296 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



later with such tidings as they could gather by 

 the way. Hodson reported that straggling parties 

 of the rebel cavalry had passed through Bilram, 

 " and that the headman of the place would give 

 us next morning all information concerning the 

 troops of mutineers in Khasganj." ^ 



Marching on the 15th towards Khasganj, Seaton 

 learned from the people at Bilram that "the rebels 

 had hastily evacuated Khasganj, part of them 

 crossing the Ganges at Kuchla ferry, distant about 

 sixteen miles, and part pushing on to Patiali, dis- 

 tant twenty-five miles in the direction of Fathigarh, 

 where there was a large force assembled, with a 

 numerous artillery, all under the command of the 

 Hakim, the hereditary commander-in-chief of the 

 Nawab of Farokhabad." 



" It was fortunate for us," he remarks, " that the 

 rebels had evacuated Khasganj. It is a large town, 

 filled with strong well-built brick houses, and out- 

 side of it there were extensive old gardens sur- 

 rounded by earthen walls many feet thick, perfect 

 small forts — quite formidable field-works they would 

 have made. In these gardens, which were filled 

 with large old trees and a wilderness of shrubs 

 and bushes, the rebels had encamped ; and if they 

 had defended them at all manfully they would, to 

 say the least, have given us some trouble. Against 

 a contingency of this kind, however, I was well 

 provided, having heavy guns and mortars, and two 

 companies of sappers." 



The morning of the 17th saw Seaton's crowning 

 success against the rebels at Patiali. "The enemy," 

 says Hodson, " had the boldness to await our 



' Seaton. 



