A Leicestershire Soldier in the Second Sikh War

The final defeat of the Sikhs of the Punjab

This book, originally humbly and ambiguously titled 'Four Year's Service in India', is a treasure trove for students of the Sikh Wars and of the experiences of an ordinary soldier of the early Victorian age who not only possessed the talent to relate his experiences, but who fortunately for posterity had the inclination for the task. This is the best of eyewitness accounts of war because it is a detailed and well observed view—in the main—of a comparatively short period of time. Much of Ryder's book concerns the siege, storm and taking of the fortress stronghold of Mooltan and in this he has left us one of its most informed and comprehensive sources, made all the finer as it comes from an ‘other rank’ concerned daily with the business of combat and survival. Ryder also gives a superb account of the Battle of Goojerat. Highly recommended.

During the time we were returning the enemy’s fire, before we retreated, I saw several men fall. I had taken post behind a tree, which sheltered me from the balls of the enemy; but the tree had got it pretty well, for several had struck it.<br>
This tree had grown very well; it was forked about the height of my breast, so that I loaded and fired from it with good effect, for I sent my balls among them smartly. One of our 3rd company’s sergeants came up to me, and said, “You have got a good place here—is there room for two?” As there was not, he knelt down at the back of a small sand-hill, which was close beside me, and commenced firing. He had not fired more than two rounds before a ball passed through his breast, and he fell back dead at my feet. His name was Douglas. One of my fellow corporals also fell, severely wounded; his name was Hitchcock. He belonged to my company; he came from Harby in Nottinghamshire.<br>
As soon as the enemy saw us withdraw into the village, they thought we were going to retreat altogether, so they let a yell out of them, and rushed boldly forward, flourishing their swords as they came near; but they met such a shower of our balls that it laid a number of them on their mother earth, and the remainder were glad to take shelter in their intrenchments. Again they made an attack, but were driven back.<br>
We were determined to hold the villages we had seized. During the time this was going on a detachment of our allied troops came rushing up on our left, following some of the enemy’s stragglers, and as we did not know them from the enemy (being dressed so much alike) we fired into them in mistake, and several of the poor fellows were killed and wounded!<br>
It was now generally known that our colonel was killed. Major Inglis therefore took command, and order was restored. The general came, and gave directions to us to keep possession of the ground and villages we had taken, and to level every hut and house with the ground, except one or two of the principal buildings, which we were to leave for shelter. Our sappers soon set to work, and some they blew up, and some were burnt. Large quantities of ammunition were also found, which we destroyed.<br>
We collected our dead and buried them, whilst those of the enemy we set fire to in heaps, as they lay, the roads being fairly choked up with the bodies. It was a shocking sight to see the flesh burning and all in flames, whilst the blood and other matter was running along the ground; but cruel as this may appear, it is nothing more than the custom of the country calls for. They were most of them of the Hindoo caste, and they always burn their dead; but the stench was unbearable.<br>
I saw our colonel’s body; it lay under, or rather among about a dozen of the enemy, in a small square yard, in front of some half-dozen huts. It was maimed in several places; his wrist was cut nearly off, and on one side of his head was a deep cut.: A musket ball had passed through his body. He looked noble even in death. The whole regiment lamented his loss. I also saw the body of our quarter-master. A musket ball had passed through his body; he was in great agony before he died, for about half an hour; he bit the ground, and tore up the sand with his hands. He had been married but about four months, to a very excellent young lady. His last words were “Oh, my dear wife, tell her all I have is hers; tell her my last words were for her.”<br>
This action was now ended; but still we kept up a constant fire at each other at long distances. It was about eleven o’clock, so we had had five hours downright hard work. The field all round presented a most awful sight of the wreck of the action. Broken arms of all description lay strewed all round, with dead men and horses. The village was but a heap of ruins.<br>
The enemy appeared to be getting round, to our right at about 12 o’clock. My company (the grenadiers) and No. 3 company were ordered to take possession of a group, of huts standing among a few trees, which the enemy had abandoned, and was now trying to recover. They stood about 600 yards to our right and front. To get possession of the huts, we must needs be exposed to the whole range of the enemy’s fire; for we must cross a piece of ground entirely open to them.<br>
Our only plan, therefore, was to form in sections, and double across as fast as possible, which we did. No sooner did the enemy see us, than they opened a furious fire upon us from their batteries and intrenchments. I saw one cannon shot go through one man’s body, carry away another’s leg, and severely wound a third. The balls came faster than ever I witnessed them before; but they appeared to fire very high, most of them going over our heads. However, we get possession.<br>
A very remarkable thing happened to one of my company, named Mitchell. Having a watch in his pocket, a ball struck it, and broke it, but saved his life. A ball passed through another man’s cap. They directed their fire upon these huts all the remaining part of the day; still, they could not succeed in dislodging us.
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This charge was headed and led by a gallant young officer, the adjutant of one of the irregular regiments of native cavalry. He displayed great courage, sweeping all down before him. As soon as our front was clear, the artillery galloped three or four hundred yards forwards, and poured in a most destructive fire of grape and canister. As soon as we came tip to our guns they limbered up, and now came our turn for a charge. At this time, the enemy’s balls were flying very thick. I heard them singing about our heads; but strange to say, they did us no hurt. The whole of them appeared to skim above out heads. We were now within three hundred yards of the enemy’s line and batteries, when we received the word “charge!” We gave three cheers, and with levelled bayonets into them we rushed. Nothing can be a grander sight than, to see a field of victory carried at the point of the British bayonet.<br>
We drove them before us upon their own guns and works, bayoneting the artillerymen at their posts. They were as good soldiers as ever took the field. They would not leave their guns; and when the bayonet was through them they threw their arms round the guns and kissed-them, and died. We spiked their pieces as we got possession of them. We drove their infantry into the dry canal, which led to the fort. We stood upon the bank and shot them like ducks; for they had got into such confusion, in trying to make their escape, that they could not move along they were in one another’s road; and the best of it was they could neither return us a shot, nor could they escape out of the canal, the banks on both sides being so steep. It was fairly choked up with dead; all the cannon they had brought into the field were taken, except one. All the horses and ammunition, bullocks and camels, fell into our hands, and all other kinds of stores. We pulled down their batteries, collected the guns and property, and sent them into our camp.<br>
I had a very narrow escape of my life. As I and my comrade were standing upon the bank, one of the enemy lay concealed behind a bush, on the slope of the opposite bank; when he fired at me. The ball went close by my left temple, cutting the bit of hair off and filling my eyes with powder and smoke. I did not know whether I was shot or not, for a short time. I put my hand up to feel. Neither could I see; but my foe was shot in a moment by a sepoy serjeant, and said “very good.” As I was not killed, I thought so, too. If he had been still, he very likely would never have been seen.