DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25988#0090
Life of Mountstuart Elphinstone.
Cff. III.
68
the field of battle unable to cross on account of our guns.
The cavalry having thus crossed on the right of the line, and
charged along in front of it, recrossed to the left and were
formed (qq) to charge a body of infantry (r)—I fancy part
of the enemy’s right that we had passed, for we were much out-
fianked both the right and left. When the General, returning
from the nulla with the 78th (sss), came close to them, he
took the 7th N.C. from them. The General was going to
attack a body of the enemy (from their left, I believe), who,
when we had passed them, went and spiked our artillery and
seized our guns, and recovered some of their own, and turned
them all against our rear, which annoyed us a good deal.
When the General was returning to the guns there was a
heavy fire, and he had his horse killed under him. Soon affcer
he came up to the cavalry, the enemy cannonading them hotly
as they were formed to charge. Just as he was leaving them
I heard the dragoons huzza and saw them begin to charge ;
rode a little way after them; but, thinking that I had stayed
all day with the General, and that when I left him he was in
hot water, I rode to him, but found that the enemy were
moving off. We got possession of the guns and halted, and so
ended the engagement. I forgot to mention the result of the
cavalry charge (which must have terminated justafter I quitted
them ; for I saw them pull up to a trot before I made up my
mind to leave them). They were brought up by the fire ; first
halted, and then walked, and then trotted back. In this last
charge Colonel Maxwell was killed. Affcer staying some time
with the 78th, I rode with the General to the Joee, and there
I lost him. I then went to the place where the 74th lost so
many meu, where I had not been before. The ground was
covered with dead and wounded men and officers of the 74th
and of the enemy. After dark I found the General in the
village of Assye (u), close to the place where the 74th suffered
so much. There the General passed the night, not in “ the
pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war,” but on
the ground, close to an officer whose leg was shot off, and
within five yards of a dead officer. I got some curry aud
Cff. III.
68
the field of battle unable to cross on account of our guns.
The cavalry having thus crossed on the right of the line, and
charged along in front of it, recrossed to the left and were
formed (qq) to charge a body of infantry (r)—I fancy part
of the enemy’s right that we had passed, for we were much out-
fianked both the right and left. When the General, returning
from the nulla with the 78th (sss), came close to them, he
took the 7th N.C. from them. The General was going to
attack a body of the enemy (from their left, I believe), who,
when we had passed them, went and spiked our artillery and
seized our guns, and recovered some of their own, and turned
them all against our rear, which annoyed us a good deal.
When the General was returning to the guns there was a
heavy fire, and he had his horse killed under him. Soon affcer
he came up to the cavalry, the enemy cannonading them hotly
as they were formed to charge. Just as he was leaving them
I heard the dragoons huzza and saw them begin to charge ;
rode a little way after them; but, thinking that I had stayed
all day with the General, and that when I left him he was in
hot water, I rode to him, but found that the enemy were
moving off. We got possession of the guns and halted, and so
ended the engagement. I forgot to mention the result of the
cavalry charge (which must have terminated justafter I quitted
them ; for I saw them pull up to a trot before I made up my
mind to leave them). They were brought up by the fire ; first
halted, and then walked, and then trotted back. In this last
charge Colonel Maxwell was killed. Affcer staying some time
with the 78th, I rode with the General to the Joee, and there
I lost him. I then went to the place where the 74th lost so
many meu, where I had not been before. The ground was
covered with dead and wounded men and officers of the 74th
and of the enemy. After dark I found the General in the
village of Assye (u), close to the place where the 74th suffered
so much. There the General passed the night, not in “ the
pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war,” but on
the ground, close to an officer whose leg was shot off, and
within five yards of a dead officer. I got some curry aud