But it is time to consider the part he took in the Indian Mutiny Campaign. After the Crimean War, being desirous of serving in India, Major-General Sir Hugh Rose was given by the Duke of Cambridge a division in the Bombay Presidency. Reaching Bombay on September 19th, 1857, he was shortly afterwards placed in command of a field force, with orders to march through Central India to Kálpi and 'to give a hand,' as it were, to Sir Colin Campbell's army, then operating on the lines of the Jumna and Ganges. At this time the whole of the difficult country to the north of the Narbadá was in the hands of the rebels. The Gwalior Contingent held Kálpi; the redoubtable Rání of Jhánsí was in undisputed possession of the large tract of country surrounding her fortress; while Tántia Topi and the revolted Gwalior Contingent were close at hand to assist her in opposing the advance of Sir Hugh Rose's little force. In all that part of India the mass of the population had been able for nearly twelve months to
encouragement and support in his operations in the field, said: 'Certainly if any officer ever performed acts of the greatest valour, daring, and determination, those acts were performed by Sir Hugh Rose. I personally had an opportunity in the Crimea of seeing what manner of man my gallant friend was, and of what stuff he was made; and I was satisfied at the time that if ever the right occasion presented itself, he would be found to distinguish himself in the extraordinary manner which he has lately done. Permit me to say that he was at the head of a very small European force, and that a very large proportion of the troops under his command were natives, regular Sepoys; and I have reason to believe that these troops on all occasions conducted themselves with a valour and bearing equal to that displayed by the Europeans.'
