DARING FEAT.
During the operation which took place before General Roberts was finally shut up within Sherpur, it may be remembered that whilst retreating through the pillage of Baghwana, on the 11th December, 1879, Major Smyth-Windham was forced to abandon four 9-pounder puns and limbers. Already the gallant Colonel Cleveland had been mortally wounded whilst striving to cover the retirement of the Horse Artillery. The guns, whilst still in action, were surrounded, and, marvellous to relate—the only instance on record in the annals of the Royal Regiment—the gunners did not die round their guns. One of the lieutenants, it is true, a fine young fellow named Hardy, was shot through the head, and was the ouly one of F Battery, A Brigade, R.H.A., that was killed ; none other was even wounded. Whilst the gunners and drivers, or most of them, rode back to Sherpur, Macgregor, then Chief of the Staff, kept his eyes°on the abandoned guns, and bided his opportunity to recapture them. As soon as I the ground was partially cleared by the advatioe of McPherson's troops, he collected a small body of staff-officers and spectators, amongst whom was MrDurand (his brother-in-law) aud Captain Deano ; and calling together somo Lancers and a few of the dismounted gunners, for seven of the horses had been killed, he sallied down upon the enemy, who speedily took to flight, and extricated the guns aud limbers from the ditches into which they had been thrown, Sending back for thenteams, Colonel Macgregor" had the pleasure of bringing back the four 9-pounders, but little the worse for what they had gone through, and handing them over to Major Smyth-Windham within the square of Sherpur.-.--from "The Career of an Indian General: Sir Charles Macgregor, K.C.8.," ii( Blackwood's Magazine, I
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18890112.2.44.12
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2575, 12 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)
Word count
Tapeke kupu
293DARING FEAT. Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2575, 12 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.