The sepoys were overpowered, the lesser hill lost, and the gun, which fell into the enemy’s hands, was turned against the greater hill. The brigade had now lost much of their superiority in position; from the nearness of the enemy and the fire of the gun on the lost hill, officers and men began to drop fast. The enemy’s cavalry and infantry began to close in from every side and to prepare for a general assault. To add to the perplexity of the moment, the Arabs broke into the huts of our troops, and the shrieks o their wives and children reached the ears of the sepoys, while a body of horse entered the residency compound where the ladies had been placed in a separate house. The three troops of Bengal Cavalry, together with the Madras horsemen of the Resident’s escort, had been kept all this while in the enclosures round the Residency. Their commander Captain Fitzgerald, now formed his men outside the enclosures, and charged the principal body of the enemy’s horse. The Marathas did not long resist the onset of this title band, but breaking in all directions, abandoned a small battery by which they had been supported. Captain Fitzgerald pursued them for some distance and then re-forming, charged the battery, took some of the guns, and brought them into the Residency in triumph. The success had been witnessed by all the infantry on the hill; and the men, before drooping for the fatigue of fifteen hour’s fighting, become once more animated. A combined attack of cavalry and infantry on the Arabs was being arranged when another tumbrel on the lesser hill blew up, causing great confusion amongst the enemy. The advantage was seized, and the little hill was in a few moments again in possession of our troops, who pursued the enemy through the Arab village, and spiked two guns beyond it before they returned to their posts. Again the Arabs were rallied, and fresh troops brought up just as they were ready to advance against the hill, a well timed charge around the base of it, by a single troop of cavalry under Cornet Smith, took when in the flank, and finally catered them. The troops from the hill now made a general advance and cleared the ground all about. By noon the enemy’s artillery was carried away, and the battle was over. The British lost 367 killed and wounded, including sixteen British officers. Amongst the killed were Mr. Sotheby of the Civil Service, who had been in attendance on the Resident throughout the engagement, Captain Sadler and Lieutenant Grant of the 24th Regiment, Lieutenant Clarke of the 20th Regiment and Doctor Nevam of the Escort.
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