Rohtak

The very day the long-awaited siege train from the Punjab arrived on the Ridge, intelligence was received that a body of mutineers, mostly cavalry, had been sent out to cut off communication with the Punjab. The task of “watching” them was given to William Hodson. For this mission, Hodson took with him six European officers, a hundred Guides Cavalry, 25 Jhind horsemen and his own corps of 233 men who, in his estimation, were

“…merely an aggregation of untutored horsemen, ill-equipped, half-clothed, badly provided with everything, quite unfit for service in the usual sense of the term, and only forced into the field because I have will that it shall be so…”

Their warlike appearance, however, impressed those who saw them leave the Ridge – dressed in their khaki tunics with a scarlet sash and scarlet turbans, “the wild brave men from the border, ready to die for the one who knew how to command and lead them.” Hodson was taking a great personal risk leading his untried corps into battle, but if he was to prove their mettle, it was now. They left Delhi on the night of the 14th of August. The objective was to secure communications with the Punjab and teach the rebels a lesson. The first stop was the village of Khurkundah, where Hodson had been informed a troop of the Irregulars had taken refuge. Surprised by Hodson, the mutineers put up a spirited fight, but ultimately, Hodson prevailed, and the Irregulars were destroyed to a man. He then set his force to “reconnoitre and harass” a large body of cavalry and infantry, with two guns, who had been moving away from Delhi, willfully plundering villages in their path, though the ultimate goal was to attack Hansi. For their part, the mutineers were aware Hodson was not far behind, and they, believing “discretion the better part of valour”, quickly disappeared before Hodson could catch up.

The incident at Khurkundah was mired in some controversy, but only later – this can be read in full in T.R.E. Holmes, Appendix N, III p. 603 in the 4th edition. As it is currently not in the scope of this post to address it, this too shall be looked at in more detail in a different post.

Hodson’s objective, however, was Rohtak, and he wrote the following letter to Colonel Becher, Quartermaster General:
My dear Colonel,—We are getting on very well. I hope to take Rohtuck today, and I trust the arrangements
will be made for keeping it. The country will then be quiet from Hansie to Delhi. The Jheend Rajah should be told to take care of the district. I believe Greathed did make this arrangement, but Barnes put some spoke in the way so that the Rajah is uncertain about how to act. Please tell Greathed from me that there is nothing now to prevent the restoration of order here. I wish I had a stronger party, for though I feel quite comfortable myself, yet I should like more troops, for the sake of the men, who are not quite so easy in their minds.
The road by Alipore, Boanah, and Khurkundah is the best. The canal is easily fordable at Boanah, and just below that place (at the escape), it is quite dry, the banks having given way. We polished off the Khurkundah gentry in style, though they showed fight to a great extent. It has had a wonderfully calming effect on the neighbourhood. I hope the Jheend troops, or some troops, may be sent here. The Jheend men would more than suffice.—Yours very sincerely,
W. S. R. Hodson.

Hodson had a plan, and now he intended to carry it out.

Reaching Rohtak on the 17th, Hodson found a large part of the population had turned out with a crowd of Irregulars, “drawn up on the walls,” while the rest waited on a mound outside. He rode forward with Captain Ward and a few orderlies to take a lay of the land, when the mutineers fired and dashed towards Hodson.
Hodson sent word for his cavalry to come up while he rode back slowly, intending to draw as many of the insurgents out into the open field as possible. As soon as the leading troop came up, Hodson swung around and ordered the charge. “We dashed at them and drove them helter-skelter into the town, killing all we overtook.”
He then encamped his men in what was left of the kutchery compound for what would turn out to be a quiet night. The rest of the population, better disposed than others, slowly approached Hodson, offering his men food and supplies and food for their horses. The morning, however, proved less restful.
During the night, word had been sent to 300 irregular horsemen of the mutineers – the 1st, 13th and 14th – headed, as they had been the night before, by Babar Khan, the chief of the Ranghar tribe. Accompanying them were no less than 1000 infantrymen. Their intention had been to attack Hodson before he had time to prepare his men; they were outwitted by his spies. Hodson had received notice earlier of the intended attack – as such, he had ordered his men to keep their horses saddled, and as the rebel cavalry came at a gallop down the road, Hodson and his men were ready. His strategy was simple.

“To drive them scattering back to the town was the work of only as many more, and I then, seeing their numbers, and the number of matchlocks brought against us from gardens and embrasures, determined to draw them out into the open country; and the ‘ ruse’ was eminently successful. I had quietly sent off our little
baggage unperceived half an hour before so that I was, as I intended, perfectly free and unfettered by
impedimenta of any sort. I then quietly and gradually drew off troop after troop into the open plain about
a mile to the rear, covering the movement with skirmishers.
“My men, new as well as old, behaved coolly and admirably throughout, though the fire was very annoying, and a retreat is always discouraging, even when you have an object in view. My officers, fortunately, first-rate ones, behaved like veterans, and everything went on to my complete satisfaction.
“Exactly what I had anticipated happened. The enemy thought we were bolting and came on in crowds, firing and yelling, and the Sowars brandishing their swords as if we were already in their hands, when suddenly I gave the order, ‘Threes about, and at them.’ The men obeyed with a cheer; the effect was electrical; never was such a scatter. I launched five parties at them, each under an officer, and in they went, cutting and firing into the very thick of them.

“The ground was very wet, and a ditch favoured them, but we cut down upwards of fifty in as many seconds. The remainder flew back to the town, as if not the Guides and Hodson’s Horse but death and the devil were at their heels. Their very numbers encumbered them, and the rout was most complete. Unfortunately, I had no ammunition left and therefore could not, without imprudence, remain so close to a town filled with matchlock men, so we marched quietly round to the north of the town and encamped near the first friendly village we came to, which we reached in the early afternoon. Our success was so far complete, and I am most thankful to say, with very trifling loss, only two men were rather severely wounded,
eight in all touched, and a few horses hit. Macdowell did admirably, as indeed did all. My new men, utterly untrained as they are, many unable to ride or even load their carbines properly, yet behaved beyond my most sanguine expectations for a first field, and this success, without loss, will encourage them greatly.”

Hodson was soon joined by reinforcements sent by his friend, the Jhind Raja, who supplied him with an additional 400 men and ammunition. In three days, he had frightened away a force no less than 2000 strong and had set an example that sent shock waves through the immediate countryside, a taste of what was to come if they stirred up trouble in the future.