Now suddenly black tragedy burst upon the scene, and all
excitement died out amid a multitude of vivid trifles. As Lieutenant
Cassells rose to leave the knoll, he turned sharply and fell on the
ground. Two Sepoys immediately caught hold of him. One fell shot through
the leg. A soldier who had continued firing sprang into the air, and,
falling, began to bleed with strange and terrible rapidity from his
mouth and chest. Another turned on his back kicking and twisting. A
fourth lay quite still. Thus in the time it takes to write half the
little party were killed or wounded. The enemy had worked round both
flanks and had also the command. Their fire was accurate.
Two officers, the subadar major, by name Mangol Singh, and three or four
Sepoys ran forward from the second knoll, to help in carrying the
wounded off. Before they reached the spot, two more men were hit. The
subadar major seized Lieutenant Cassells, who was covered with blood and
unable to stand, but anxious to remain in the firing line.
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