Evening star., 1914-11-08
BRITISH NINTH LANCERS,
., FAMOUS FIGHTING REGIMENT
zl.WE

the country seethed with sedition and
clashes were frequent between the peo-
pie and the government. The trouble
was fostered by the French toward the
close of the eighteenth century, and
ended in rebellion, in which the 9th
served in the so-called battle of Vine
gar Hill.
s*
The regiment returned to England In
1903. Three years later the Spanish
English war was on and the regiment
was sent with others on one of the
weirdest expeditions in English his
tory. 1t was determined to attack the
Spanish possessions in South America
and siege was to be laid to the city
Of Buenos Aires. Argentina. After
numerous delays, marked by inefficient
administration by the war office. the
city was reached and the assault COM
lnenced. There were no horses for the
cavalry regiments, SO the 9th, the Cara
biniers, the 40th and 45th Foot at
tackled afoot. The English lost about
$500 killed and wounded and the Off
GER in command made a treaty with
the defenders which ended the ex-
pedition-one in which no glory at
tached itself to the British arms. Upon
return to England the commander was
court-raartialed and cashiered from the
service.
The 9th was made a lancer regiment
in 1916, but it was not until the year
1912 that it really had a chance in war
fare. Dispatched to India, the regi-
ment commenced to make name for
itself. 1t was in the charge at Punniar
that attention was first attracted, and
in 1885 it served with distinction in
the Sikh war. During an engagement
of this war a squadron of the 9Th,
under Mai. Sir Hope Grant, afterward
general, made the enemy reveal the
position Of his guns.
At Chillianwallah the cavalry bun
gled matters. The cavalry brigade. as
1t advanced. masked the fire Of q bat
back upon the guns The magificenr
Sikh cavalry swept down upon the
broken mass and had not a detach-
ment of the 9th rallied in rear of the
artillery the commanding general and
his staff would have been taken.
At Goojerat the incident was avenged.
for Sir Hope Grant, with the 9Th, the
Sd Dragons, the 8th Light Cavalry and
Scindle's Horse, brushed the 9Th Cav
airy completely away in rout, captured
guns and standards. thereby ending the
war.
The great Sepoy mutiny came next.
There is not space to record the do
ings of the 9Th during this conflict At
first a part of the Delhi Field Force,
the army in four columns attacked the
enemy at Bundlee-ki-Serai, near Delhi.
The Sth's charge scattered the enemy
and drove them into Delhi, while the
doughty Grukhas aided the attack.
The next day the rebels attacked the
camp. Grant, with the squadrons OF
the 9Th and few guns, opposed the at
tack through the day and were serious
ly threatened until charge of the
Guides rescued them. With the COM
ing of darkness the rebels got into the
camp.
Sir Hope charged once more and in
the ruck his horse was shot by a Sc
poy and he was dismounted with but
three men with him. among them his
body servant, Rupa Khan. The men
urged Sir Hope to take their horses
and escape, as his life was more VAL
BILE than theirs, but he steadfastly re-
fused. They finally got out of the mess
with Sir Hope clinging to the tail Of
Rupa khan's horse and running for
lear life. -...-..-..s.a a.A..rxAiA1