day orders were issued for the Cavalry to follow up the mutineers, who were understood to have fled in a northerly direction.  One brigade under Campbell (the Colonel of the Bays) was directed to proceed to Sandila, and another, under Hope Grant, towards Sitapur.  But the enemy was not seen by either.  As usual, they had scattered themselves over the country and entirely disappeared, and many of the rebels who still remained in the city seized the opportunity of the Cavalry being absent to get away.

Outram’s command on the left bank of the Gumti was now broken up, with the view to his completing the occupation of the city.  Accordingly, on the 16th, he advanced from the Kaisarbagh with Douglas’s brigade[14] and Middleton’s battery, supported by the 20th Foot and Brasyer’s Sikhs, and occupied in quick succession, and with but slight resistance, the Residency, the Machi Bhawan, and the great Imambara, thus taking in reverse the defences which had been thrown up by the enemy for the protection of the two bridges.  As Outram pushed on, the rebels retreated, some across the stone bridge towards Fyzabad, and some through the city towards the Musabagh.  They made two attacks to cover their retirement, one on Walpole’s piquets, which enabled a large number (20,000 it was said) to get away in the Fyzabad direction, and another on the Alambagh, which was much more serious, for the garrison had been reduced to less than a thousand men, and the rebels’ force was considerable, consisting of Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery.  They attacked with great determination, and fought for four hours and a half before they were driven off.

It was not a judicious move on Sir Colin’s part to send the Cavalry miles away from Lucknow just when they could have been so usefully employed on the outskirts of the city.  This was also appreciated when too late, and both brigades were ordered to return, which they did on the 17th.  Even then the Cavalry were not made full use of, for instead of both brigades being collected on the Lucknow bank of the river, which was now the sole line of retreat left open to the enemy (the bridges being in our possession), one only (Campbell’s) was sent there, Hope Grant being directed to take up his old position on the opposite side of the Gumti, from which we had the mortification of watching the rebels streaming into the open country from the Musabagh, without the smallest attempt being made by Campbell to stop or pursue them.  His brigade had been placed on the enemy’s line of retreat on purpose to intercept them, but he completely failed to do what was expected of him.  We, on our side, could do nothing, for an unfordable river flowed between us and the escaping mutineers.[15]