Page:Clyde and Strathnairn.djvu/144

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

132

CLYDE AND STRATHNAIRN

prostrated^[1]. Lord Canning was so alarmed at these dismal forebodings that he wished to send his Bodyguard to the assistance of the Central India Force; but before this and other contemplated reinforcements could be despatched, and before the expiry of the term specified by Dr. Arnott, Kálpi was taken.

So admirable was the conduct of the men under these trials that their Commander wrote of them in his official despatch: 'These noble soldiers, whose successes were never chequered by a reverse, with a discipline which was as enduring as their courage, never proffered one complaint. They fell in their ranks, struck down by the sun, and exhausted by

↑ Writing on May 19th, 1858, Dr. Arnott said: — 'In the action before Kúnch of the 7th instant, one regiment, about 420 strong, lost seven men by sunstroke, and on the march to Bánda lost five men and admitted 35 into hospital; and whenever it has been exposed it has suffered very severely. Though the rest of the troops have borne exposure better, their losses have been heavy and their admissions into the hospital very numerous, from the overwhelming effects of a temperature ranging from 109° to 117° in tents, and seldom falling under 100° at night. But to illustrate better the state of health of all ranks, I may mention that we have now 310 Europeans in hospital, having lost in the week 21 by sunstroke; and there is scarcely an officer of the Staff fit for duty. The Quartermaster-General, Clergyman, the Adjutant-General, the Commissariat Officer, the Baggage Master, the Brigade Major and Quartermaster-General and Brigadier of the 2nd Brigade, are all sick. Several of these and many other officers will have to go to Europe, and others will have to go elsewhere for change of climate. Thus paralysed as the force already is, and with the rest enfeebled and worn out by this long and arduous campaign, I cannot refrain from mentioning my apprehensions that should the operations before Kálpi be protracted and the exposure great, the force will be completely prostrated.'

[1] Writing on May 19th, 1858, Dr. Arnott said: — 'In the action before Kúnch of the 7th instant, one regiment, about 420 strong, lost seven men by sunstroke, and on the march to Bánda lost five men and admitted 35 into hospital; and whenever it has been exposed it has suffered very severely. Though the rest of the troops have borne exposure better, their losses have been heavy and their admissions into the hospital very numerous, from the overwhelming effects of a temperature ranging from 109° to 117° in tents, and seldom falling under 100° at night. But to illustrate better the state of health of all ranks, I may mention that we have now 310 Europeans in hospital, having lost in the week 21 by sunstroke; and there is scarcely an officer of the Staff fit for duty. The Quartermaster-General, Clergyman, the Adjutant-General, the Commissariat Officer, the Baggage Master, the Brigade Major and Quartermaster-General and Brigadier of the 2nd Brigade, are all sick. Several of these and many other officers will have to go to Europe, and others will have to go elsewhere for change of climate. Thus paralysed as the force already is, and with the rest enfeebled and worn out by this long and arduous campaign, I cannot refrain from mentioning my apprehensions that should the operations before Kálpi be protracted and the exposure great, the force will be completely prostrated.'

[1]