Chapter 3

BEFORE DELHI

_July 1 to September 7_

A view of Delhi--Vicissitudes of the city--Its defences--defences--The ridge--Position of our camp--Our position--The Goorkhas--Cholera raging--Heat and flies--Executions--The Metcalfe pickets--A sortie expected--expected--Hodson--Bombardment of Metcalfe picket--Enemy reported moving on Alipore--A force sent after them--The action described--Forces complimented by Sir Henry Barnard--His death--His services--Our meagre armament--Scarcity of ammunition--Amusing incident--The Metcalfe house--Our bugle-calls in use by the enemy--A sortie--Ruse by the enemy's cavalry--Gallant conduct of Lieutenant Hills and Major Tombs, Bengal Artillery--Expedition under Brigadier Chamberlain--Chamberlain--Gallant conduct of Brigadier Wm. Jones--Fight at Kishenganj--Meeting with an old friend--A sad story--story--Story of C---- d--A victim of the Meerut massacre--massacre--Strong feeling of revenge in all ranks--A sortie--Attack on Sabzi Mandi pickets and right ridge--An awkward position--Heavy loss of enemy--Cholera and other sickness prevalent--Fishing--Provisions, etc., much appreciated--General Reed resigns and is succeeded by General Wilson--Attack on Sabzi Mandi and Hindoo Rao's repulsed--Bodies of slain sepoys rifled--Difficulty of preventing it--General's approval of Colonel Jones's conduct--The number of attacks by the enemy--Sortie on our left--Repulsed by Brigadier Showers--Expedition under Major Coke--Attack on right pickets at sunset--Combat continues all night--Enemy retires--Loss of enemy--Result of General Wilson's appointment--We attempt to destroy the bridge of boats--Demonstration by the enemy--Pickets on the right harassed--Metcalfe pickets shelled--Brigadier Showers takes four guns--Our reinforcements arrive under Nicholson--His character--Mrs. Seeson comes in from the city--The enemy fires rockets--He establishes a battery on the left bank of the river--river--Sortie--Expedition under Nicholson--Battle of Najafgarh--Elkington mortally wounded--Gabbett killed--killed--Death of Elkington--Right pickets harassed--An amusing incident--The Afghans--Alarm in the Punjab--Bands play in camp--Fatal shell from across the river--An uncomfortable bath--The siege-train arrives--Our allies--Zeal of the engineers--New batteries established