The Press. — London, England, 1858-01-02 00:00:00

:-------- taken most of the important fortified posts in the town' Great slaughter of the rebels, but they had not yet been entirely beaten. Sir Colin Campbell slightly woun.led. The British forces were united. The women and chil dren from the Residency were en route to Cawnpore. The fiord Highlanders and the Naval Brigade had suf fered severely. walior mutineers at Calpee, and General Windham supposed to have left Cawnpore to attack them. J. J. Sr. (LAIR, Ponnah Signal Office, pec. 1, 1837; 11.5:) Inspector in Charge. We have nothing yet but a very general account of the operations carried on by Sir Colin Campbell to effect the relief of Lucknow. The last letters left Sir Colin, on the 9th November, en route to Alum hagh. These letters stated that Sir Colin hail crossed the Ganges with 5,000 men, and that he would advance to the relief of Lucknow et the head of 12,000 troops. We find now, as we anticipated then, that Sir Colin crossed the Ganges with only a squadron of the 9th Lancers, and another of the Funjaub Irregulars, and proceeded rapidly to Alum bagh, overtaking, at Nawabgunge, Grart's column of some 3,000, not 3,500, men. Sir Colin reached the neighbourhood of Alumbagh on the 11th No vember, where was congregated a force mustering about 900 men, closely invested by the rebels. The commander-in-chief had with him now a Euro pean Horse Battery, two troops of Horse Artillery, sixty Royal Artillerymen, with two 18-pounders and two 8-inch mortars ; 320 of the 9th Lancers, detach ments of her Majesty's sth, Bth, 53rd,75th, and 93rd, and 300 of the Naval Brigade, or, including the 900 joining him from Alumbagh, above 3,000 Europeans in all ; besides a squadron of Sikhs and of Hodson's horse, 1,000 Sikh Infantry, Sappers and Miners, ktc., or an additional 2,000 natives ; in all a force under 5,000 men with which to commence operations. No time was to be lost, for the latest news from the Residency was to the effect that Outram and Have lock were closely besieged by some 12,000 rebels, well provided with guns, from which they kept up a constant fire, distinctly heard from Nawabgunge. One immense piece of ordnance, called Luchmee, distressed the garrison very much, and relief was urgently looked for. On the 13th Nov. Sir Colin advanced to the relief of Alumbagh, and cleared the ground in the neighbour hood by the capture of a small fort, called Jellalahad, which was taken and blown up. Of the operations that ensued it is not easy to give an account that will be intelligible without the aid of a plan of the city. From Alumbagh to Lucknow a direct road runs due north, crossing the canal at right angles in a point called the Charbagh bridge, and diverging slightly to the westward, cuts through the heart of the city, and stops at the Batee Guard, or Residency : The canal, which runs nearly east and west, falls into the Goomtee at a point north of the Martiniere school. The Muchee Bawun and Residency abut on the river, which flows almost due east and parallel to the canal ; but at some distance the course of the stream alters and winds suth, joining the canal above the Martiniere school. Thus Lucknow, the Muchee Bawun, the Residency, and other buildings, are inclosed north, south, and east by a hairier of waters, which bathe an area forming almost a rectangle. Near the junction of the canal and Goomtee, and consequently near the Martiniere, several bridges are built on the canals, that which is nearest the river leading to a group of buildings called the Mahals. These Mahals are the residence of Wajid Ali's 300 wives, and are an extensive structure built of bricks, affording excellent covering positions to infantry, but incapable of resistance to artillery. Near them are Sevunderbagh, the Barracks, and Mesa-house. Troops occupying the Mahals and other buildings just named are under fire sonth-eastward from the Residency. Artillery placed on the canal in front of the Martiniere ct ulfl fire on them in a north-westerly direction. It is, then, obvious that by an advance of our troops from the siluthwurd or Martiniere direction the occupants of the Mahals would be under a double fire. At no great distance in rear south of Martiniere is Dilk lionsha, literally Heart's Delight, a palace of brick, com posed of two rectangular blocks of buildings, forming half a square. The direct road from Alumbagh to the Residency (writes another correspondent) lies through the thickest part of the town. Here every alley, every lane, every house had been strongly fortified. In the rainy season no other route was practicable for artillery, and it was by this accordingly that Sir Henry Havelock advanced when he attempted the relief of the Residency; and it was advancing along those fortified streets that he experienced his heaviest loss. The rebels had evidently made up their minds that Sir Colin Campbell would follow the same rout and they had made every preparation to give him a warm reception. But Sir Colin was not the man to be taken in. The old warrior was not to be caught running his head against houses when it was prac ticable to turn the position. It had, indeed, been his original intention to turn the whole of the town. This could have been effected by crossing the THE PRESS, JANUARY 2,1858. Goomtee two miles east of the Martimere, then ad vancin in a north-west direction towards the p arade ground, ' then turning to the south and recrossing the Goomtee by the stone and iron bridges before referred to, and debauching on the Residency. But the information that the bridges were broken down, and that facilities did not exist for a double passage of the Goomtee, probably induced the commander in-chief to take a less circuitous route—to avoid, in fact, crossing the Goomtee at all, but fixing himself firmly near the point where it is met by the canal, to batter down the obstacles between that point and the Residency. The Martiniere seemed to present all the advantages he wished for in such post, and ac cordingly, leaving a garrison in the Alumbagh, he set out on the morning of the 15th. Sir Colin, having reduced Jellalabad and cleared the ground about Alumbagh up to the canal, moved eastward on the 15th, and occupied the Dilkhoosha and Martiniere after a running fight of two hours. By noon he held those points in strength, but the rebels, recovering from their surprise, in the afternoon ad• advanced to attack him. They were repulsed heavily, Sir Cohn driving them across the canal, where he bivo►►acked for the night. On the 16th the commander in-chief took the whole of his farce across the canal, and occupied Secunderbagh after a severe struggle, in which the enemy suffered enormously. Nothing could resist the impetuosity of our troops. The Secunderbagh was carried after a very severe struggle, and the Samuch, after having been can nonaded for three hours, was carried by assault also, " after one of the severest struggles ever witnessed." It was at this attack that the commander•in-chief himself was slightly wounded, but be did not for a moment think of leaving the field, hut continued per- sonally to direct the assault. The Samuch waa carried at dusk : Early on the 17th a communication was opened with the Residency to the left rear of the canal, i.e., west of the Residency. A vigorous cannonade was at the same time kept up on the Mess-house, and at three o'clock iu the afternoon that very strong position was carried by storm, the troops pushing rapidly on to sieze the Motea Mahal (largest of the palaces), which they did before dark. These important operations had the effect of open ing communications to the Residency, and in the dusk of evening, on the bloody and hard won field, Sir James Outram, Sir Henry Havelock, and Sir Cohn Campbell met. The latter had been slightly wounded during the day, but had not been incapacitated from duty. On the 21Itli the garrison, which hail so long held the Residency, was removed, the women and wounded being taken to the rear. On the 21st, operations for the reduction of the western part of the city were resumed, and a severe action ensued, of which we have not the particulars. The 93rd and Naval Brigade are described as having suffered much loss, but our casualties, considering the time expended in this capital operation, seem not to have been more than usually severe. The women, children, and wounded, were escorted safely to Cawnpore, where those hitherto con- fined in Alumbagh bad al*eady arrived.—D .News cor. The assault of Sir Colin was unhappily preceded by, on the part of the rebels, the last, let us hope, of those horrible butcheries : The very day before the commander-in•chief made his suc cessful attlick, nineteen of our countrymen and women, who ever since the insurrection in June had been hidden by a faithful zemindar, one loyal amongst a thousand traitors, were brought into Lucknow. Every one of them was inhumanly butchered.-1). News ear. Beyond this date we have no further accounts, and the above only arrived by telegraph from Alumbagh, the assistants of which were attacked and murdered-by the rebels on the ,21st—an important fact, which would seem to prove that communication IyAween Cawnpore and L icknow was not yet thoroughly establishol. Nothing is known of our or the enemy's losses or at least no details upon the point had been mad,' public at Calcutta. 'tile loss of the rebels is re ported to be 7,000, and while the Englishman says that our own was "small," the Ifurkarzi declares it to have been " very heavy." "No details of his loss," writes the Times correspondent, " have yet transpired, but it must have been very consider able " The enemy fought splendidly, as they always do under cover, or on ground where shiflinesa is more valuable than stealy valour. The list of officers killed and wounded is a heavy one in proportion to the force. Sir Cnlin appears to have taken himself and his staff into the thick of it, forgetting that his death at this moment would be as dis astrous as a detest. That the rebel.i fight well, we may anticipate. A letter from Allahabad says : The intelligence of the victory which the British banners have obtained over those of the insurgent sepoys and other rebels at the ancient seat of the Mogul empire, has no doubt reached tne ears of the Onde people, but instead of weakening their courage. it has had the effect of making them desperate. They ore all well convinced in mind that, in the ever.t of their being defeated, they would either be hanged or blown up by guns. Unlike thoso of Bengal, the nutives of Oude alight death, and when desperate, fight like devils. The fear, therefore, of the condign punishment that awaits them has caused the Oude chiefs to withd7aw themselves from the different places where they were scattered, and to concentrate themselves at once. Hence I should believe the restoration of tran quililty in the districts around this locality. The rebels, with Mann Singh, it is said, at their head, have made Fyzabad their head-quarters, and are employed, as reported, in intrenching and fortifying the place. _ _ . The actual position of Sir Culin Campbell at Luck now would scarcely seem to justify those extravagant expectations prevalent in certain quarters at home. At Calcutta the reverse of confidence would seem to be felt. "It is not absolutely impossible," writes the Times correspondent, " that Sir Colin may be shut up as Sir Henry Havelock was " Ire wants reinforcements bitterly, the semis swarming in the city and,fighting as desperate Asiatics always fight. Where are the reinforcements to come from Ten thousand men have arrived in Calcutta in the past fortnight, but there are no means of carriage. " No means of carriage," after six months for pre paration ! The means of carriage--the great want of Government —do not improve. The siz little steamers, with locomo tives for engines, are ready, but they can tow nothing. if they can get themselves to Allahabad, the feat will not be a slight one. The two dozen little river steamers I men tioned a month ago would be simply invaluable. It takes just a month to get 3,000 men to Allahabad. The troops, consequently, drop into the north-west by driblets, and we are not yet strong enough to strike those terrible blows which, by appealing to the imagination, crush ten rebels for every one slain.—Calcutta Letter. It would appear really quite possible that Sir Colin Campbell may be paralysed for want of troops : Though the sth, 00th, 03rd, and artillery of the China expedition are now either with Gentral Havelock or Sir James Outrun, yet the 82nd and 23rd belonging to the same expedition are only on their way up. But the wonder is, not that these are behind, but how the forces with Sir James Outram and Sir Cohn Campbell ever managed to reach Cawnpore. We are only now building boats, making carts, and sending (or elephants. Preparations should have commenced months ago, and should have been com plete by the middle of September. The sth Fusiliers ar rived on the sth of Ju:y, and reached Allahabad on the Ist of September! And thus it has been with other regi ments. It is, of course, easy to excuse ourselves—nobody, of course, could have foretold that the rebellion would not die away as suddenly as it broke out—but the great fact remains the same. The insurrection commenced in May. and in November we can only send 3,000 men a month up the country, and have neither elephants fur the guns nor horses for the cavalry.—Friend of India. Coupled with this possibility, if we consider the slight effect the capture of Lucknow will have upon the native mind—for the tall of Delhi is to this moment disbelieved by the mass of the population — we may very safely inter that the rebels are still very " stiff necked," and will give us occupation for months to come. " Although the commander-in-chiefs suc cess is highly imdorumt, and will greatly discourage the insurgents "—says the paper at Calcutta, the Englishman, which all along has taken the cheeriest views of attiiirs—" it must not be hastily concluded that the work is done. The whole of Oude is in arms, and the adjoining district of Rohilcund is also disaffected and disturbed, so that, even if no large body should still contend for Lucknow or concen trate themselves elsewhere, it will regain a consider able time to put down all resistance, to punish marauders and plunderers, and to restore obedience." " Although Lucicnow has fallen," writes the cor respondent of the Daily News, " every spot of ground yet remains to be conquered in Oude " Imagine the Lustdans, 10,000 strong, making a descent upon Loudon and seizing it. England would not then be cenquered; every castle, every mansion would be con verted into a place of defence. And yet Oude is larger than England; her people, though defeated, iste UR with an intensity of hatred scarcely to be accounted for. Every class has turned against us—from Mann Singh, the Prince of Zemindars, down to the poorest ryot who cultivates the soil. "It is now acknowledged on all hands that we are fif;hting, not only the sepoys, but the class from whom the sepoym are drawn," writes the Times cor respondent, in corroboration : The cultivators and artisans are with ns, but the armed classes, the feudal retainers, bad characters—technically called " buttmashes "—the durwans, clubmen, and police are against us to a man. They are 3,000,1X10 strong, and supply all deficiencies in the insurgent ranks. They have nothing to lose, are fighters front boyhood, and detest the English, who prohibit plunder. In the face of these deliberate statements by writers on tha spot, can it honestly he said that the rebellion is " suppressed," and that " India is tranquil.from the Himalaya to Cape Comorin ?" " Glancing from Oude over the remoinder of the north-west," writes the Times correspondent, " we find scarzely a vestige of authority ". In Bpreilly, a Mussulman named Mahommed Khan reigns supreme. His forces comprise three regiments of infantry, a thousand cavalry, some artillery, and an irre gular corps of 300 butchers. They were recently threaten ing Nynee Tal, but the iihoorkas there were ready for them, and Mahommed Khan disappeared into a less dan gerous neighbourhood. Lioruckpure and Jaunpore are still in disorder. Allithabad is menaced every now and