command of Cawnpore, where, as at Allahabad, he
soon created order, and subjected to his stern and resolute rule all
disaffection. He took terrible vengeance upon the captured mutineers
and rebels. Havelock pressed onward to relieve the garrison at Lucknow.
Battle after battle was fought, Havelock, with a handful of men,
dispersing hosts. Never, in the history of English military glory, were
such achievements performed by so few. Even the mighty deeds of Clive
and Wellington in their Indian warfare were surpassed by Havelock in his
extraordinary marches upon Lucknow. At last, his troops were so reduced
by battle and sickness that he retired upon Cawnpore and awaited
reinforcements. These arrived, and with them a superior officer, General
Outram. That hero refused to deprive Havelock of his command, and acted
as volunteer in Havelock's army. The garrison at Lucknow was relieved;
provisions, medicine, money, and men were conveyed to the city and
the Alumbagh a strong place on the Cawnpore road, within four miles of
Lucknow. So numerous was the enemy, that the relieving army, like
that which it relieved, was hemmed in by a host of mutineers and rebel
zemindars, with their retainers. It became necessary that another army
should relieve Outram, Havelock, and Inglis. Sir Colin Campbell had been
sent from England to bring the insurrection to a speedy termination, the
supreme military authority having been committed to him.

The arrival of Sir Colin Campbell to take the command of the army was
not hailed with so much satisfaction in India, as the event was regarded
with confidence in England. Sir Colin, however, knew how things
were managed by governors-general in India, and by officials
at head-quarters. He therefore expected to find much confusion,
embarrassment, and neglect. The chief military authority in India was
supposed to be at Calcutta, but the records were at Simla, the sanitary
station to which the commander-in-chief was wont to repair, and where in
fact commanders-in-chief spent most of their time, having generally
been very old and feeble men. Sir Colin set to work with indefatigable
industry to gather up an intelligible and connected account of the
military condition and resources of India, especially of the Bengal
provinces. This was essential to any consecutive plan of operations,
and in this work, and in other important preparations, his time was
consumed, when every day's delay, every hour's hesitation, every