n
endeavours to drive in the picket, and so turn our right flank at Hindoo
Rao's house.

The view at first was almost completely closed in; but by the end of
July the unremitting labours of the Engineers had cleared away the
trees, walls, and buildings in front of the picket for some distance,
and the earth-works connecting it with the ridge at Hindoo Rao's house
were also completed.

I can remember no event of interest as occurring on July 12. Few shots
were fired at us, and on being relieved the next morning we returned to
camp, wondering at the unusual inactivity of the enemy.

_July 14_.--They were, however, only preparing for another sortie on a
grand scale, and on the morning of the 14th the bugles again sounded the
"alarm" and the "assembly." The insurgents poured out of the Kabul and
Lahore Gates in great numbers, making, as usual, for the Sabzi Mandi
Gardens and the right of the ridge. They kept up a constant fire of
musketry and field-artillery; and though our batteries swept their
masses with shell and round-shot, they still continued the attack,
pressing close to the pickets and Hindoo Rao's house.

[Illustration: THE SMALL PICKET, SABZI MANDI, FROM THE SOUTH-EAST.]

Shortly after midday a column of some 1,500 men was assembled to
dislodge and drive them back to the city. We took the road as on the
9th, and soon became engaged with the enemy in the Sabzi Mandi Gardens.
The struggle was long and fierce, a perpetual interchange of musketry
and artillery, our losses, especially in officers, being very severe.
The city batteries also sent grape and canister amongst us from their
large guns and howitzers, inflicting mortal wounds, even at the great
distance of 1,100 yards.

When driving the rebels before us past the suburb of Kishenganj,
Lieutenant Gabbett and I, in the confusion of the rush, became separated
from the few men of our regiment who were engaged on that day, and found
ourselves--we being the only officers present--with about fifty soldiers
of different corps. For more than half an hour we were completely
isolated from the main body, and were occupied in several little fights
on our own account. Advancing, we scarcely knew where, and in our
excitement fully engaged in chasing the foe, we all at once came most
unexpectedly on to a broad road, with open ground on each side. There,
to our front, and scarcely 500 yards distant, we saw a gate with
embattled towers, the high walls of the city, and a