THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
121 
It had been decided that Bhootan should be entered at four points. The 
two on the right formed the right brigade, under Major-General Mulcaster; 
those on the left formed the left brigade, under Brigadier Dunsford. Taking 
from the right, they were to move upon Dewangiri, Bessin Singh, Buxa and 
Darlingkote respectively, points about 40 miles apart as the crow flies, 
but an indefinite distance apart when the totally unknown nature of the 
country came to be considered. 
As no roads existed, all the carriage of the different columns had to be 
effected by means of elephants, or coolies; but the supply of these fell far 
short of the requirements, and hence the forces under the junior officers 
suffered under considerable difficulties. The small number of coolies it was 
found possible to collect, and their continual escape from the work imposed, 
rendered them a useless dependency. Had arrangements been previously 
made for having them enrolled and placed under proper officers (as was done 
later when the war had virtually ended), then these coolies would have 
proved a valuable assistance to the force. 
Considering the high pay given to these men and the considerate way in 
which they were treated—for I never once witnessed or heard a single 
case of their ill-treatment—it is difficult to account for their aversion to the 
work, unless as was generally said, they believed that we were marching to 
certain destruction, so high an opinion had they of the power of our enemies. 
Another method for carrying supplies which was greatly depended upon, 
was by bullocks, droves of which were sent from districts in our own 
territory; but as some forty bullocks would be under one or two men, the 
others having deserted, and as these animals turned deaf ears to the alluring 
language of men not accustomed to them, they had at last to be almost 
abandoned. The commissariat officers would strive desperately to use them, 
and did so at first with some success; but the nature of the country* which 
allowed them to stray, and the rank nature of the grass on which they had 
to feed, soon reduced them in numbers and condition* and their carcasses were 
left at our camping grounds, marking but too plainly the line of our march. 
The drivers of these bullocks, like the coolies, evinced the greatest repug¬ 
nance to the campaign, so different from the general feeling of camp-followers, 
who know that when following an army they have every chance of pillaging 
to their hearts’ content, and accumulating a fortune. 
The right centre column, that to which I had been appointed (for the 
purpose of commanding the artillery details), assembled on the right bank of 
the Brahmapootra, opposite to, and five miles below the town of Gowalpara, 
at a village called Jogeegopah, or the “ Gave of the hermit*” The tall rank 
grass was cleared and we were soon shaking ourselves down to that degree 
of acquaintance so essential to the enjoyment of a campaign. Our little 
force consisted of a wing of the 12th Begiment Native Infantry, and a wing 
of the 44th Begiment Native Infantry, 50 Sappers, natives also, with two 
guns and two rocket apparati, altogether about 700 men, under the command 
of Colonel Bichardson, of the 44th Begiment Native Infantry, a gallant 
officer who had distinguished himself greatly by the bold, decided, and rapid 
manner in which he had broken any power of the Cossiahs that dared to 
assemble on what he called his dunghill in the Jynteah and Cossiah hills; 
he successfully attacked and took every stockade that was there built, and 
was the first in at every one, and he had active men to emulate him in his 
