, at the same time
stating that there were 10,000 men on the other side of the river, who
would fight if the British advanced. Sir Garnet Wolseley returned word,
"that unless the queen and prince royal should be put into his hands,
the march would be continued."

The advance guard reached the river Ordah at 2:10 p.m. It was found to
be fifty feet wide and waist deep. Russell's regiment at once passed
over, forming a covering party to the Engineers, who immediately set to
work to throw a bridge across for the passage of the European troops,
while clearings were made on the south bank, and rush huts thrown up in
which the British soldiers bivouacked. At first some apprehensions were
entertained that a night-attack would be made, but a heavy thunderstorm
coming on, during which the flintlocks of the enemy would have been
useless, rendered that improbable.

By daybreak on the 4th, the bridge over the Ordah was completed, Major
Home, of the Engineers, having worked at it all night throughout the
whole of the tornado and drenching rain.

As no hostages had arrived, it was expected that another battle would
have to be fought.

At an early hour the advance guard pushed on, the Naval Brigade being
left at the bridge to guard the passage until the baggage had crossed.
Directly the troops advanced, the enemy opened fire. The native troops
on this occasion firing wildly, Colonel McLeod ordered a company of the
Rifle Brigade and the 7-pounder gun under Lieutenant Saunders to the
front.

The enemy pressing the advance, a vigorous flank fire being also opened
on the troops under Sir Archibald Alison, reinforcements were ordered
up. Colonel McLeod continued steadily to advance, Lieutenant Saunders'
gun clearing the road, when the Rifles again pushed forward, until the
village of Ordahsu was carried and a lodgment effected there.

In this skirmish Lieutenant Eyre was mortally wounded, and several of
the men were severely hurt, although the enemy did not fight with the
same obstinacy as at Amoaful. As the village was approached, a
tremendously heavy fire was opened on both flanks of the British force.
The Rifle Brigade and the Fusiliers, with two of Rait's guns, having now
got up to the village, under Sir Archibald Alison's command, the force
was ordered to move on.

At that moment the enemy commenced a vigorous attack on the village, so
that the Rifle Brigade and Fusiliers had to be thrown into the bush to
check them. A