ABSTRACT
Brigadier-General Neill arrived from Allahabad on July 20, with zoo young soldiers, and at midnight Havelock superintended the crossing of his advanced guard over the Ganges, ordinarily 500 yards, but nearly a mile in width. The ferry boats, 20 in number, sailed, or were towed by the one steamer available; but owing to the strength of the each trip necessitated a passage of 5 or 6 miles, and the small force took three days to concentrate at Mangalwar, 5 miles from the river. Havelock, having disabled the ordnance, went on 7 miles to Bashiratganj, a walled town, through which the Lucknow road passed. The southern gate was defended by an earthwork with 4 guns, and as inundations covered much of the ground south and north of the town, the road was the only practicable line of advance or retreat.
