Jhansi, whose territory had been one of the
British annexations. She had flung all her energies into the rebellion. She
took the field with Nana Sahib and Tantia Topi. For months after the fall
of Delhi she contrived to baffle Sir Hugh Rose and the English. She led
squadrons in the field. She fought with her own hand. She was foremost in
the battle for the possession of Gwalior. In the garb of a horseman she led
charge after charge, and she was killed among those who resisted to the
last. Her body was found upon the field, scarred with wounds enough to have
done credit to any hero. Sir Hugh Rose paid her a well-deserved tribute
when he wrote: "The best man upon the side of the enemy was the woman found
dead, the Ranee of Jhansi."

[Sidenote: Relief of Lucknow]

Lucknow was still beleaguered. Late in September, Havelock had prepared for
a second attempt to relieve that place. Sir Colin Campbell had reached
Calcutta as Commander-in-Chief. Sir James Outram had come to Allahabad on
September 16. He joined Havelock with 1,400 men. With generous chivalry the
"Bayard of India" waived his rank in honor of Havelock. "To you shall be
left the glory of relieving Lucknow," he wrote. "I shall accompany you,
placing my military service at your disposal, as a volunteer." On September
20, Havelock crossed the Granges into Oude with 2,500 men. Having twice
defeated the enemy, on September 25 he cut his way through the streets of
Lucknow. Late in the day he entered the British cantonments. The defence of
the Residency at Lucknow was a glorious episode in British annals. It has
been sung in immortal strains by Alfred Tennyson. The fortitude of the
garrison was surpassed only by the self-sacrificing conduct of the women
who nursed the wounded and cared for all. They received the thanks of Queen
Victoria for their heroic devotion. For four months the garrison had
watched for the succor which came at last. The surrounding city remained
for two months longer in rebel hands. In November, Sir Colin Campbell with
2,000 men took charge of the intrenchments at Cawnpore, and then advanced
against Lucknow with 5,000 men and thirty guns. He defeated the enemy and
carried away the beleaguered garrison with all the women and children.

[Sidenote: Cawnpore rises again]

[Sidenote: Death of Havelock]

Still the British were unable to disperse the rebels and reoccupy the city.
Sir Colin Campbell left Outram with 4,000 men near Lucknow. He himself
retu