202 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



the general, and had a pretty strong proof of the 

 estimation I am held in. He had been urged to 

 one particular point of attack, and when I went 

 into the tent he immediately turned to the 

 assembled council and said, ' I have always trusted 

 to Hodson's intelligence, and have the greatest con- 

 fidence in his judgment. I will be guided by what 

 he can tell me now.' So the croakers, who had 

 been groaning, were discomfited. This is, of course, 

 for your own eye and ear alone, but it is pleasant, 

 as the general has only known me since he has now 

 joined the force." 



This, like all his letters of this period, was 

 written to his wife, with whom he corresponded 

 daily. These letters, says the Rev. G-. H. Hodson, 

 were " written as best they might, in any moments 

 which he could snatch from the overwhelming 

 press of work, sometimes on the field, sometimes on 

 horseback." They were meant for no other eyes 

 than hers, nor would they ever have been published, 

 adds Mr Hodson, " had my lamented brother been 

 alive, as he had the greatest horror of any of his 

 letters appearing in print." ^ 



At sunrise of June 8 our little force moved out 

 from Alipur to attack several thousand rebels 

 strongly posted about Badli Serai. A sharp fight 

 ensued ; the serai itself and a battery of six guns 

 were carried at the point of the bayonet, and Hope 

 Grant's cavalry completed the rout. That after- 

 noon the victors encamped along the ridge over- 

 looking the tall red towers and long walls of the 

 Mughal capital. "Here we are safe and sound," 

 writes Hodson, " after having driven the enemy out 



1 Hodson of Hodson's Horse. 



