“Lay down your arms!” Captain Hodgson
shouted in a stentorian voice.
Eight or ten shots were fired from the crowd, and
the bullets whistled over the heads of the horsemen,
but fortunately none were hit.
“Lay down your arms!” he shouted again.
“Men, unsling your carbines. Level.”
As the carbines were leveled, the bravery of the mob
evaporated at once. Those nearest threw down
their arms, and as with leveled guns the horsemen
rode through the crowd, arms were everywhere thrown
down, and resistance was at an end. Over a thousand
guns, five hundred swords, and quantities of daggers
and knives were collected; and a number of elephants,
camels, and horses were captured.
Ordering the native lieutenant to remain with the
troop in charge of these things until some carts could
be sent out for the arms, Captain Hodgson, accompanied
by the boys, rode off after the carriage, which had
started two hours before.
They rode rapidly until they neared Delhi, when they
saw the carriage, surrounded by a great mob.
Captain Hodgson set spurs to his horse and galloped
forward at full speed, followed by the boys. They
burst through the crowd, who were a large body of
ruffians who had just left the city, where the fighting
was even now not over, and who were all armed.
A defiant cry broke from them as the three horsemen
rode up to the carriage, from which with the greatest
difficulty the guard had so far kept the crowd.
There was not a moment for hesitation. Captain
Hodgson raised a hand, and a momentary silence reigned.
“These men in the carriage,” said he in
loud tones, “have not only rebelled against
the government, but have ordered and witnessed the
massacre and shameful treatment of women and children.
Thus, therefore, the government punishes such traitors
and murderers!”
Then drawing his revolver, before the crowd could
move or lift a hand he shot the three prisoners through
the head. The crowd, awed and astonished, fell
back, and the carriage with the dead bodies passed
into the city.
A RIOT AT CAWNPORE.
While the guns of Delhi were saluting the raising
of the British flag over the royal palace, General
Havelock and his force were fighting their way up
to Lucknow. On the 19th of September he crossed
the Ganges, brushed aside the enemy’s opposition,
and, after three days’ march in a tremendous
rain, found them in force at the Alumbagh. After
a short, sharp fight they were defeated, and the Alumbagh
fell into our hands. All the stores and baggage
were left here, with a force strong enough to hold
it against all attacks; and after a day to rest his
troops, General Havelock advanced on the 22d, defeated
the enemy outside Lucknow, and then, as the direct
route was known to be impassable, he followed the
canal as far as the Kaiserbagh, and there turning
off, fought his way through the streets to the Residency,
where he arrived only just in time, for the enemy had
driven two mines right under the defenses, and these
would, had the reinforcements arrived but one day
later, have been exploded, and the fate of the garrison
of Cawnpore might have befallen the defenders of Lucknow.
