jafgarh. Nearly 7000 mutineers with eighteen guns quietly proceeded from the city in order to intercept the siege train of heavy guns expected from Firozpur. No sooner was this known in camp than Nicholson was instructed to march with a moveable column of 1000 Europeans and 2000 natives to overtake the enemy. At five o'clock in the afternoon he came up with them, after a march of twenty miles, and at once advanced to the attack. A sarái (walled enclosure) with four guns in position was carried by a brilliant charge, and four more guns were captured at a bridge a little further on. After destroying the bridge, the troops bivouacked all night upon the ground, and next day returned to camp with thirteen guns. Their loss, however, had been considerable; 120 of their number being killed and wounded, most of whom fell in an attack upon a handful of Sepoys in occupation of a small village. The enemy made another attempt on the outposts on the 26th, but were repulsed by a volley of grape from the centre battery.
The engineers were now assiduously engaged in clearing the ground for the breaching batteries, and on the 4th of September, 1857, over thirty pieces of heavy ordnance, with ample supplies of ammunition, arrived in camp. From this date until that of the grand assault, reinforcements continually poured in, Europeans, Kashmírians, and Sikhs following one another in rapid succession, until at last an army of some strength was encamped before the long
