his men, his retreat being covered by the cavalry.

Thus, as General Nicholson advanced through the narrow lane between the
wall and the houses, the column was swept by a storm of fire from window,
loophole, and housetop--a fire to which no effective reply was possible.
Then, just as he was in the act of cheering on his men, the gallant
soldier fell back in the arms of those behind him, mortally wounded. He
was carried off by his sorrowing soldiers, and lingered until the 26th of
the month, when, to the deep grief of the whole army, he expired.

It being evident that any attempt to force a path further in this
direction would lead to useless slaughter, and that the place must be won
step by step, by the aid of artillery, the troops were called back to the
bastion.

A similar experience had befallen the third column, which had, guided by
Sir T. Metcalfe, who knew the city intimately, endeavored to make a
circuit so as to reach and carry the Jumma Musjid, the great mosque which
dominated the city. So desperate was the resistance experienced that this
column had also to fall back to the ramparts. The reserve column had
followed the third in at the Cashmere gate, and had, after some fighting,
possessed itself of some strong buildings in that neighborhood, most
important of which was a large and commanding house, the residence of
Achmed Ali Khan; and when the third column fell back Skinner's house, the
church, the magazine, and the main-guard were held, and guns were planted
to command the streets leading thereto. One cause of the slight advance
made that day was, that the enemy, knowing the weakness of the British
soldier, had stored immense quantities of champagne and other wines, beer,
and spirits in the streets next to the ramparts, and the troops--British,
Sikhs, Beloochees, and Ghoorkas alike--parched with thirst, and excited by