Page:The tourist's guide to Lucknow.djvu/52

 Rh

village of Ishmailgunj. The European troops and the howitzer with the Native Infantry held the foe in check for some time; and had the Sikh Cavalry and the six guns of the Oudh Artillery been faithful, the day would have been won by the British in spite of the immense disparity in numbers. But the Oudh Artillery-men and drivers proved traitors, They overturned the guns into ditches, cut the traces of their horses, and deserted, regardless of the remonstrances and exertions of their own officers. These field pieces were, however, spiked before they were abandoned.

57. The elephants attached to the limber of the 8-inch howitzer took fright shortly after the firimg began, and ran off with it in the direction of the enemy. Every effort to induce the native troopers to stand by their guns having proved ineffectual, the British force, exposed to a vastly superior fire of Artillery, and completely out-flanked on both sides by an overpowering body of Infantry and Cavalry which actually got into its rear, was compelled to retire, with the loss of three pieces of Artillery and a quantity of ammunition, and witha very grievous list in killed and wounded.

AN account of the battle, which was fought at the village of Ishmailganj, is given below:—

The force destined for this service assembled, from the Machhi Bhawan and the Residency, at the Iron Bridge at sunrise, and marched to the bridge over the Kikrail Nuddee, which is a small stream intersecting the Fyzabad road about half-way between the Residency and Chinhut. So far