The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-01-20
woLsELEY EXCEEDED ORDERS,
captured a ebelPosition and Greatly
] - DisDleQsed His Commander. ~

captured a ebelPosition and Greatly
! = Duplicated His Commander. ~
Let us glance at one occasion on
which a comparatively junior officer
had the courage, the initiative, and, as
generally accepted, the clear-sighted.
aess to act contrary to instructions, to
perform a brilliant feat of arms, and in
loing so to incur the wrath of one OF
England's most able and valiant gener.
lis. It was during the long and anxious
operations which constituted the Sec
md relief of Lucknow. The old mess
house of the Thirty-second, strongly
held by the rebels, stood in the way OF
Sir Colin Campbell's advance, and be-
yond it was the Mott Mahal. These two
strong positions carried, q junction
with the beleaguered garrison could be
>ffected. Sir Colin, having made ar
engagements to secure his communica-
tons, directed the gallant Peel to open
ire with his heavy guns on the mess
house.
The fire continued from the early
morning till three o'clock in the aft
ernoon. At that hour, the musketry
fire of the enemy having been almost
silenced, it appeared to Sir Colin that
the 1nesshouse mi ght be stormed with
out much risk.
He ordered for this duty company
of the Ninetieth, under Capt. Wolseley,
with some other details. The actual
leader of the storming party was Capt.
Wolseley. "Never was a daring feat of
arms better performed" Through the
hot fire Wolseley led his men, clam
bered through the breach made by
Peels guns and entered the house, ,driv-:
ing the enemy before him. His orders
had been only to take the messhouse,
but 1.-THE victorious stormers followed
the fleeing enemy, and Wolseley, far
from checking them, determined to
push his advantage to the utmost" He
pressed on to- the Mott Mahal, and, with
the assistance of the sappers, succeeded
in making narrow openings in the solid
wall. -
Through these Wolseley and his
men eagerly marched and attacked the
network of buildings within. The re-
sistance they encountered was, how
ever, stout, and even desperate, every
room being contested. At length the
enemy were expelled and the Mott Ma
hal, the last building held by the rebels
on the line communicating with Out
ram and Havelock, came completely in
to British possession"
The best. known biographer Of the
present commander in chief, and, in
deed, the vast majority of persons who
know the story, think that it was an
astonishing thing that Sir Colin was
furious with him for having exceeded
the letter of his instructions, in that,
when he was only ordered to take the
messhouse, he actually, of his own mo-
ton, had driven the enemy out of the
Mott Mahal! The brigadier (Adrian
Hope) advised him to keep out of the
way, as the chief was asking for him,
and he never saw a man more ezra ged
in his life"
We know that the grand old soldier
subsequently,, after having admins
tered severe wigging, condoned the
ofense, congratulated the offender ON
his courage and ability and promised
to recommend him for promotion. But
is the example given by Capt. Wolseley
one to be received as approaching a
rule Of conduct for the army? Has the
present commander in chief: perfect
confidence in it's propriety? We Black
woods Magazine. -t-@1 ~