218 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



its victorious march from Indore by the capture of Gwalior ; 

 and the rebel army, broken and utterly disorganised, had fled 

 southwards under the leadership of Tantia Topee. This man 

 was reported to have been the intimate friend of Nana Sahib, 

 and to have been implicated with that miscreant in the mas- 

 sacre at Cawnpore. It was said that, despairing of success in 

 the North-west Provinces, he hoped to gain the Bombay Pre- 

 sidency, and there endeavour to rekindle the flame of rebellion. 

 Be that as it may, driven from Gwalior by Sir Hugh, he fled 

 with a broken host of horse and foot, and arrived at Jalra 

 Patun in Central India, where he took possession of thirty 

 guns of various calibres from the Rajah. As ordnance these 

 guns were contemptible, but the mere fact of an army having 

 guns of any sort is sufficient in India to increase its import- 

 ance. 



To oppose the progress of Tantia, a small column under 

 Colonel Lockhart (92d) was sent out from Mhow. It con- 

 sisted of about 350 men of the 92d Highlanders, 400 of the 

 19th Bombay native infantry, two squadrons of the Bombay 

 Native Cavalry, and two guns of the Bengal European Artil- 

 lery. But on intelligence being received that the rebel force 

 numbered about 20,000 men, and that Tantia had seized the 

 guns at Jalra Patun, a second column under Colonel Hope, 

 71st Highland Light Infantry, was despatched. This column 

 consisted of about 350 men 71st Highlanders, 400 men 4th 

 Bombay Native Infantry, two guns Bengal European Artillery, 

 and a squadron 17th Lancers. General Michel accompanied 

 the latter, and eventually assumed command of the combined 

 force. Captain Hutchinson accompanied Colonel Lockhart as 

 political officer, and I was sent with Colonel' Hope in a similar 

 capacity. It was our duty to obtain information of the strength, 

 position, and intended movements of the rebel force ; of the 



