strong enough, in his opinion, to justify the commencement of operations under his personal supervision. He therefore started from Calcutta for the front on the 27th of October, 1857, his stay at the Presidency town having lasted since the 14th of August, or upwards of two months. He reached Cawnpur on the 3rd of November. Reinforcements soon swelled the number of his force to 5000 men with 39 guns and howitzers, besides mortars and rocket tubes. Writing to the Duke of Cambridge, just before he left Calcutta, he had said: — 'I have made up my mind not to hazard an attack which would compromise my small force. A road must be opened by heavy guns, and the desperate street fighting so gallantly conducted by Sir James Outram and General Havelock — the only course open to them — must if possible be avoided in future. Short as the time is, there must be no undue haste on my part.'
On the 9th of November, 1857, the Commander-in-Chief moved forward into Oudh with a month's supply for all hands. On the next day he was joined by Mr. Kavanagh of the Uncovenanted Civil Service, who, disguised as a native, made his way out of the Residency to the British camp to act as guide[1]. Sir Colin Campbell's communications were now not a little threatened by the Gwalior Contingent and other rebel forces at or near Kálpi; but he left General Wyndham in command at Cawnpur, with
- ↑ The Victoria Cross was conferred on Mr. Kavanagh for his gallantry.
