The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

42 The His^hland Monthly.
Page 42 of book (p. 85 of magazine).—Captains Turner
and Scovell and Lieutenant Durant were left in hospital
sick, the last suffering from blindness ; also Captain Miller
v.-ounded.
Page 45 of book (p. 89 of magazine).—The day before
the attack on Fort Rooyah Ens. Kerr, who was on the sick-
list, was being carried in a dhoolie, the bearers of which
lagged behind in rear of the column. Parties of the enemy's
cavalry were hovering about to cut off stragglers, and the
bearers Were inclined to bolt and leave him to his fate. A
revolver again proved very serviceable. The threat to use
it, coupled with promises of backsheesh, proved effectual,
and he was brought safe into camp.
Pages 46, 47 of book (p. 90 of magazine).—As the
result of a good deal of correspondence about the
attack on Fort Rooyah, I think that Malleson, on whose
account I based mine, has been misinformed as to the
points of the compass, and that the strong side, against
which our skirmishers of the 42nd and the 4th Punjaub
Rifles were fruitlessly sent, was the south (or south-east)
side, instead of the north, and that it was on the latter side
—the one facing Allygunge—that the rebels evacuated
the fort. Probably the faces did not lie due north, &c.
The general course of Walpole's march from Lucknow
to Shahjehanpore and Bareilly was about W.N.W., but
Rooyah apparently lay somewhat to the south of such a
line, about ten miles east from the Ganges. It is probable,
however, that the General, after leaving Lucknow, made
somewhat of a detour towards and along the river Ganges,
and so moved along a road, running about N.N.W., when
he got near Rooyah, which lay about a mile to the right or
north of that road. Col. Percival has sent me a sketch,,
which confirms my own recollection, that Walpole's force,
on the morning of the attack, moved off to the right or
north of the road, nearly at right angles to where I was
halted with the baggage guard. All the firing I heard was
from my proper right front, when facing in the direction of