Chapter 3: Back To Tranjapour

Read chapters sequentially. #1 first, #2 second and #3 third, if you please.



#29 Back To Tranjapour
9 September 1898/2008. The next morning. Here they come again. This time everyone has a rifle or jezail. If they get close, the 10th will suffer badly.
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#30 Back To Tranjapour
9 September 1898/2008. The defenders of the retrenchment appear numerically smaller than yesterday. Lt. Col. Preece (mounted) observes Captain Sachs of 2nd Squadron give fire.
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#31 Back To Tranjapour
9 September 1898/2008. It's a ruse de l'guerre. 2nd Squadron's orders were to pretend to seriously defend the wall. The real intent was to get the enemy to commit and then engulf the wall in flame. You see the fire moments after ignition. The Tugs dare not try to breach the conflagration! Lt. Col. Preece hopes his tactic will slow the enemy in whatever is his mission. He and Captain Sachs take one last look. The rest are mounting up to the left of the pines.
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#32 Back To Tranjapour
9 September 1898/2008. Moments later 2nd Squadron mounted up, rode to the redoubt, fired it and cantered away into the distance. The enemy is no doubt discombobulated -for a day. What will they do? Meanwhile Major Trevelyan and 1st Squadron (unseen) left much earlier this morning with the wounded for Tranjapour.
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#33 Back To Tranjapour
11 September 1898/2008. The fire of the 9th burned itself out within a few hours. The Tug leader used the rest of the 9th and the 10th to reorganize and decide what to do. His decision? PURSUIT! Here you see horsemen screening a horde of infantry. They follow the path of the 10th Hussars.
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#34 Back To Tranjapour
12 September 1898/2008. Pursuit continues.
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#35 Back To Tranjapour
13 September 1898/2008. The Tug Army forms circles, builds fires and encamps for the day to rest men and horses. Pursuit resumes on the morrow. Tenacious, aren't they?
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#36 Back To Tranjapour
13 September 1898/2008. Meanwhile at the Spring of Gupta Dagmar, 2nd Squadron, 10th Hussars observes the enemy camp. A great distance separates them but it is unmistakable that the foe is following. If the reader will recall from Chapter 1, supplies should run out today. However, Captain Sachs has drawn fresh water from the spring and has supplemented his dwindling foodstuffs with a decent catch of mountain fish to fill the men’s bellies for several days more.
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#37 Back To Tranjapour
12 Sept. 1898/2008. Last evening Sgt. Bourne riding ahead of 1st Squadron handed this message to Cpt. Khambatta, commanding at Tranjapour from Major Trevelyan. "Wire Gen. Pettygree, Fort Grant. 10th Hussars camped Japura Singh the 4th. Vedette met enemy the 6th. Works built the 7th. Enemy attack repulsed the 8th. Identity: Tugs. Rear guard by 2nd Sq. the 9th. 1st Sq. arrives Tranjapour the 13th with wounded. Lt. Col. and 2nd Sq. at Gupta Dagmar to observe if foe pursues. No word from 2nd Sq. since the 9th. Maj. Trevelyan with 1st Sq."
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#38 Back To Tranjapour
13 September 1898/2008. Major Trevelyan and 1st. Squadron, 10th Hussars, return to Tranjapour. 1st. Sikhs present arms. Rose has returned as well.
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#39 Back To Tranjapour
13 September 1898/2008. Dr. Watson stands by as the travois with Pvt. Thornton approaches. He will later learn that of the five casualties sustained at the Battle of Japura Singh, one man died, three recovered en-route to Tranjapour and one, Thornton, remains in need of more care.
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#40 Back To Tranjapour
15 Sept.1898/2008. Two days later news arrived via 2nd Sq. couriers. Sgt. Davies reports to Maj. Trevelyan and Cpt. Khambatta. “Zur, Colonel’s compliments and he reports the Tugs are comin’, eighty or more. Mostly foot and some horse. The last we saw ‘em, they was camped beyond Gupta Dagmar. The Colonel orders works to defend Tranjapour, to report all to Fort Grant and request new orders. 2nd Squadron should arrive tomorrow.” Trevelyan, “Captain, telegraph this news to Fort Grant at once.”
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#41 Back To Tranjapour
16 Sept.1898/2008. The next day 2nd. Squadron arrives at an outpost just north of Tranjapour. Nearby men of the 1st. Sikh Detachment present arms. Their orders were to watch for the 2nd. Squadron and the foe.
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#42 Back To Tranjapour
16 Sept.1898/2008. Later that day 2nd. Squadron arrives at Tranjapour. The village is a beehive of activity. Sandbags are being filled to construct works as the two senior officers ride toward each other. Major Trevelyan (left of the sandbag wall under construction) has just received new orders by telegraph from General Pettygree back at Fort Grant. What would your orders be, dear reader?
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#43 Back To Tranjapour
16 September 1898/2008. Meanwhile oncoming and hidden within the shadows of the forest....
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