'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎458] (477/622)

458
HISTOEY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
proceeded by rail about one hundred and twenty miles, when
they began the march up country, being provided with bullock
carts for the baggage.
The country was swarming with rebels who, on the 23rd of
April, had achieved a great success^ in the Jugdespore jungles,
having annihilated a small British column and captured
two guns. The safety of Arrah was threatened by the enemy,
w T ho advanced within two miles of that place. At Chuprah
precautions were taken to guard against a possible attack, and
the presence of the Company's armed steamers, 4 Jumna 7 and
6 Megna,' had a good effect, the latter having fired into and dis
persed more than one body of the enemy preparing to cross the
Ganges into the Shahabad district. On the 30th of April, the
safety of Arrah was assured by the arrival of a portion of
Brigadier Douglas' force, and reinforcements were pushed on
to Sasseram from Calcutta, so that, on Lieutenant Carew's
arrival at that station, he found assembled there H.M.'s 6tli
Regiment, half a battery of Royal Artillery, a portion of Cap
tain Peel's Naval Brigade, under Lieutenant Hay, R.N., and
some Sikh cavalry and infantry. Sir Edward Lugard, having
made the necessary preparations for attacking the rebels in co
operation with Brigadier Corfield's column, on the 6th of May
marched upon Jugdespore, from which the enemy were dis
lodged. But, though driven from their position, the rebels still
held together in the extensive jungle which surrounds Jugdes
pore, and, on the 11th, Sir Edward—having opened communi
cations with Brigadier Corfield, who, by his direction, had moved
from Sasseram to Peeroo with seven hundred and fifty men of
H.M.'s 6th Regiment, sixty Sikhs, and one hundred and three
officers and men of Carew's Battery—again attacked them,
the Brigadier making a simultaneous assault from the
south.f
# The redoubtable chief, Koer Singh, had been driven out of Azimghur by
Sir Edward Lugard about the 13th of April, and had again been defeated on the
20th by a column, under Brigadier Douglas, which pursued him to the banks of
the Ganges and captured his guns; but a large party of rebels having crossed the
Ganges at Sheopore and made their way to the jungles of Jugdespore, on the
22nd of April, Captain Le Grand, commanding the troops at Arrah, marched
thence by night with one hundred and forty men of H.M's. 35th Regiment, fifty
European sailors belonging to the Bengal Marine, with two guns, and one hundred
Sikhs, for the purpose of attacking the enemy before they had recovered from
their recent defeats. The force entered the jungles, but being seized with panic,
returned to Arrah, having lost one hundred and forty-one Europeans out of two
hundred, including three officers, and the guns and ammunition. The Sikhs
alone behaved well in this disgraceful flight.
f The following is Brigadier Corfield's despatch, addressed to the Chief of the
Staff with Brigadier-General Sir Edward Lugard, under date " Camp Peeroo,
May 12, 1858:—I have the honour to report for the information of Brigadier-
General Sir Edward Lugard, K.C.B., that yesterday, after I had detached my
cavalry and two 9-pounder guns of the Royal Artillery with you, on hearing rmg
in the direction of Juttowra, I immediately proceeded with the following _iorce
towards the jungle:—H.M's. 6th Regiment, with drafts, seven hundred and Wty