ROSE, HUGEL LORD STRATBNAIRN, a distin guished politician, commander, and administrator. In Europe public attention was directed to the affairs of Syria, where Lord Palmerston, at the hazard of a war with France, effectually che.ck mated Thiers, drove Ibrahim Pasha back into Egypt, and restored Syria to Ottoman rule. The part taken by Sir Hugh Rose in that brilliant line of policy was prominent, and as a reward for his services he received from Great Britain the Com panionship of the Bath, from Prussia the Cross of St,. John of Jerusalem, and from the Sultan a sword of honour. After passing many years in the diplomatic service, he acted as British ambas sador at Constantinople, in the absence of Strat ford Canning, and at a critical moment he ordered the British fleet to the mouth of the Dardanelles, for which he received the thanks and support of the British Government. Subsequently, and through out the whole of the Crimean war, Sir Hugh Rose served as Commissioner with the French army, and gained the respect of the British authorities, and also of the principal officers in the French army. For his services in the war with Russia, he was created K.C.B., and received the Crimean medal and clasps, the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour, the third class of the Medjidi, and the Turkish medal.
When he landed at Bombay in the autumn of 1.857, Lord Elphinstone at once gave him the command of the force to which was confided the duty of crushing rebellion in Central India, and of marching to join Sir Colin Campbell's army in Bengal. He took command of the field force in Deceinber 1857, captured Ratgurh 29th January 1858, Garrakota 13th February, and Chandaree 17th March ; defeated Tantia Tepee at the Betwa, 1st April ; stormed Jhansi, 3d April ; defeated the Mutineers at Golowlie, 22d April; captured Calpee, 23d April ; defeated the Gwalior contingent, 16th June ; restored the 'Maharaja Sinclia, 20th June 1858 ; and bec,ame Commander-in-Chief of India, 4th June 1860.
This small column, few in numbers, was con stantly engaged with vastly superior forces of the enemy, and marched for months from vic tory to victory, suffering fearfully from over exertion, terrific heat, and constant combats, until finally it joiued Sir Colin Campbell's troops upon the banks of the Jumna at Calpee.
Leaving Indore at the end of 1857, Sir Hugh Rose first encountered the enemy- at RaAgurh, which fort he captured in a few days, and again defeated the raja of Banpore on the Bina. This opened to him the road to Saugor, the garrisons of which had long been hemmed in by the enemy, and which he relieved in February 1858. Still ad vancing, Sir Hugh Rose's colutnn again met the rebels at the fort of Gangakota, which he took, and he then closely pursued the enemy with loss to the Beas. His next operation was in storming
the pass of Mudunpore, and by his success there, several smaller forts fell into his possession, the road to Jhansi was opened, and the territory of Shahgurh annexed. Sir Hugh Rose then marched on Jhansi, and on his way took the strong fort of Chandaree by storm. Arriving before Jhansi on the 21st of March, he found himself in the presence of a fortified city defended by a large army of rebels. His siege guns were few, and his troops were. constantly engaged and much overworked. D. wing seventeen days the cavalry and artillky mvested the fort and guarded the ground round` it, and never took off their clothes, saddles, or harness. In the meantime, whilst the siege pro\-\ gressed and the artillery were endeavouring to make a breach, Tantia Topee, with an army of 20,000 men and 20 guns, appeared on the Betwa. Still maintaining his investment of the city, and withdrawing as few troops as possible, Sir Hugh Rose drew up his small force in two lines in order of battle, and by a masterly flank attack utterly defeated and routed the rebel army in the field, capturing all their artillery, and pursuing them for sixteen miles. In two days after the battle of the Betwa, he assaulted and captured Jhansi by storm and escalade, with a loss to the enemy of 5000 men. In April, giving the rebels no rest, Sir Hugh again advanced towards Calpee, which was their great depot and arsenal on the Jumna. On his way there he again met the rebels at Koonch at daylight, defeated and pursued them throughout the day, capturing fifteen guns. The force, however, was becoming perfectly prostrate from constant marching, fighting, over-exertion, and heat. The thermometer stood at 120° in the shade. Many men dropped down dead from sun stroke. Although to avoid the excessive heat, the marches were made at night, the men were so utterly exhausted that even during short halts the whole force would fall down into a deep sleep, from which they were aroused with difficulty. In this jaded condition the column arrived, in May, at the banks of the Jurena near Calpee, when the enemy attacked them at noon on the 23d, but after a severe encounter were repulsed, a portion of the Rifle Brigade Camel Corps from the other side of the Jumna having come to the assistance of Sir Hugh Rose at a critical moment. The success of this day made Sir Hugh Rose master of Calpee, with its arsenal and material of war. Soon afterwards it was announced that Sindia had fled from his capital, and that Gwalior was in the hands of the rebel army. Rapidly retracing his steps, Sir Hugh Rose again met the enemy in a battle under the walls of that great fortress, and by his victory on that occasion restored the maharaja to his throne.