The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1906-04-19
TALE OF THE
INDIAN MUTINY
BY JuNGUL wALLAH

IN December. 1857. along with 20
L members OF my corps, was deputed
by Sir James Outram to go from the
Alum Bagh TO Bunee Bridge. distance i
of Is miles, for the purpose OF ascer-
tanning how the garrison at that place
was getting on. Bunee was the only
position held by us on the main road
between Cawnpore and the Alum
Bagh. which were As miles apart.
We got along very well until within
two miles of Bunee when a horde of
mutnous cavalry suddenly appeared
out of tope (clump) Of mango trees
about a quarter of mile Off The OFF,
Ger commanding the party decided at
once that our only chance OF escape
was to make the most of the distance
between us and the enemys cavalry.
and scuttlo. SO OF we went at a hard
gallop, making for Bunee followed up
by the enemy in full pursuit But. to
cut this part of the story short, we out
paced them. got In safe and sound and
were entertained to our hearts content
by the garrison.
While we we're enjoying our excellent
supper the officer commanding at
Bunee sent an aide-de-csmp to say that
he had most urgent information for Sir
John Inglls, commanding at Cawnpore.
which he was anxious should be car
ried TO him at once. The commanding
officer said he was we'll aware II would
never do to weaken Sir James Outram 8
force by detaching a number of inei.,
and they would not get through the
numerous vedettes the rebels had on
the road, but ne thought two OF our
men would probably succeed IN sneak
ing past any distractions they might
encounter OF course ne was fully
aware that the undertaking was dan
gerous one; still. the risk must be
taken. So Il was settled that two OF
US were to go 10 Cawnpore. The task
the officer commanding our party had
to tackle was TO select those two. as
every man was anxious for the duty;
but, being a long-headed fellow. he got
over the difficulty by deciding that we
should draw lots This was done, and
Sergt. Butler and we're what we con-
sidered the prize-drawers. Poor But
lerl he had been recommended for the
Victoria Cross: he never lived to OBJ
tain II, having died at the Alum Bagh
in 1858 from the effects of a blow he re-
ceived In the chest from a reboundlng
round shot.
At ten D. m. we left Bunee. both OF
us having a duplicate OF the dispatches,
which were in cipher. rolled into small
tin tubes. We got along all right for
NJ
the town of Busseerutgunge we saw by
the glow of numerous fires that large
parties of rebels were encamped on both
tanks, and that the town was occupied
by some of them, so we halted to con-
slider what was to be done The conclu-
sion we arrived at was that there would
:. - ,sxl- trying to get round either
hanh. as we~dld not know the country
and the town was surrounded by
swampy ground So we decided that
we must make a choice OF two courses
either return to Bunee. detected and dis
appointed. and probably to be chaffed
off our heads by the garrison, or make
a dash for II and gallop through Bus
seerutgunge which we knew was only
half mile long. The latter course be-
ing adopted, we dIsmounted, hauled ouI
canvas horse clothing from under oul
saddles. cut II up and tied our horses
hoofs in four folds Of canvas, so tina
the patter. patter OF their feet on thu
hard road might be muffled. HavnI
done this. OFF We went, creeping up L
within 400 yards OF the town withou
being observed, and then we rode at
gallon. No sooner had we entered thar
we heard the challenge; who come
there?" but, taking no notice Of this
we pressed our spurs into the horses
tanks. flying for life, Within two min
utes after we passed the sentry VIII
challenged u.s. hundreds Of rebels turne
out and began to fire from all sides
but the darkness OF the night favore
us. and we got through scot-free Afte
proceeding about half a mile we dre'
rein and dismounted TO remove the bag
from our horses hoofs and TO give tn
nags a breather. This halt was necei
sary. for we had l6 miles farther to 3
before we could reach Cawnpore. an
the odds were we would have TO NAL,
another dash for II through Onoa.
village about eight miles off II WI
lucky TOT US IN hloIe WAYS 'hhh ot
that we did decide on this halt,
within quarter of an hour we heal
the enemy's cavalry coming down Il
road. evidently following rs up.
the road We went. and hid behind sou
high bushes, relying for safety on 4
darkness OF the night and on the hors
not neighing- The sensible creatur
remained perfectly m1se. and we hi
the satisfaction OF hearing the enemy