Page:The Indian Mutiny of 1857.djvu/387

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Jang Bahádur and Franks.
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had moved his headquarters to Allahábád. How that danger was averted by the skill and gallantry of Lord Mark Kerr I shall tell in another chapter.

I left Jang Bahádur crossing the Gográ, at Phúlpur, on the 21st of February. He marched forward on the 25th, and pushing on, reached the vicinity of Lakhnao, ready to co-operate with Sir Colin Campbell, on the 10th of March. There, for the present, I shall leave him. Franks's force, which, as I have stated, was an amplification of Longden's, had been organised by the end of December. After temporarily clearing the Ázamgarh district, it moved forward, hampered by the want of cavalry, on the 21st of January. At Sikandrá Franks came in sight of a large rebel force. It was the day on which it had been arranged that his cavalry should join him, the 22d. He waited for them till the evening, when, to his delight, they came up, accompanied by four H. A. guns. There was no more hesitation. Early the next morning Franks attacked the rebels, and defeated them. Obliged then, in obedience to orders, to send back his cavalry to Allahábád, Franks moved to Singrámáo, and waiting there until the arrival of Rowcroft at Gorákhpur should enable Jang Bahádur to advance, set out the same day, the 19th of February, in the direction of Súltanpur. He reached Chandá the same day, and inflicted, in front of it, a severe defeat on the rebels. Occupying Chandá, he pushed on to Rámpúrá, halted there for two hours, then moving to Hamírpur, defeated another body of rebels, marching to the assistance of those disposed of at Chandá. Pushing on thence, he occupied the strong fortress of Budháyun in the face of the rebels, and completely defeated them in the hard- fought battle of Súltanpur[1] (February 23). The Láhor

  1. In this battle Macleod Innes of the Engineers gained the Victoria Cross by a deed of splendid daring.