and slipped down into the ditch to allow the firing party to do their
work. Many had already fallen. Sergeant Carmichael was shot dead as he
laid down his powder bag; Havildar Mahor was wounded. As Lieutenant
Salkeld tried to fire the fuse he fell, shot through the arm and leg;
while Havildar Tilluh Sing, who stood by, was killed, and Ramloll Sepoy
was wounded. As he fell Lieutenant Salkeld handed the slow match to
Corporal Burgess, who lit the fuse, but fell mortally wounded as he did
so. Then those who survived jumped, or were helped, into the ditch, and in
another moment a great explosion took place, and the Cashmere gate blew
into splinters, killing some forty mutineers who were behind it. Then
Lieutenant Home, seeing that the way was clear, ordered Bugler Hawthorne
to sound the advance, and the assaulting column came rushing forward with
a cheer, and burst through the gateway into the city.

Of the six Englishmen who took part in that glorious deed only two lived
to wear the Victoria cross, the reward of valor. Two had died on the spot,
and upon the other four General Wilson at once bestowed the cross; but
Lieutenant Salkeld died of his wounds, and Lieutenant Home was killed
within a week of the capture of the city. Thus only Sergeant Smith and
Bugler Hawthorne lived to wear the honor so nobly won.

General Nicholson, who was in general command of the whole force,
concentrated the two columns which had entered in a wide open space inside
the Cashmere gate, and then swept the enemy off the ramparts as far as the
Moree bastion, the whole of the north wall being now in the possession of
our troops. Then he proceeded to push on toward the Lahore gate, where he
expected to meet Major Reed with, the fourth column. This column had,
however, failed even to reach the Lahore gate, the enemy's position in the
suburb beyond the wall proving so strong, and being held by so numerous a
force, that, after suffering very heavily, the commander had to call back