240 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



effect their escape before the village was surrounded. 

 I then entered the village with a party of dismounted 

 sowars. From information received from the vil- 

 lao-ers, I was able to seize several of the mutineer 

 sowars before they had time to arm. A large party, 

 however, took refuge in the upper storey of a house 

 belonging to one of the lambardars of the village, 

 and defended themselves desperately. They were 

 eventually overpowered and destroyed, but not with- 

 out considerable difficulty and several casualties on 

 our side, Lieutenant H. Gouo;h and seven men beina; 

 wounded. I subsequently caused those of the 

 captured who were proved, on inquiry, to have been 

 in the service of Government and to have joined the 

 rebels, to be executed." ^ 



It was on this occasion that Lieutenant Hugh 

 Gough owed his life to his brother Charles, who was 

 then serving with the Guides. Gough himself had 

 climbed by a ladder up to the roof of the house in 

 which a number of mutineers had taken refuge, while 

 some of his party forced their way inside. " When 

 the enemy made their desperate rush," says Sir Hugh 

 Gough, " I was rather in the forefront of the party 

 awaiting them, and in the melee which took place I 

 was forced backwards, and, suddenly making a false 

 step from the roof on to a lower roof about a foot 

 down, fell or was forced on my knees. While thus 

 half falling, one man made a cut at me with his 

 heavy sword, which cut right down my riding-boot. 

 Another was aiming a better- directed blow, when my 

 brother, seeing my clanger, rushed forward and 

 attacked the two, killing both, and thus undoubtedly 

 eaved my life." ^ 



^ Forrest's Selections. ^ gij. jj^ Gough's Old Memories. 



