse must have upon future operations, are light in comparison to the loss of Major-General Gillespie. Whatsoever was the indiscretion of this last