320 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



the enemy to a village covered by trees and low 

 jungle. 



" In the ardour of pursuit," he writes, " I had 

 got ahead of my men, when I came upon a couple 

 of sepoys on their way to the village. They had 

 their bayonets fixed, and seeing me unsupported, 

 stood — one in my direct front, and the other on 

 my right. I made for the former ; but the one 

 on the right took aim at me as I passed and shot 

 me clean throuo;h the thio;h, the bullet Ofoinsr 

 through my saddle and my horse, killing her 

 dead. Fortunately I fell clear, though helpless. 

 My opponent was just coming up to finish me off 

 when he was sabred by a trooper of the Military 

 Train. 



" The affair was now over. The enemy suffered 

 severely, and were driven back into Lucknow ; 

 and we returned to camp, and I was much pleased 

 to think that our men had retrieved their previous 

 discomfiture. Their temporary ' funk ' was really 

 due to their having got out of hand after their 

 first charge, and not having time to rally before 

 they had again to face the enemy's heavy mus- 

 ketry - fire. The steadiest cavalry in the world 

 might have found it difficult, and to an absolutely 

 newly - raised regiment the position was a very 

 trying one." 



Hodson appears to have been greatly annoyed 

 at the mishap to his brave young adjutant, the 

 blame for which he imputed to some of his native 

 officers. Taking them round to the dooly in which 

 Gough was being carried back to camp, he soundly 

 rated them for being the cause of Gough's wound. 



