BEFORE DELHI. 251 



the heavier the fire or the greater the difficulty, 

 the more calm and reflecting he became."^ 



While Hodson was chafino' in his tent under the 

 illness which forbade his taking part in Nicholson's 

 famous march against a large body of rebels eager 

 to intercept a siege-train on its way down from 

 Umbala, the one great leader under whom he would 

 have been proud to serve had beaten "the enemy 

 gloriously at Najafgarh, whither," writes Hodson 

 on the 26th, " he pushed on last evening. He has 

 taken thirteen guns and all the camp equipage and 

 property. Our loss was small for the gain, but 

 two of the killed were officers — young Lumsden of 

 Coke's Corps, a most promising fellow, and Dr 

 Ireland. The victory is a great one, and will shake 

 the Pandies' nerves, I calculate. All their shot and 

 ammunition were also captured. The 1st Fusiliers 

 were as usual ' to the fore,' and did equally well 

 as usual. I am much disappointed at not having 

 been there ; but Mactier would not hear of it, as 

 the weather was bad, and I should have run the 

 risk of another attack of dysentery, from which I 

 have been suff'ering;." 



There was great rejoicing throughout the camp 

 over the hardest blow which had yet been struck 

 at the Delhi mutineers, by a regimental captain of 

 thirty- four years, who had once more proved his 

 fitness for hio;h command. 



On the day of Nicholson's return to camp Hodson 

 welcomed the arrival of two more troops of recruits 

 for his own regiment. " Such an experiment," he 

 says with just pride, " as raising a regiment actually 



^ Hodson of Hodson's Horse. 



