The Sabre's Edge

'Then I believe we should move up to support the Sixteenth without orders.'

'Why?' The major's tone did not so much challenge as request elaboration.

'Because - unlikely as it may seem - it might just be the sortie in strength that we were speaking of.'

'Why have we not had orders to that effect from brigade, then? I've sent Perry there, by the way.'

'Well, the brigadier will be no more certain than we are, in all likelihood.'

Joynson was clearly troubled. 'Yes, but the general must be given the opportunity to exercise a proper command, must he not?'

Hervey was becoming exasperated. This was the Joynson of past years, not of late months: the Joynson cowed by Towcester, sick headaches and the like. 'Eustace, since when did cavalry have to await an order to close with the enemy?'

There was no answer to this. The major turned to the adjutant. 'Very well, then. Have the regiment mount.'

The adjutant turned to the trumpet-major. 'Troops to mount, please.'

'Sir!' The trumpet-major put his bugle to his lips and sounded the regimental call followed by the octave leap of 'prepare to mount', then the simpler repeated Cs and Gs of the executive.

'I'd like you next to me, Hervey,' said Joynson, perfectly composed. 'It'll be a deuced tricky business in this light. Perry can look after E Troop. They can ride under second squadron.'

'With respect, sir. It might be better to keep the troop in hand. You never know—'

'Very well, very well. If you are content with that then I have no objection. Perry's able enough to have them on his own.'

Hervey would say nothing more, but he was hardly content, for the troop would be under command of the grocer until Perry returned from his galloping. Assuming, that was, that Green would actually find them. However, there were Armstrong and Collins, and he could always take the lead again before they were committed. He turned to Corporal Wainwright, who nodded his understanding and made off at once to E Troop.

Hervey had greater concerns, however. The handling of a regiment of light dragoons in troop ranks was, even by day, a testing undertaking. When the ground was unbroken, as on a review, it could pass off at the trot tolerably well, though anything beyond a couple of hundred yards led to bunching and bulging of the line to such an extent that it was difficult to recover proper dressing without coming back to a walk. When it was dark, however, and the ground broken as here, the undertaking verged on the reckless. He took out his telescope, stepped the other side of the picket tent's fire, and tried to see what was happening in the Sixteenth's lines.

Meanwhile the troop orderly Serjeants were reporting to the RSM. It was only another minute or so before Mr Hairsine could report to the adjutant that the regiment was ready. Johnson had brought Gilbert up, and Hervey now pulled down the stirrups and mounted.

'Skirmishers out?' said Joynson as Hervey closed up to his side.

'I would think it better to advance with a clear front,' replied Hervey.

'Very well. "Advance", please, trumpet-major.'

That Joynson asked for such an opinion did not in the least diminish his standing in Hervey's eyes. That he accepted it only increased it, too. Seeking support for a decision already made was the true sign of the weak-spirited.

'If it is a sortie, they might just be intent on mischief,' said Hervey, having to raise his voice against the jingle and clamour behind him (it took a fair few yards, always, before the NCOs got the dressing passable in close order). 'But it sounds a determined affair. They might be making for the guns.'

'I take my hat off to them if they are,' said Joynson, matter-of-factly.

'They know the ground better than do we.'

'But it would be a desperate affair nevertheless.'

The adjective struck Hervey forcefully. Perhaps a night sortie was indeed the act of a desperate man.

Had Durjan Sal already concluded that his fortress could not withstand a determined siege? He would have known why Lord Lake's had failed - not just for the want of heavy guns but because of the attacks by the Maratha cavalry on his siege forces. How many cavalry could Durjan Sal dispose on such a night? There was no telling, and neither was there telling the damage a resolute force could do if ever panic seized hold in the camps. 'We might have to make a wide front if they're really intent on breaking through to the guns. It will hardly be enough but it might check them for a while. I hope there's a general stand-to by now.'

Lieutenant Perry rode across the front of A Troop to report. His horse was blowing hard, for he had had him in a gallop, and Hervey was pleased with this evidence of boldness. Perry saluted as he came up to the major. 'Sir, brigadier's compliments, and would you be so good as to place the regiment in a position to support the Sixteenth. They were attacked by a large force of cavalry and their object is not clear. The Sixteenth have one troop only under saddle, and the rest are standing ground with the carbine.'

'Where will the brigadier be?' asked Joynson.

'He did not say, sir, but I presumed he intended remaining with the reserve.'

Joynson did not reply.

'It's no good presuming, Arthur. We have to know where the brigadier is!' snapped Hervey. Galloping was no use without a clear head.

Perry said nothing.

'Well’ said Joynson emolliently, 'it is the brigadier's duty to make his post known. Thank you, Mr Perry.'

'Take post with the troop, then,' said Hervey. 'They're not to answer but to the regiment.'

'Sir,' replied Perry, saluting and turning, trying hard not to sound cast-down. Joynson's thanks were welcome, but Hervey's reproof was deserved.

'A little sharp, Hervey,' said Joynson when he was gone. 'He did well to get orders so quickly.'

Hervey did not reply at once; an increase in firing in the direction of the Sixteenth's camp, though two furlongs away and more, commanded their attention. 'I think we had soon better extend, sir,' he said finally, the fusillade having gone on a full minute. 'It can't be long now before they break through.'

'I think we had,' said Joynson assuredly. 'Mr Vanneck, Second Squadron to extend to the left, please. I want them to cover as much ground as they can.'

The adjutant wheeled right and put his horse into a trot. There was no trumpet call by which the order could have been conveyed, for trumpet calls by and large regulated activity rather than conveyed changes in design. Joynson put his own horse into a lateral trot so as to be at the junction of the two squadrons.

Strickland brought Second Squadron quickly into line by the simple expedient of halting them for a time so that First Squadron cleared enough ground ahead to allow Second to trot up with the merest incline left. Once his right marker was level with First Squadron's flanker, he ordered them back to the walk and called 'dress by the right', which brought the left flank wheeling smartly round. 'Ready, Major Joynson!' he shouted.

Joynson replied at once: 'Draw swords!'

Four hundred sabres came rasping from their scabbards. A regiment drawing swords was ever a sound to thrill, more so even than a battalion fixing bayonets. Hervey smiled to himself: it was the first he had heard it in earnest in ten years. He could even forget the blunting of the edges, steel on steel.

What sight daylight would present him with this instant he could not be certain. C and A Troops were in good order in front. He could only trust that D and B were keeping both space and station in the support line, and likewise E to the rear of them. It was truly no bad thing to have a third line of sabres, a second reserve, in circumstances such as these - even if no more than a troop's worth. He would just have to trust Perry to have them in hand.

Eyes were getting used to the darkness by now, especially since there were no campfires to dazzle them any more. They could see well enough to trot, thought Joynson. But if they did they would not see the enemy until they were on top of him. Did that matter? What method in the fight could there be but a strong arm and a sharp blade?