CHAPTER I

Summary

May 5th.—Battle of Bareilly.—Early this morning, the army, pushing on a strong advance guard of cavalry, guns, and infantry, proceeded to attack the enemy's position before the city of Bareilly. We had a long march before us ere we could get at them. In our little camp at Head-Quarters, there were great preparations last night. Norman was indefatigable; so were Macpherson and Allgood; and last, not least, the Chief and the Chief of the Staff. General Mansfield's small staff are well exercised. Hope Crealock has joined him as Assistant Adjutant-General, in lieu of Hope Johnstone, gone home sick, and Flood is Aide-de-Camp. An order of march and battle was specially ordered, and dispositions made to strengthen Tod Brown's ordnance guard from any demonstration on the part of the numerous cavalry of the enemy. Lieutenant Morland, the indefatigable baggage-master, had no ordinary task before him to keep those enormous masses of vehicles, and beasts, and men, which seem to be growing every day from the ground, in anything like order. In our camp special instructions were given for the restriction of the dooly-bearers to a certain part of the line of march. There were three of us—Sir David Baird, Alison, and myself—who were to be marched at the head of the infantry column, but on the right or off side, the enemy lying on our left front.