CHAR-EE-KAR AND SERVICE THERE WITH THE 4TH GOORKHA REGIMENT IN 1841

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ...Major and I believe fully 100 privates killed; we had our Quarter Master Serjeant and eight barrack rooms full of wounded probably not less than two hundred we had lost fifty by capture. This is the lowest estimate so that there could not remain more than three hundred and ninety worn out men under arms. We had over one hundred women and forty children with perhaps one hundred camp followers of sorts. The whole of this party was totally destitute of water. At the commencement we had only hy estimate seven days'' provisions but our store was by no means exhausted It probably would have carried us a week further. Our ammunition had been at starting 200 rounds per man but had been husbanded with the greatest care; no such random firing was allowed as I have repeatedly seen since and our store was therefore still respectable; we had but little ammunition for the guns one of which had broken down thrice; and our muskets were so foul that it was with difficulty balls could be forced into them; even urine could not be obtained to wash them out. We were closely besieged by overwhelming numbers and could not show ourselves outside in daylight; all hope of relief had vanished; and to us remained alone the choice of death surrender-to a notoriously faithless enemy or the attempt to join by stealth our comrades at Kabool. I had received from two men the armorer and the native doctor one a native of the Punjab and the other of Cashmere hints that treachery was brewing among the gunners; but I could get no tangible explanation from them of the grounds for their supposition. The gunners had behaved as well as men could do. They fought bravely and had lost twelve men out of fifty-six their entire number. As I then said they were as my...