THE STORMING OF DELHI. 261 



the brave Major Jacob, wlio had fallen in the 

 act of leading his men up the lane where Nicholson 

 was struck down. " He was a noble soldier," writes 

 Hodson, " and delighted us all by his bearing. His 

 death has made me a captain, the loug-wished-for 

 goal ; but I would rather have served on as a 

 subaltern than gain promotion thus. Greville and 

 Owen are doing well, but I much fear there is no 

 hope for poor Nicholson : his is a cruel wound, 

 and his loss would be a material calamity." 



On the 16th he writes again : " I have just 

 returned from a very long and terribly hot ride of 

 some hours to ascertain the movements, position, 

 and line of retreat of the enemy, and I can do no 

 more than report my safety. . . . All is going on 

 well ; the magazine was carried by storm this 

 morning with nominal loss, and our guns are 

 knocking the fort and palace about. All the 

 suburbs have been evacuated or taken. I have 

 just ridden through them, and all the enemy's 

 heavy guns have been brought into camp." 



In the same letter he speaks of General Wilson 

 as " fairly broken down by fatigue and anxiety, — 

 he cannot stand on his legs to-day : fortunately 

 Chamberlain is well enough to go down and keep 

 him straight, and Colonel Seaton also — two good 

 men, if he will be led by them." 



By the death of Major Jacob Lieutenant Hodson 

 gained not only his company, but the brevet-majority 

 for which he had so long been waiting, as a reward 

 for his services during the Punjab campaign. 



The next two days were spent in strengthening 

 our front from the magazine to the Kabul gate. 

 The old Delhi Bank and several strong buildings 



