It seemed that the levies bolted, as soon as they were fired on.

Then, with a few trained volunteers, the white men hastily entrenched themselves; and held out till late in the afternoon when, their ammunition having run short, they were compelled to retire, which they did fighting.

It was during the retreat that Captain Benson was shot.
Another column came in on the following day, after five days' reconnaissance.

It had gone by the same road by which the governor had broken out, on the 23rd of June.

The road was entirely deserted, the villages destroyed, and the crops burnt.