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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
stockade, built across tbe path where a sudden rise in the ground and the 
proximity of a large rock, offered an advantageous position. One shot fired 
from behind this breastwork, added terror to the astonishment of the leading 
files and the 43rd Assam Light Infantry, took to their heels and made a decided 
retrogade movement, trampling their officers under foot, and carrying any¬ 
thing but confidence to those in rear. The road was completely blocked up 
by elephants, camp followers and soldiers—night was coming on. The 
native regiment had shown their unsteadiness for that time, and so Maj.-Gen. 
Mulcaster determined to bivouac on the ground they then occupied, for that 
night, and those who passed the night there assured me that it was a most 
unpleasant period. The next morning a cautious advance was made, the 
breastwork found deserted, and the leading files of the column soon met a 
solitary policeman, who gave them the astounding intelligence that Dewan- 
giri had been in the hands of Lieutenant MacDonald's party since the 
previous evening, and that that officer had gallantly repulsed the enemy's 
night attacks. 
The column now proceeded rapidly and boldly, and occupied Dewangiri 
in force. 
Maj.-Gen. Mulcaster, with two companies of the 43rd and two mortars, 
left that post under Colonel Campbell and the remainder of his column, 
and marching to join the right centre, whose steps we have followed as far 
as Sidlee. The force left to garrison Dewangiri consisted of the head 
quarters of the 43rd Assam Light Infantry, 2 guns and 21. Eurasion or 
half-caste gunners, about 40 Bengal Sappers and 40 police, in all about 400 
men. The 43rd had already given an idea of their gallantry; they were 
recruited from a cowardly race, and had been on detached service for years, 
so that they had neither courage or discipline. The police were mostly men 
of the Kamroop battalion, which had been reduced from the strength of the 
army—men inured to active service, and naturally of a warlike class. The 
sappers were most excellent soldiers, and the Eurasion Artillery subsequently 
showed, that even in a disastrous retreat they kept their discipline and were 
amenable to order. 
On the 28th December, Maj.-Gen. Mulcaster arrived at Sidlee, and orders 
were given for a review the following day in an open piece of ground before 
the village, which came off most satisfactorily; the cavalry, of which branch 
we had a large proportion, 2 squadrons of the 14th Jat Horse, and the same 
of the 7th Bengal Cavalry, performing a brilliant charge on the only open 
ground, between this place and the northern Hope of the Himalayas. 
The day following the review our force left Sidlee, and as we took the 
direct path to the hills, we found no difficulty in pressing onwards as the 
road made by Lieutenant Garnault allowed us to proceed at a rapid rate; 
the force consisted of a wing of the 12th and 44th, two companies of the 
43rd, two howitzers, two mortars, with 40 Eurasion gunners and about 50 
sappers; but of the mounted branch we had no less than 300 sabres, who 
led the column through the jungle. 
The first halting place was named Bentool, and was about eight miles 
distant from Sidlee. On our way we crossed a clear, sparkling little stream, 
on the banks of which were a few grass huts used by Bhooteas when halting 
here; it bore marks of late occupation. Bentool had formerly been a village, 
and we saw the little banks of earth which had divided the paddy fields into 
