The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-31
GENERAL WOLSELEY.
How He Exceeded Orders and Lost the VIC
tOria Medal.

How He Exceeded Orders and Lost the VIC
toria Medal.
United Service Magazine
A building called the Khoorsheyd Null, at
Lucknow, Happy Palace). but better known as
the sMess House." had to be taken. After a
heavy fire of three hours from Peels guns Sir
Colin determined to carry it by storm. 1t was a
formidable place, massive in its structure, sur
rounded by a ditch twelve feet broad and
scarped with masonry. and beyond that loop
hoed mud wall. There were raw-bridges,
but it was not known whether they were down
or not. Sir Colin gave the command of the
storming column to Captain Garnet Wolseley, of
the Ninetieth. with instructions that in the
event of the drawbridges being up, and his
not being able to effect an entrance, he was TO
leave his men under cover and return and report
to him. 1t was not the first storming column
which Wolseley had led. Years before he had
had that honor in carrying the stronghold of the
Burmese chief. Myattoon, and had been severe
ly wounded He was more fortunate In his
attack on the Mess House. Transformers had to
run the gauntlet of very heavy fire from the
neghboring buildings, but they entered the
place with little opposition, as the enemy had
retired, leaving the drawbridge down. Calling
upon his bugler to sound the advance, to init
mate to Sir Colin his success, he ran
up the steps of the building and planted
the British flag upon the roof But no
enemy opened fire from every gun which they
could bring to bear, and twice was the flag
struck down, but only to be replaced by Wolseley,
assisted-strange coincidence-bv young Off
Ger of the Bengal artillery, Lieut.. Frederick
Roberts, now Sir f. Roberts, Bart, Y. c., G. c.
B. But there was another building in the hands
of the enemy, the Notice Mahal pearl of pal
aces) the post which separated the beseiged
from their deliverers. Wolseley's task, as in
trusted to him by Sir Colin Campbell, was &C
House He had no instructions to do more.
But there are moments in battle
when opportunities are to be seized in
spite of instructions" and when what seems
the genius which justiies daring. Garnet VOLS
eley was not man to bid his stormers retire
under cover and stand at ease" while he saw be-
fore him prize which might be won by bold
hearts with dash. He made a rush at the
Notice Mahal, followed with joyful alacIity by
his gallant fellows. The way from the garden
of the Mess House to the gateway of the Notice
Mahal was swept by the enemy's fire. but the
gateway was reached. 1t was. however, built
up and loopholed, and through these loopholes a
murderous fire was poured upon the attacking
party. Ready in resource and cool, Wolseley
sent back an officer with some men to bring up
crow bars and pickaxes to smash through the
brick work. This was done, but it was hard
fight to get the enemy's fire under, and
the stormers lost many brave fell
lows. At length however an aperture
was made in the wall, and through this Wolseley
and his men scrambled into the courtyard OF the
palace. Fighting hand to hand they drove the
enemy from room to room, and from yard to
yard toward the river, on the banks of which the
Notice Mahal was built Here the fueitives
threw themselves into the water and sought
escape in swimming across. 1t was when the
men were returning with the tools which he had
sent for to batter down the gateway that
Wolseley fairly earned the cross by a gallant act
of daring Private Andrews, who had been his
servant in the Crimea, ran from under shelter
to show his comrades the way across He
was Immediately shot through the body
from one of the loop-holes and fell. Wolse
ley saw this and rushed to his assistance.
Raising him up he bore him back in his arms to
place of safety. under shower Of bullets. by
one of which Andrews was again wounded.
Now Wolseley had gained the Notice Mahal, but
he had not gained Sir Collins good will. The old
chief was furious at an officer exceeding his in
structions, and Wolseley was advised to keep on,
of his way until his ire cooled But the erst
leadersof the stormers of Ciudad Rodrigo was not
likely to be long angry with kindred spirit whose
disobedient daring must have recalled to him the
memory of his own fiery courage, when youth
and hope were his only fortune. He gave Capt
Garnet Wolseey "wigging' for presuming to
take the Notice .Mahal without orders, and men
toned him in his dispatches for the courage and
ability he had displayed, but he was not named
for the " c.