The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

Here they remained, furnishing a detachment of three companies to the Imaumbarah, till early in July, when the men were placed in barracks: a comfort few if any of them had enjoyed since they left Dublin two years before. The officers, however, continued in tents. The men now suffered much from their long exposure to the climate, and it is said that in August there were 200 men in hospital. But not till their work was over had they succumbed to fatigue, exposure, or climate. For twenty months they had been in the field; often bivouacked in the open; never once in quarters. They had marched 1,745 miles in 161 marches (not including often shifting their camp to distances less than four miles), and every company-officer—save one who was lame—had accompanied his men on foot in these marches. They were, I believe, the only battalion which, from their landing in November 1857 to their cantonment at Lucknow in July 1859, had not at some time been in quarters; but had kept the field from the date of their arrival till the last day of the Mutiny.

Their casualties in that time may now be summed up.

Of officers, 2 had been killed in action; 4 had been severely wounded; 2 had died of their wounds; and 2 had died of disease. A total of 10 officers.

Of the Riflemen in the ranks there were

There had landed in India, either with the Battalion or by drafts joining it, up to this period: 44 officers, 61 sergeants, 25 buglers, and 1,147 men. So that in this campaign nearly one-fourth of the officers, and a little more than one-fifth of other ranks, were killed, wounded, or invalided.

On October 22 Lord Canning, the Governor-General, made his entry into Lucknow; on which occasion the Battalion escorted him through the town, parading for that purpose at three A.M., and returning to their quarters at nine.

On the 29th they were inspected by the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Clyde, on which occasion there was a review and march-past. And on that evening the Governor-General, accompanied by their old Commander in the field, Sir Hope Grant, visited and went round their barracks.

We left the 3rd Battalion at Gonda in December 1858. On January 9, 1859, Head-quarters, with four companies, marched to Murajgunge, a distance of twenty-five miles; and on the 10th proceeded to the bank of the Raptee and encamped there. On the next day the Riflemen crossed the river on rafts, the baggage elephants and camels being made to wade across, and arrived at Tulsipore in the afternoon. The object of this march was to take over and escort the guns which had been taken at the Raptee and previously. Accordingly, on their arrival at Tulsipore they received from a company of Sikhs three guns and some treasure.

After a day’s halt they started from Tulsipore on the 13th, and recrossing the Raptee arrived at Bulrampore after a fatiguing march of eighteen miles. On the 14th they proceeded to Cughar, seventeen miles; and on the next day rejoined the remainder of the Battalion at Gonda.

After one day’s halt the Battalion started on the 17th for Agra, and passing through Secrora, recrossed the Gogra at Byram Ghât on the 20th. They proceeded to Nawabgunge on the 21st; and on the 23rd arrived at Lucknow. They marched from there on the 25th, and reached Bunteerah on the 27th, and Cawnpore on the 28th. Thence they proceeded by daily marches by Chobeepore, Poorah, Urroul, Mukrundnuggur, Chubramow, Bewar, Shekoabad, and Ferozabad to Agra, which they reached on February 12, and were there stationed.