our hold over Bundelkhand[1] and the neighbouring districts of the Ságar and Narbadá territories. Delhi was as yet uncaptured by the British forces. The little garrison of the Lucknow Residency was hard beset, and the communications between Allahábád and Calcutta were at times interrupted or entirely cut off. Fortunately, Allahábád, with its magazine of warlike stores, situated at the confluence of the Jumna and Ganges, had been successfully held against the enemy, and could be reached from Calcutta by the river (809 miles) or by the Grand Trunk Road (503 miles). The relief of Lucknow, the re-conquest of Oudh[2] and Rohilkhand, and the re-establishment of order in the Gangetic Doáb, a large tract of country lying between the Ganges and the Jumna, were achievements yet to be accomplished. It will be seen, therefore, that the situation was full of difficulties.
General Sir James Outram, who on his return from the Persian expedition at the age of fifty-four, had been appointed to the combined command of the Cawnpur and Dinápur divisions, as well as to the Chief
- ↑ A high plateau and hill district of about 200 miles in length and 150 in breadth, held by a great number of petty Chiefs under British supremacy; a roadless country of fastnesses and forts, filled with a turbulent population, the name Bundela having to the Lowland Hindu much the same signification as a cateran in Scotland or a moss trooper on the border.
- ↑ Some idea of the military resources of Oudh may be gathered from the return of arms collected up to August, 1859, viz. 684 cannon, 186,177 firearms, 565,321 swords, 50,311 spears, and 636,683 weapons of sorts. During the same period 1569 forts were destroyed.
