Ten guns were placed in the battery, and the fire of these swept the
slopes behind the town and castle, rendering it impossible, until the
fort was carried, for an enemy to attack the town on that side; or to
operate, in any way, against the only point at which an attack could
be made upon the castle.
The rajah was delighted at this most formidable accession to the
defensive power of his fortress, which was now in a position to defy
any attack which could be made against it. A store of provisions and
ammunition was collected there, and the command given to one of
Charlie's Sepoy lieutenants, with a hundred trained artillerymen, and
two hundred infantry. Numbers of cattle had been driven into the town
and castle, and stores of provisions collected.
It was but two days after the battery was complete that the news
arrived that the rajah's brother, with Murari Reo, had entered the
rajah's dominions, and was marching up the valley to the assault. The
rajah had, in the first place, wished to defend a strong gorge through
which the enemy would have to pass; this having hitherto been
considered the defensible point of his capital, against an invasion.
Charlie pointed out, however, that although no doubt a successful
defence might be made here, it would only be a repulse, which would
leave the enemy but little weakened for further operations.
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