Punjábi horse, these men were sent to the same destination; while wagon-trains were organised to convey troops, stores, and material to the besieging force. It was, arranged, moreover, that the contingents of the Mahárája of Patiála, and the Rájás of Jind and Nábha — in all 7000 men — should co-operate with our troops, and that an irregular force numbering about 1000 men under General Van Courtland, formerly in Ranjít Singh's service, should clear the western part of the Delhi territory. Subsequently, when only 6000 Europeans (half of them locked up in the Pesháwar Valley and prostrated by fever), remained behind to keep in check the fierce tribes of the North-West Frontier and the thousands of armed and disarmed Sepoys, the last available white troops were sent to Delhi under Colonel Nicholson, leaving only about 4000 European soldiers to hold the province. The die was finally cast. The supreme effort had been made. Thenceforward on the capture of Delhi depended the existence of the Punjab as a British possession.
The following table shows in chronological order the dates of the principal actions and events which this volume endeavours to describe.
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Date. Northern Operations. Southern Operations.
1857. 10 May. Outbreak at Meerut and seizure of Delhi by the rebels on the 12th idem, followed by risings in the Punjab, Bengal, and elsewhere.
