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

THE PRESS, OCTOBER 17, 1857. You are of course aware that Havelock's column was fighting its way to assist the garrison of Lucknow. Have• lock, however, could not manage it, owing to the frightful sickness and mortality, arising from fatigue and exposure, that prevailed among the men, and he was obliged to retire on Cawnpore. When the enemy heard of their retiring they followed them, but to show them that our troops were not dispirited Havelock again met them, and gave them another beating. In this affair the 78th Highlanders, about 150 strong, were in advance, the Ist Madras Fusi. tiers having been sent to the right. Our men were under most galling fire, every shot carrying off some of them ; they got the word to charge, and on they went like tigers, patting 7,000 to flight and capturing two guns. The general galloped up and paid them a well•merited compliment; they then gave the general three cheers, but he roared out, " Highlanders, don't cheer me, you have done it all yourselves; I had nothing to do with it." He then gave out an order, that if any person knew who was the first man of the 78th in the enemy's batteries to tell him, and he would recommend him for the Victoria Cross. - - Another writer gives us full details of the battle : Cawnpore,August 18. Our ninth action came off the day before yesterday, at Bhitoor, when the enemy, principally sepoys of the :14th, 4•Lnd, and 38th Regiments—numbering between 3,000 and 4,000, with two guns—had taken up a position in front of lihitoor, or rather a village to the west of it. Their position was naturally one of the strongest that could be,but instead of making a defence in rear, they mode it in front of the bridge. Our right was towards the Ganges, and our left near a deep nullah, to the left of which were houses and high ground. The space in front was tolerably clear, and the enemy occupied some topes and gardens, and a village on their left. The road took a sudden turn to the left, where the enemy's guns were placed. The rebels opened their guns on us, and some of their cavalry and infantry circled round our left; we sent a few shots among them, and they bolted. Our force then de ployed into line, and on getting within 000 yards, com menced to play on the topes occupied by the Pandies. A heavy fire was kept up by us for some time with our guns. The sharp crack of the musket and soft smooth sound of the Enfield rifle now began. On our men went, and drove the enemy out of the gardens, topes, and villages to the right. A few determined Jacks made a brave stand near the bridge, and others of them were bayoneted in the village. Our fellows were too tired to chase them, the day being very hot, and we bad a march of about twelve miles. The most extraordinary thing is that the enemy did not defend the rising ground and houses on the south side of the ravine. They went right away and we after them as fast as the guns could go ; much time of course was lost in crossing the bridge, and we saw little more of them. The road was lined with houses and gardens, surrounded with mud em• bankments, and suddenly an attack was made from behind these mud walls on our baggage. A little of it was lost, and several of the camp followers killed. Some sowars also rushed down at some stragvlers behind the rear guard, and cut up four or five of them. The coolies of course bolted, and the blackguard villagers came and plundered the property. There was not much lost, but some officers lost all they took with them. We bivouacked during the night to the south of the city. As it was found impossible to take the heavy guns on to Sheorajpore, we returned here yesterday, having lost, I believe, about four. teen killed and thirty wounded. We took the two guns, and must have killed a large number of the enemy, but it was impossible to tell the number of their killed, as the nullah was quite close to them, and I know from expe rience they make use of all dodges, the water among the rest, to conceal their dead. We have news of the Lucknow people up to the 14th inst. They are still holding out bravely, and the enemy's fire said to be much slackened. Many of the letters published contain statements of interest and importance. There appears to have been a great delay in forwarding the 90th and sth Regiments to Allahabad. These regiments were detained at Mirzapore for a whole week waiting orders. A letter from Benares, dated 19th August, says : What time has been lost, and to what unnecessary expense the Government is put to, by the unaccountable delay et several stations of the several vessels. The steamers should reach this within a period ranging from fifteen to twenty da's. The steamer Lady Thackwell, with 3fullah, left Calcutta on the !oth July, and reached this on the 16th instant. The Hoorungotta left on the 9th ult., and reached this on the lOth instant. The Megna took twenty-five days to reach this. The Benaree, with Beta in tow, and 1190 of the sth Fusiliers on board, reached this on the evening of the I•2th instant, and hastened off the next morning at seven o'clock. They have been detained at Mirzapore ever since to await orders from Sir J. Out ram ; a whole week thus lost. The steamer might have been at Cawnpore almost by this time. How are the troops expected out to be sent np•country if the steamers are kept up here in this absurd manner? If it was in. tended that the Calcutta and Mirzapore were to go up the Gogra, why could they not have been stopped at Dina pore till General Outram arrived? There is a sad want of a goad directing head in this part of the world. Each senior officer is supreme in his own little station, and just does what seems wise in his own eyes. Another letter from Allabahad states that the rebels were fortifying themselves on the banks of the river : of them dead. She then jumped into a well, and was killed. From fear of what this girl had done, none of the rebels would have anything to say to the English women, whom the Nana at first proposed to give to the soldiers ; 115 women and children were imprisoned with scarcely any food for six days, except gram and such stuff. The boat containing General Wheeler and other ladies and gentlemen got off for twenty-two miles, when they were seized by the zemiudars of Joagnuhar, and had their hands tied behind them, and were taken back to the Nana. Mrs. Read, Thomas Greenway, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. M'Kenzie, and Captain Mackenzie, and Dr. Harris and several Europeans were among the party. The Nana was much pleased; owing to the general's old age, he said, Loosen his arms.' Hoolar Singh, Kotwal of Cawnpore, said,' Don't do so.' The Nana said, ' Take them to the guard, and let the others remain where they are.' One sepoy and sower killed each an European. Dr. Harris was wounded with two balls, and then addressed the rebels, ' Shoot me, or kill me ; my countrymen will revenge my death before long.' Two sowers then cut him down, and he died. If the zemindars bad not seized this boat, all would have been saved in it. Those ladies who were first in the Nana's prison had their food of the worst description from the bazaar. Ten days after this he sent them to a house near the Assembly Rooms. Then the Nana wrote to Delhi mentioning the number of women and children which he had taken, and soliciting instruc tions regarding them. A reply was received that they were not to be killed. The Nana then enter tained servants for the prisoners. Again, shortly after the mutiny at Allahabad, a sower came in, and reported that one of the imprisoned ladies had written to Allahabad, and that a large body of Euro peans was advancing on Cawnpore. Then the Nana gave the older to kill every one, to spare no one. This took place on the 15th of July, but the general and others who were brought back with him were killed on the 2nd of the month. When the ladies heard of the Nana's order to kill them, they tore their clothes, and with the shreds fastened the doors. First the sowers killed the native doctor, the cook, and the metranee. Then one sower jumped over the wall and began the slaughter ; other sowers came through the doors, and all the prisoners were killed. This was duly reported to the Nana, who ordered the bodies to be cast into a well, and the twenty five women and children who had remained alive under the heap of dead bodies were killed by executioners, and some of the little children were dashed to pieces against the ground. This took place early on the morning of the 17th of July, and in the evening the Nana ran off to Bhitoor. Many wounded women were thrown into the well, with the dead bodies and earth. Before the Nana retreated he blew up the magazine." HAVELOCK'S BRIGADE. The following order was issued by General Have lock after the action at Bhitoor, when the enemy were defeated for the ninth time since the commence ment of the campaign : FIELD FORCE ORDER. Cawnpore, Aug. 17. The Brigadier• General commanding congratulates the hoops on the result of their exertions in the combat of yesterday. The enemy were driven, with the loss of 250 Killed and wounded, from one of the strongest positions in India, which they obdurately defended. They were the flower of the mutinous soldiery, flushed with the successful defection at Saugor and Fyzahail ; yet they stood only one short hour against a handful of soldiers of the State whose ranks had been thinned by sickness and the sword. May the hopes of treachery and rebellion be ever thus blasted ; and if conquest can now be achieved under the most trying circumstances, what will be the triumph and retribution of the time when the armies from China, from the Cape, and from England, shall sweep through the land ? Soldiers ! in that moment your labours, your privations, your sufferings, and your valour will not be forgotten by a gra'eful country. You will be acknowledged to have been the stay and prop of British India in the time of her severest trial. A letter from a non commissioned officer of her Majesty's 78th Highlanders is full of interest : Allahabad, Aug. 21. The news received from Cawnpore yesterday was any but cheering. Our brave little force at that place had just fought their ninth battle, and the state of the troops was frightful; nearly all were sick, and a great many were dying from cholera. They can scarcely muster BiO men, but even this small force, weak as they were, marched out twelve miles from Cawnpore to dislodge the enemy, beat them, and captured two guns; but poor fvllows, after this achievement they were so done up that they could not march back to Cawnpore, but had to halt till evening ere they could accomplish it, and even then a number died on the way. They are now, poor fellows, looking at each other, wondering who is to be the next victim of disease. They are waiting in Lucknow for rein forcements, and I think they will have to wait some time, for, though troops are arriving in Calcutta daily, still, as they aro sent up country, magistrates and others delay them for the better protection of the stations on the river ; but, unless General Havelock gets more troops to his assistance, I fear it 1%111 be a second Cawnpore business. 1009 The fort is on the left tank of the Ganges, on the way to Cawnpere, and we hear it is getting crowded with muti neers. They fancy they will be able to harass our steamers as they pass up with troops from Allahabad ; however, our gunboats will soon undeceive them in this respect, and we will hear of the walls being about their ears very shortly. I cannot conclude without noticing the fact of the sth Fusiliers being kept two days on board, there having been no preparation for their reception here, which is really too bad. Allahabad affords abundance of heathy sites for barracks, and the sooner these buildings are commenced the better, for a large body of Europeans must be stationed here to prevent a recurrence at any future day of the late disasters; for it is a notorious fact, that had the 13th Native Infantry played their game well, nothing could have saved the fort from being in their possession ; an 1 will you believe it, with 40,000 s►and of arms of all sorts, with a corresponding quantity of ammunition, there were no Europeans to garrison the fort; it was completely at the mercy of the sepoys. The gunboat that proceeded towards Cawnpore had returned after an engagement of some hours with the enemy, who had collected in considerable numbers abreast of the fort, situated between Cawnpore and Allahabad. We had four or five sailors wounded—one severely ; but one hundred of the mutineers were slaughtered. The steamer has, however, returned without clacking the fort, for what reason I am unable to say. JUBBULPORE. A letter from Jubbulpore has been received from serjeant-major of the 52nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry:— Jnhbnlpore, 3rd Aught, 1857. My dear Mother,—l am happy to he able to write this letter to you, as I expected to be launched into eternity this two months back, and every day since, up to the present. About 70,000 of the Bengal native troops have mutinied, and it is expected the whole will break out in mutiny. The mutineers murdered all the Europeans they could lay hands on, men, women, and children. My regi ment has not mutinied yet, but it is not known the moment they will do so. All my officers, with all the Europeans in this station, are collected into the commissioner's bungalow, for protection. We have plenty of small arms, such as muskets, swords, and spears, but we have not one piece of cannon. Poor Mirk Blanchfield, his wife, and five children were cut up in Cawnpore last month (14th). About 600 of our countrymen, women, and children, were cut up in Cawpore by the mutineers ; Ist company 6th battalion, Foot Artillery; 2nd company of her Majesty's 32nd Foot; seventy-five men of the Ist Madras Fusiliers ; the officers of the 2nd Light Cavalry, Ist, 53rd, and 56th Regiments of Infantry and Artillery, with all the staff of the station, military and civil. All the above were in trenched in the Artillery Hospital, but for want of food and ammu nition were compelled to surrender to the mutineers to be butchered. Fifty-five men, women, and children, were cut up in Jhansi in the same manner.—ln some of the stations they took the baby from the mother, held it by both feet, and then tore it in two as you would a piece of cloth, and cut up the wife in presence of the husband, and him after. In other places they cut open the infante and forced the entrails into the mothers' mouths. In more, they ill-used the ladies and cut them up. In Allahabad, they nailed some of our countrymen and women to trees and burned them alive. More, they cut the limbs from the body, and lastly the head. Also, in Allahabad, they stripped the women naked, made them run through the streets by the point of the sword, and after cut them up. It is frightful to bear how the E ,, ropeans are slaughtered in this country. I don't know the moment it will come to my turn; but my dependence is in the Almighty. Where we are at present is ivtrenched all round, but we cannot count ourselves site till we get relief from England of troops. There would not be one white face in this country at this date, only for the China troops that came to our assistance. I am sorry to inform Mr. and Mrs. Mara that I saw the death of poor Tom in the general orders. Two years back be belonged to the Ist troop 3rd brigade of H)rse Artillery. He died at Peshawur. If yon should never hear from us more, pray for us.—Your affectionate son, One of our correspondents in the Behar district, writes as follows, dating his letter the 24tli of August P. O'NEILL. The Mahomedan portion of the Behar population unani mously think, that in appointing Ameer Ally as Deputy Commissioner of Patna, Government is trying hard to conciliate their favour, nay, it may be to wheedle them into submission. The Christians and Hindoos regard the appointment as anything but well timed. They see in it a cloud (as big as a man's hand at present) which they positively regard as the herald of a storm. We hear on good authority that the incionshee assembled a large portion of the Mahomedans in a certain " bagh " ( garden ), in Patna, and delivered a public address. It is to be regretted that the topic of the discourse has not been made known to us. The Patna people may think what they choose; the public here are of one " notion," to the effect that the moonshee will leave no mewls untried to feather his nest well, so as to keep him warm and comfortable for all time to come. A tremendous explosion of the magazine at Joud pore is reported. Upwards of 1,000 naives were destroyed. SUMBULPORE. The following is an extract of a letter from our correspondent in Sumbulpore : The mutineers, who are moving towards this, hive been headed by one, named Sunder Shah, a relative of the late rajah of this place. They are said to be numerous. All our hope now lies in the conduct of the detachment of troops stationed here. These fellows, I fear to say, are the