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The brigade of infantry that, had been left behind when the cavalry started on their last march, had been ordered to move rapidly down to Agra; and to escort thence the heavy guns that would be required for the siege of Deeg and, on the 1st of December, General Lake joined the force near that fortress.
I was with my regiment in all Wellesley's brilliant campaigns; then taking dawk, I travelled across the country north-eastward, and had the honor of fighting by the side of Lord Lake at Laswaree, Deeg, Furruckabad, Futtyghur, and Bhurtpore: but I will not boast of my actions the military man knows them, MY SOVEREIGN appreciates them.
Bhurtpoor, like Deeg, stood on a plain, surrounded by swamps and morasses; the situation having been chosen from the difficulties these offered to the advance of an enemy. After proceeding for five miles farther, Abdool, who was riding with Harry, said: "I do not know, sahib, but it seems to me, by the sound of the horses' hoofs, that we have left the track."
It had bastions and flanking towers and, as had been learned from prisoners taken at Deeg, it had a moat much wider and deeper than that which ran round the town walls. It was built within these, one side of the square looking across the country, while the other three were inside.
Later he acted as provisional governor-general, and obtained the Grand Cross of the Bath. In 1838 he resigned his position and became governor of Jamaica. Perhaps the most significant incident in his career was his fighting as a volunteer in the storming of Deeg, on Christmas Day 1804.
Although the houses were for the most part scattered, the town had a picturesque appearance, from the number of trees growing within it. Towards the northeast the fort of Deeg could be clearly seen and, to the southwest, the mosques and fort of Agra were faintly visible in the clear air.
Our loss was naturally heavy, amounting to over six hundred and forty killed and wounded; while that of the enemy was estimated at two thousand killed, or smothered in the morass. The force encamped beyond the reach of the guns of Deeg, awaiting orders from General Lake.
The rajah was silent for a minute or two, then he asked: "Does your general think that he is going to capture my town?" "I do not know, but he is going to try." "He will not succeed," the rajah said, positively. "We gave up Deeg, because we did not want a large force shut up there. Our walls are strong but, were they levelled to the ground, we would still defend the place to the last."
At last Montholon came to mine. The Emperor looked me at once in the face, took his hands out of his pockets, put them behind his back, and coming up to me smiling, pronounced the following words: "Assaye, Delhi, Deeg, Futtyghur?" I blushed, and, taking off my hat with a bow, said, "Sire, c'est moi." "Parbleu! je le savais bien," said the Emperor, holding out his snuff-box. "En usez-vous, Major?"
He asked to be recalled; but the authorities at home, knowing of his malady, had anticipated his desire. The courage that sent the boy 'writer' into the deadly assault on Deeg sustained the old proconsul through the slow torture of the months of life remaining to him.
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