The Press. — London, England, 1857-10-03 00:00:00

,_--------- boatsand the escape and recapture of one of the boats is as follows : When the Nana's guns opened on the boat in which Wheeler Sahib, the general, was (it has now been fully ascertained from servants and others who were with the English party that General Wheeler was not dead before the massacre, but was put wounded on board the boats) he cut its cable and dropped down the river. Some little way down the boat got stuck near the shore. The infantry and guns came up and opened fire. The large gun they could not manage, not knowing how to work the elevating screw, and did not use it. With the small gun they fired grape tied up in bags, and the infantry fired with their muskets. This went on all day. It did not hurt the Sahib•log much. They returned the fire with their rifles from the boat, and wounded several of the sepoys on the bank, who therefore drew off towards evening. The sepoys procured a very big boat, into which they all got, and dropped down the river upon the Sahib's boats. Then the Sahibs tired again with their rifles and wounded more sepoys in the boat, and they drew off and left them. At night came a great rush of water in the river, which floated off the Sahib's boat, and they passed on down the river, but owing to the storm and the dark night they only proceeded three or four koss. In the meantime intelligence of the Sahib's defence had reached the Naua, and he sent off that night three more companies of the native regiment (Ist Oude Infantry/ and surrounded the Sahib's boat, and so took them and brought then► back to Cawnpore. Then came out A that boat sixty Sabina and twenty-five mem-Sahibs and four children—one boy and three half-grown girls. The Nana then ordered the mem Sahibs to be separated from the Sahibs to be shot by the Gillis Pultun (Ist Bengal Native Infantry); but they said, " We will not shoot Wheeler Sahib, who has made our Pultun's name great, and whose son is our quartermaster; neither will we kill the Sahib log. Put them in prison." Then said the Nadir,, Pultun, " What word is this? Put them in prison ; we will kill the male." So the Sahib log were seated on the ground, and two companies of the Nadire Pultun placed themselves over against them, with their muskets ready to fire. Then said one of the mem- Sahibs,—the doctor's wife she was, I don't know his name, but he was either superintending-surgeon or medical storekeeper—" I will not leave my husband ; if he must die I will die with him." So she ran and sat down behind her husband, clasping him round the waist. Directly she said this the other mem Sahibs said, "We will also die with our husbands," and they all went and sat down beside their husbands. Then their husbands said, "Go back," but they would not. Whereupon the Nana ordered his soldiers, and they going in pulled them forcibly away, seizing them by the arm : but they could not pull away the doctor's wife, who there remained. Then just as the sepoys were going to fire, the padre (chaplain) called out to the Nana and requested leave to read prayers before they died. The Nana granted it. The padre's bonds were unloosed so far as to enable him to take a small book out of his pocket, from which he read ; but all this time one of the Sahib•logs, who was shot in the arm and the leg, kept crying out to the sepoys, "If you mean to kill us, why don't you set about it quickly and get :he work done ? Why delay ?" After the padre had read a few prayers he shut the hook, end the Sahib-log shook hands all round. Then the sepoys fired. One Sahib rolled one way, one another, as they sat ; but they were not dead, only wounded ; so they went in and finished them off with swords. After this the whole of the women and children ( that is, in cluding those taken out of other boats), to the number of 11.2, were taken away to th 3 yellow house, which was your hospital. This was the Bhitoor Rajah's house in the civil lines, where I and four other sepoys were confined, and where I had the opportunity of talking to the sergeant major's wife. After this, when we (sepoys) were taken down with the Nana to Futteypore, the women and children were taken away to the house where they were afterwards murdered. Were any of our women dishononred by the Nana or his people? None that I know of, excepting in the case of General Wheeler's youngest daughter, and about this I am not certain. This was her circumstance. As they were taking the mem-Sahibs out of the boat a sowar (cavalry man) took her away with him to his house. She went quietly ; but at night she rose and got hold of the sowar's sword. He was asleep; his wife, his son, and his mother-in-law were sleeping in the house with him. She killed them all with the sword, and then she went and threw herself down the well behind the house. In the morning, when people came and found the dead in the house, the cry was, " Who has done this?" Then a neigh bour said that in the night he had seen some one go and throw himself into the well. They went and looked, and there was Missed Baba, dead and swollen. PRIVATE LETTERS. Carnp before Delhi, July 25th. We are stilt in statu quo before Delhi, not being strong enough to besiege it or take it by escalade. We are waiting for reinforcements, an I in the mean time have to repel frequent sorties and act upon the defensive, which is very harassing work. The bat teries on both sides blaze away at each other, but do little damage, being 1,500 yards distant. We have suffered a good deal from cholera, having lost about 50 men, since leaving Ferozepore, out of 430, chiefly from cholera, but also from sunstroke and men killed and died of wounds. I will begin from the 14th, an! give you a short account of our doings. On that day, at ten a.m., the alarm sounded, and we were sent to reinforce a picket on the left, the sepoys having come out of the Cashmere-gate. The guns on both sides blazed away like anything. One 10-inch shell fell within eight yards of me, and a number of others. I heard it coming, and threw myself down behind a tree. I heard it fall quite rHE PRE S S, OCTOBER 3, 1857. close to me, and it fizzed for a second or two (which seemed like so many hours), and then burst. I was so near as to feel the force of the explosion, but, providentially, we all got off without being touched. I picked up a large fragment, which I have now — it weighs six pounds: There was vary heavy musketry firing on the right, in the suburbs called Subzee Mundee, the niggers having brought out field-guns. Brigadier-General Chantherlayne and fifteen or six teen officers were wounded. We were ordered to move to support the right, under fire of the enemy's batteries, and when we got into about the hottest place we were ordered home. Our force altogether lost 209 men killed and wounded (30 killed). We were not in the thick of it, and had only one man touched. It is most dangerous work fighting in the suburbs, where the enemy k under cover until we get near, and then bolt, firing all the time ; and although we kill ten times the number we ourselves lose, still our small force gets weaker and weaker every scrimmage in greater proportion than theirs. We had quiet until the 18th, when we were sent down with guns to clear the Subzee Mundee of the enemy, who were bullying our pickets. We had some hard fighting among houses, walls, trees, and inclosures. We charged two or three times, but they always ran away to fresh cover. The bullets were whistling about in great numbers. I galloped round one inclosure, and was fired at by some scoundrels trying to take us in flank. I got some of our rifles and a gun up, and soon turned them out of that. Having got as fa: as advisable towards the walls, we were ordered to retire through a heavy fire. P--- was close to me when struck on the ankle by a musket-ball. A sergeant was killed, shot through the head, two yards in front of me, and my horse was hit almost at the same moment. I had just dismounted, and was holding him by th 3 bridle at the time. I)-- had a narrow escape, a bullet having passed through the folds cf a turban he had round his waist. Altogether, we had rather severe work. On the 10th we were on the alert all day, and ready to turn out, but nothing happened. On the 20th we had another skirmish in the Subzee Mundee, but the Guides and Sikhs did all the work, and we had only the grind of marching there an I back. It is very pretty to look at ; beautiful trees and gardens, with orange trees in blossom and rho dodendrons in full bloom, with thick hedges of cactus ; but all these things don't favour the Eng lish soldier. We saw lots of sepoy skeletons. I saw one with irregular cavalry jack-boots on—all the rest bones ! There is no quarter given to the wounded; they deserve no mercy, being rebels, and having killed all our women and children in a most hor rible manner. Although one gets used to bloody sights, and to a certain extent callous, I confess—it may be a weakness—but I could not kill a man lying wounded. On the 22nd we were awakened by sound of guns and musketry, and were ordered to fall in at the rendezvous. It turned out that the enemy, being alarmed at our blowing up a mine in the Subzee Mundee, fired all his guns, and his mus keteers on the wall fired, too, all at nothing ! On the 23rd there was a very heavy cannonade, and the sepoys tried to throw shells into our camp, in return for our trying to shell the King's palace. At about ten a.m., we were ordered to support time pickets and capture some field-pieces. We moved down towards the walls, the enemy firing at us, and our batteries filing over our heads. A shell burst forty yards in front of us, sending the dirt about. We drove the sepoys before us, but they had not the pluck to stand to their guns, and withdrew them. We were ordered to halt and get under cover, and, being within range of grape from 18 and 24 pounders, it was very necessary. We had two killed and two wounded out of about sixty men. The grape flew over our heads like hail ; it sounds like a covey of quail or partridge, and tears up the ground most angrily. We were ordered to retire gradually, and first made a dash at a house at the gateway of which 1 and some few others were. They sent a shell into the house, which one of the men picked up, thinking it was a round shot. Somebody told him to take it outside, which he did, and then he was told it was a shell! As it happened, the fusee was out, and it did not explode, otherwise it would have killed a lot of fellows. Colonel Seaton was shot through the body, Major Drought ditto, Major Money through the knee, and other casualties. One of our men was awfully mangled by a grapeshot which smashed his leg. I was sent to the rear by Colonel —, with a message to another regiment to help our wounded, and having got into an inclosure with high walls, I could not get out. So I left my horse and climbed over, gave the message, and came back for him; and there I was, with my horse on one side and myself on-the other, looking rather foolish, for the bullets were flying about. I, however, dodged along the wall, and found an exit at last, though I fully expected my horse would be hit. I was safe enough myself behind the wall, with the bridle in my hand. I think you would have laughed, but I was not going to lose my horse, which was a trooper's, too, my own being hors de combat since his wound on the oth. 961 We have had peace since this row, Pend) , not liking to come out i►► the rain. lam afraid my hoses :rum England must ba in the hands of the enemy, though there is a chance of their not having all left Cal. cam. The communication is entirely cut off with Meerut, Agra, Cawnpore, &c., and we correspond with Calcutta via Bombay, which is a pleasant state of affairs. Do send me overland a braco of good revolvers—you cannot get one here for love or money —so don't fail t, send them. I also want a really first-rate field-glass, in a leathern case, with strap, and a pocket-compass. In the cold weather (if I live so long) we shall have lots of fighting with the rebels we hope to drive out of Delhi. Now, we know not what a day may bring forth, but, if we meet again in this world, what talks we will hays about the Emily mutiny an the storming of Delhi. God bless you all, and, with best love, believe me your moat affectionate brother, The folowing letter is from a gallant young hero, who only four years ago was a pupil in the Edin• burgh Academy : Camp before Delhi, July 19. My dear Jack,—Here we are, still g Ling no in the same way, beating back the Pawnee' attacks': an 1 this is all we can do until we gat reheorcements. You must have seen accounts of their rush into our camp on the Oth ; it was a very bold thing—so much so, that when they were in they were taken quite aback at their salacity. My guns were ridden over before I could get them into action, and I was very nearly polished off, Tombs saving my life by potting a Pantly who was in the act of splitting my skull. I was down on the ground, regularly done up, without a single thing to defend myself with. I have got great kudos for my conduct. This is it : the alarm went, and off I started with my two guns to a position laid down for them, when, to my asto nishment, through an opening on my right, only fifty yards off, dashed a body of cavalry. Now I tried to get my guns into action, but only got one unlimbered when they were upon me. I thought that by charging them I might make a commotion, and give the gun time to load. So in I went at the front rank, cut down the first fellow, slashed the neat across the face as hard as I could lick, when two solvers charged me. Both their horses crashed into mine at the same moment, and of course both horse and myself were sent flying. We went down at such a pace that escaped the cuts male at me, one of them giving my jacket an awful slice jinlt below the left arm—it only, however, cut the jacket. Well, I lay quite snug until all the beggars had passed over me, and then got up and looked about for my sword. I found it full ten yards off. I had hardly got hold of it., when three fellows returned—two on horse back. The first I wounded, and dropt him from his horse; the second charged me with a lance—l put it aside, and caught him an awful gash on the head and face. I thought I had killed him; npparen:lv he must have clung to his horse, for he disappeared. The wounded man then came up, but got his skull split. Then came on the third man— a young active fellow. I found myself getting very weak from want of breath, the fall from my horse having primped me c msitierably, and my cloak somehow or other bad got tightly fixed round my throat, and was kindly choking me. went, however, at the fellow, and cut him on the shoulder bat some kapra ( cloth) on it apparently turned the blow. He managed to seize the hilt of my sword, and twisted it out of my hand; and then we had a hind to-hand tight, 1 punching his head with my fists. and he trying to cut me, hut 1 was too close to him. Somehow or other I fell , and then was the time, fortunately for me, that Tombs came up and shot the fellow. I was so choked by my cloak that mote I could not until I got it loosened. lty-the-bye, I forget to say I fired at this chap twice, but the pistol snapped, and I was so enraged I drove at the fellow's head, missing him, however. Then, when I got up, Tombs was so eager to get up to a mound near us that I only picked up my sword and followed hint. After being there some time, we came down again to look after the unlimbered gun which was left behind. When we got down, I saw the very man Tombs hail saved me from moving off with my pistol (the brute had only been wounded, and shammed dead). I told Tombs, and we went at him. After a little slashing and guarding on both sides, I rushed in at him and thrust: he cleverly jumped aside and cut me on the head, knocking me down, Lot however stunning me, for I warded his next cut when down. Tombs, following him up, made him pass, and up I jumped and bad a slash at him, cutting hint on the lett wrist, nearly severing it. This made him turn round, and then Tombs ran him throualL He very nearly knocked over Tomtits, for he cut through his cap and pagrie, but fortunately did nut even cut the skin. I fancy lam indebted again to T nubs for my life, for, although I might have got up and fought, still I was bleeding like a pig, and of course would have had a bad chance. One thing, however, if Tombs had not been there the second time, I should have fought more carefully. It was the wish to polish off the fellow before Tombs could get up to him that made me rush at hint in the way 1 did. I wanted awfully to bone the swords of the men I killed as trophies, but I was getting very faint and had to come into my tent as fast as I could, and before I got the wound bound up the swords had been looted off. I lost an awful lot of blood, as two veins were cut through, but I fancy it did me good, keeping off inflamma tion. The wound was a beautiful one, just as if it had been done by a razor. It was four inches long, and down to the skull, a line being left on it; so I had a narrow escape. However, if I live to see the end of these muti nies, I shall have good reason to thank the " sowers " for their charge, Tombs' name and mine having been pent up to the Governor-General by the commander-in-chief, the latter recommending us "worthy of the highest honour for distinguished bravery and gallantry." Isn't this nice, old boy ?—worth a out on the heed, I think, and especially