The Press. — London, England, 1857-10-17 00:00:00

1000 Captain Maude was enabled to push his guns through flanking swamps to point blank range, his surprisingly accurate fire demolished their little remaining confidence. In a moment three guns were abandoned to us on the ehaussee, and the force advanced steadily, driving the enemy before it on every point. Major Renaud won a hillock on the right in good style, and struggled on through the inundation. The 78th, in extension, kept up his communication with the centre ; the 64th gave strength to his centre and left ; on the left the Hith and regiment of Ferozepore pressed back the enemy's right. As we moved forward the enemies' guns continued to fall into our hands, and then in succession they were driven by skirmishers and columns from the garden in• closures, from a strong barricade on the road, from the town•wall, into and through, out of and beyond, the town. They endeavoured to make a stand a mile in advance of it. My troops were in such a state of exhaustion that I almost despaired of driving them farther. At the same time the mutineera of the 2nd Light Cavalry made an effort to renew the combat by charging, with some success, our irregular horse, whose disposition throughout the fight was, I regret to say, worse than doubtful. But again our guns and riflemen were, with great labour, pushed to the front. Their fire soon put the enemy to final and irretrievable flight, and my force took up its present position in triumph, and parked twelve captur'd guns. Our fight," adds the gallant 'general, " was neither with musket, nor bayonet, nor sabre, but with Enfield rifles and cannon." His loss was six killed, three wounded, and four missing. The nrcing of the bridge over the Pandoo Nuddee, on the 15th of July, is thus described by General Havelock : The enemy's intrenchments were not formidable, but the country being thickly wooded, he was enabled to main• tain himself for some time against our fire, during which interval large bodies of cavalry advanced r,ri both flanks, with the intention of capturing our baggage. These attacks were very persevering, and to defeat them—as I had only twenty horse—l was compelled to protect the flanks with the infantry in second line, and by artillery fire. It is gratifying to have to report that the enemy was unable to capture a single baggage animal or follower. The last attempt was defeated by the baggage•guards, whose fire was very effective. _ _ Soon, however, the lieut.-colonel overcame all resis tance, drove the enemy before him, and captured his cannon. The road was strewed for miles with abandoned tents, ammunition, and other materials of war. lie reports to me, in terms of high commendation, the conduct of the troops immediately under his command, of Capt. Maude, commanding the battery, and of Lieut. Havelock, 10th Foot, my aide-de-camp, and Lieut. Moorsom, 52nd Light Infantry, whom I had placed at his disposal. The troops were halted for refreshment and short repose, when authentic information was received that the bridge on the Pandoo stream was not destroyed, but defended by intrenchments and two guns of garrison calibre. Disposition had to be made to force the passage of the stream. Fortunately the bridge was at a salient bend of the river in our direction. Captain Maude at once sug gested to me his desire to envelope it with his artillery fire by placing three guns on the road and three on either flank. The whole of the Madras Fusiliers were extended as Enfield riflemen, as being the most practised workmen in the force. They lined the banks of the stream, and kept up a biting fire. The enemy opened an effective cannonade upon our column as they advanced along the road. They therefore deployed and advanced with great steadiness in parade order in support of the guns and riflemen. Capt. itlaude's bullets soon produced an evident effect, and then the right wing of the Fusiliers, suddenly closing, threw themselves with rare gallantry upon the bridge, carried it, and captured both guns. These two affairs cost me twentyfive killed and wounded, as shown in the accompanying return. Amongst the latter I regret to have to particularise Major Renaud, lat Madras Fusiliers, to whose gallantry and in telligence I have been under great obligations. His left thigh was broken by a musket ball in the skirmish at Aeng, but I hope, from the fortitude with which he endures all suffering, a favourable result. On the 20th July General Havelock announces the capture of Cawnpore. The position Nana Sahib had taken up to cover the city was excessively strong. General Havelock stormed it by a flank movement : I ascertained that he had taken up a position at the ♦illage of Ahirwa, where the Grand Trunk Road unites with that which leads direct to the military cantonment of Cawnpore. Hie intrenchments cut and rendered impassable both roads, and his guns, seven in number, two light and five siege calibre, were disposed along his position, which con• sista of a series of villages. Behind these his infantry, consisting of mutinous troops and his own armed followers, was disposed for defence. It was evident that an attack in front would expose the British to a murderous fire from his heavy guns sheltered in his intrenchment. I resolved therefore ti; manoeuvre to turn his left. My camp and baggage were accor.lingly kept back, under proper escort, at the village of Maharajpoor, and 1 halted my troops there two or three iiours in mango groves to cook, and gain shelter from a burning sun. My column then moved off, right in front; the Fusiliers led, followed by two guns : then came the Highlanders, in rear of whom was the central battery of six guns under Captain Mande. The 84th and 84th had two guns THE PRESS, OCTOBER 17, 1857. more in their rear, and the regiment of Ferozepore closed the column. My troops, defiling at a steady pace, soon changed direction and began to circle round the enemy's left. They were shrouded for some time by clumps of mango; but as soon as the enemy comprehended the object of their march, an evident sensation was created in his lines. He pushed forward on his lett a large body of horse, and opened a fire of shot and shell from the whole of his guns. lint he was evidently disconcerted by our advance on his flank, and anxious for his cotnmunication with Cawnpore. My troops continued their progress until his left was wholly opened to our attack, and then formed line and advanced in direct echelon of regiments and batteries from the right. The Fusiliers again covered the advance extended to riflemen. The opportunity had arrived for which I have long anxiously waited, of developing the prowess of the 78th Ilighlanders. Three guns cf the enemy were strongly posted behind a lofty hamlet, well intrenched. I directed this regiment to advance, and never have I witnessed conduct more admirable. They were led by Colonel Hamilton, and followed him with surprising steadiness and gallantry under a heavy fire. As they approached the village they cheered and charged with the bayonet, the pipes sounding the pibroch. Need I add that the enemy fled, the village was taken, and the guns captured. On the left Major Stirling, with the 64th, was equally successful against another village, and took three guns. The enemy's infantry appeared to be everywhere in full retreat, and I had ordered the fire to cease, when a reserve 24-pounder was opened on the Cawnpore road which caused considerable loss to my force; and under cover of Its fire, two large bodies of cavalry at the same time riding insolently over the plain, the infantry once more rallied. The beating of their large drums, and numerous mounted officers in front, announced the definitive struggle of the " Nana " for his usurped do- minion. I had previously ordered my volunteer cavalry to ad venture a charge on a more advanced part of the enemy's horse, and 1 have the satisfaction to report that they con ducted themselves most creditably. One of their number, Mr. Carr, was killed in the charge. But the final crisis approached. My artillery cattle, wearied by the length of the march, could not bring up the guns to my assistance; and the Ist Madras Fusi• liers, 64th, 84th, and 78th detachments, formed in line, were exposed to a heavy fire from the '24.pounder on the road. 1 was resolved this state of things should not last, so calling upon my men. who were lying down in line, to leap on their feet, I directed another steady advance. It was irresistible. The enemy sent round shot into our ranks until we were within three hundred yards, and then poured in grape with such prevision and determination as I have seldom witnessed. But the 64th, led by Major Stirling and my aide-decamp, who had placed himself in their front, were not to be denied. Their rear showed the ground strewed with wounded; but on they steadily and silently came, then with a cheer charged, and captured the unwieldy trophy of their valour. The enemy lost all heart, and after a hurried fire of musketry gave way in total rout. Four of my guns came up and completed their discomfiture by a heavy can nonade; and as it grew dark, the roofless barracks of our artillery were dimly descried in advance, and it was evident that Cawnpore was once more in our possession. The points of this victory I shall have afterwards to describe. The troops had been thirteen hours in their bivouac when a tremendous explosion shook the earth. " Nana Sahib," in full retreat to Bhitoor, had blown up the Cawnpore magazine. The first movements of the Mahratta indicated a deter mination to defend himself desperately. Reports from the front assured us that he had assembled 5,000 men, and placed forty-five guns in position for the defence of his stronghold ; but his followers have since despaired, and I have taken possession of Bhitoor without a shot. The last despatch published details of the battle of Unto) on the 19th of July : Camp, Ruseerut Gunge, July 29, 18457. ( Extract.) moved forward from the strong position of Munghowar on the 19th instant, and soon became engaged with the enemy near the town of Unao. It is necessary to describe the enemy's position. His right was protected by a swamp which could neither be forced nor turned ; his advance was drawn up in a garden inclostire, which in this warlike district had purposely or accidentally assumed the form of a bastion. The restof his force was posted in and behind a village, the houses of which were loopholed. The passage between the village and the large town of Unao is narrow. The town itself extended three-quarters of a mile to our right. The flooded state of the county precluded the possibility of turning in this direction. The swamp shut us on the left. Thus an attack in front became unavoidable. It was commenced by the 7Fith Highlanders and Ist Fusiliers with two guns, and soon became exceedingly warm. The enemy were driven out of the bastioned inclo sure, but when our troops approached the village a destruc tive fire was opened upon them from the loopholed houses. It became necessary to bring up the 64th, under Colonel Wilson, K.H. Here some daring feats of bravery were performed ; Private Patrick Cavanagh, 64th, was cut lite. rally in pieces by the enemy, whilst setting an example of distinguished gallantry. Had lie lived, I should have deemed him worthy of the Victoria Cross. It could never have glittered on a more gallant breast. Lieutenant liogle, 'Nth Highlanders, in an attempt to penetrate into a house filled with desperate fanatics of the Mussulman faith, was badly wounded. The village was set on fire. Still its defenders resisted obstinately. Finally, the guns were captured, and the whole force was enabled to debouch by the narrow passage between the village and the town of Unao, and formed in line. It found the enemy rallied and re-formed in great force. Infantry guns and cavalry were drawn up in line on the plain. They were attacked in direct echelon of detach. meats and batteries, their guns taken, and the infantry and horse put to flight. Dunng the whole of the action, a large detachment of the troops of Nana Sahib threatened our left flank. The troops halted three hours, and then moved on towards lluseerut Gunge. It is a walled town with wet ditches. The gate is defended by a round tower, on and near which four pieces of cannon were mounted, the adja cent building being l3opholed and otherwise strengthened. In rear of the town is a broad and deep inundation, crossed by a narrow chaussee and bridge. The guns pushed on in admirable order, supported by the Ist Fusi. Tiers skirmishing, and 78th Highlanders and 64th Regi. went in line. The enemy's cannonade was well sustained ; never theless our force continued to gain ground. The 64th were then directed to turn the town by our left, and pene trate between it and the swamp, thus cutting off the enemy from the chaussee and bridge. Thu Fusiliers and the Highlanders precipitated themselves on the earth. works, broke through the intrenchment, and captured the town. The whole of the guns of sth Company of 7th Bat. talion Artillery were taken by us, with nearly all its am munition. It had come from Fyzabad and Lucknow. The ground on both sides of the road at Unao was so flooded that it was imposible for cavalry to act. My volunteer horse were therefore reduced to inactivity, though most anxious to engage. The loss of the enemy at Unao is estimated by native report at 1,500 killed and wounded. It might, in truth, amount to 500. It was lighter at Puseerut Crimp, in consequence of the mistake already noticed. In these two combats, nineteen guns were captured from the enemy. Despatches from Major Eyre, detailing his gallant advance from Blues to the relief of Anal], will be read with interest. The news of the Dinapore disaster reached him at Shawpore on 314 July. He rushed on at once, without losing a moment : Arriving at Goojerajgunge by nightfall, I was delighted to find the bridge entire; where we bivouacked for the night, and at daybreak next morning resumed our march, but had only proceeded about a mile beyond Goojeraj. gunge when we discovered the enemy in great force in possession of the woods to our front and flank. The road by which we had to reach the wood in our front was bounded by inundated paddy•fields on either side. I halted to observe the best course to pursue, and finding that the enemy were weakening their front to take us on both flanks, I boldly pushed forward, throwing out skir• mishers in every direction. The Enfield rifles kept our foes at a distance, and we succeeded in forcing the wood, beyond which, as far as Beebeegunge, it lay across an open swamp, which greatly befriended us. Meanwhile, the baffled enemy were observed hurrying round to oppose us at Beebeegunge, which is situated on the opposite side of a bridge by which we had hoped to cross the river. There I again halted to refresh the troops and to reconnoitre. Finding the bridge had been destroyed, extensive earthen breastworks raised on the other side, flanking the bridge, and the mutinous regiments in force occupying the houses in the village, I determined on making a detour to the right as far as the railway earthworks, about a mile off. I masked this movement for a time by the fire of my guns, but no sooner did the enemy discover our purpose than they hurried with their entire strength to intercept us at a wood which it was necessary for us to ass;p a portion of them followed us up in the rear, and by the time we reached the wood we found quite as much on our hands as we could manage. They mustered some 2,000 to 2,500 strong in sepoys alone, besides Rajah Koer Singh's irregular forces, of whom, however, we made little account. The Rajah was appa rently present in person, and for upwards of an hour we were compelled to act solely on the defensive. The sepoys, apparently emboldened by their recent success beyond Arrah, advanced to the assault with a vigour quite unex pected, and twice, with their bugles sounding first the " assembly," then the " advance " and the " double," made determined rushes on the guns, but were on both occasions repulsed with showers of grape. Meanwhile Captain L'Estrange, with the gallant sth, was not idle, as will be seen by his own report hereto appended. Finding at length that the enemy grew emboldened by the supe ricrity of their numbers and the advantage of their posi tions, I determined on trying the effect of a general charge of infantry, and sent Captain the Hon. E. P. Hastings to Captain L'Estrange with orders to that effect. Promptly and gallantly he obeyed the order; the skirmishers on the right turned their flank, the guns with grape and shrapnel drove in the centre, and the troops advancing on all sides drove the enemy panic-struck in all directions. Thus our road was cleared ; all beyond the country was open, and we proceeded without interruption to within four miles of Arrali, when we were suddenly brought up by an impassable river, and have since been employed in attempting to bridge it over. In this work the railway engineers, headed by Mr. Kelly, have rendered the most valuable aid; meanwhile, most of the rebels returned to Arrah, but precipitately left it during the night. Rajah Koer Singh accompanied them to save his family. Their loss is reported to have been severe. We hear that not a sepoy now remains in Arrali, and that the mass have gone off towards Rbotaa or scattered themselves in various directions. The rebels, however, have proved to be more stub born, for on the 12th August Major Eyre announces that after a heavy engagement with the mass of the Dinapore mutineers, and Koer Singh's forces, be had succeeded in defeating them :