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

then by great bodies of men, who advance, create a panic, and retire. Mirzepore was threatenei on the night of the 10th of November by the mutinous companies of the 3'2nd, and as there was a disarmed regiment in the city itself, the inhabitants were collected fur security. Where do these "great bodies of men" spring from ? We hear constantly of nothing but the defeat and dispersion and slaughter of the rebels, and nowhere more effectually has it been declared than in Southern Bengal ; and yet within a few hundred miles of Calcutta wo find Allahabad, Benares—for at Benares, too, mischief is brewing— and .Thrzapore, constantly threatened by " Brea bodies of men " ! Of the intentions of the Oude rebels little is known : Speculation is rife as to the future policy of the rebels. According to one opinion they will, on tile fall of Luck now, disperse, seek shelter in the 400 forts with which Oudo is studded, and there maintain a desultory war. Ac cording to another, they will disperse, outmarch us, as they have always done, and penetrate by detachments into Central India. In that pestilent nest of rsjahling., nawabs, chiefs, independent zemindars, and titled vaga bonds of every kind, the materials of insurrection are ready to their hands. They will be able, too, to raise the Bombay army should it he at heart disloyal, and in the very heart of the continent, protected by thousands of square miles of jungle, by the absence of roads, and by their distance from our true base—the sea—they rcay maintain themselves for months. One thing is certain; the majority of the sepoys disbelieve the fall of Delhi. The Kotah regiments mutinied in consequence of that belief. The :32nd Native Infantry considered the story an invention. The sepoys at Lahore laugh at the assertions of Government. Even the men at Barrackpore doubt and ask travellers. " Lucknow has been relieved," writes a correspon dent, " but not taken possession of; indeed, the latest news only places us in one of its outskirts, which was not gained until after some very severe fighting ": My opinion is that there will yet be very serious opposi tion in Owle ; and where the news of the fall of Delhi is believed, it does not seem to have had the anticipated effect. But you will he surprised to learn that it is very generally disbelieved by Malloinedims; and here, in Calcutta, it is a fact that up to this dsy they believe that we land a regiment and send it down the river again and re-land it, as a means of impressing the people with an ides of the rapidity with which large reinforcements are arriving. This seems incredible, but I repeat that it is a fact. The following, from a letter from Cawnpore, dated Nov. 14, speaks confidently of the speedy arrival of as . Troops have been arriving here nearly every day since the commander-in-chief left, and have been sent after him with all possible despatch. I hear that his excellency reviewed his men on the II th instant, and that all ex pected to be busily employed soon. The Post-office people have just told me that two mails have been plun dered between this and Agra. I hope this will induce the powers that be to send a small force upwards, to clear the road and quiet the disturbed districts. From Ilhow- Kong upwards, all is, I believe, tranquil ; hut from that place down to this, the rebels are keeping up the fun, anti will not give in, I suppose, till a score or two are strung up or shot. I should say that the force already in Gude is sufficient to smother the rebellion there ; it con sists of Ist Madras Fosil:era, Queen's Oth, tith, 9th, ( Lancers), f 12.1. 23t1,:53d, 04th, 75th, 8 . 23, 84th, 90th, 78th, a splendid force of artillery, some of the Rifle Brigade, Royal Sappers, Native Sappers, Sikh Cavalry and Infantry, altoge'•her amounting to about 12,000 men. More troops are on the road up, and most of them will, I suppose, be stationed here to frighten or beat off the Gwalior rascals, who are said to be at Calpee threatening to come here anti try our metal, but I expect they will find and look out for ' metal " more attractive in the treasury of some station not so well protected as this. This would appear to be satisfactory ; but then a day's later intelli:zence from Cawnpore received at Bombay states that these vory troops despatched to Sir Colin's aid had been recalled f(r the protection of Cawnpore, threatened by the Gwalior rebels : These men, formidable from their numbers (between SAM and 11.,0110 strong ), their discipline, and their power fill field and siege artillery, were, when last I wrote of them, supposed to be at Cal pee, on the Jumna, bound for Oude. It now appears that in the earlier days of last month they crossed the river into the Doab, and on the lath were within thirty-five miles of Cawnpore. This distance they afterwards, as we hear, reduced to &teen. and General Windham, commanding at Cavrnpore, is stated to have even le t the station to give theni battle ; but, with that irresolution and want of purpose that have marked all their proceedings as compared with those of other mutineers, they suddenly turned back to the Jumna, re crossed it, soil again encamped at Calpee. What they now intend to do we cantiot di►ine. Strength they have in abundance. The majority of the Dinapore mutineers from Banda are said to have joined them. Nana Sahib is still urging them to more active measures, and it is quite pos sible that I may have to write in my next of an irruption into liundelenntl or a march upon Sancti-. Some think that they do not want to fight ; but sooner or later they will have to fight, for, if sluggish in their movements now, they were active enough in murder and mutiny four months ago, and they must be attacked and punished ac- THE PRESS, JANUARY 2,1858. cordingly. But every day spent by them in inaction now is a clear gain to us, for after a while we shall be able to hem them in if they attempt a southward movement by columns from Cawnpore, Kamptee, and Indore.—Times cur. Official despatches forwarded to Calcutta describe the contingent as still occupying Calpee, whilst the letter from Cawnpore of the 15th November, alluded to above, states " that the Gwalior and other forces at Calpee had rapidly repaired the bridge of boats at that place, crossed the Jumna with all their guns, and marched downwards to the Ganges. This," adds the letter, " accounts for the employment of additional Europeans on the intrenchments of Cawn pore, and the recall of 400 men sent on the day before to Lucknow." Lord Eiphinstone's last communi cated news seems to c •nfirm the intelligence in the following words :—" Gwalior mutineers at Calpee ; General Windham supposed to Lave left Cawnpore to attack them." The Mojusailite of Nov. 21 adds more detailed information, saying that the Gwalior mutineers had at length advanced from Calpte in the direction of Cawnpore. On the 15th ult. their main body, estimated from 8,000 to 12,000 men, was About thirty-five miles south-west of that place. They had left their siege train and spare ammuni tion in the fort of Jaloun, under a guard, taking with them only twenty•four light guns. Nana Sahib had sent an advanced guard of 2,000 men to operate in conjunction with the Gwalior troops, and he him self was expected to follow with a larger force from Guile, and would probably put himself at the head of the rebels. Of the position and plans of the mutineers the Mofassilite says further : The Dinapore mutineers from Banda, lately beaten at lihnjwa, are en mute to join, if they have not already done so. and about 1,000 cavalry from Delhi were posted, ou the 15th, between Shewlee and Sikundra, forming with the Shewlee and Gwalior force a complete cordon across the Doab from the Ganges to the Jumna, and a complete line of communication between Futtehpore Chowrasee, where the Nana was by last accounts, and Jaloun. It was be lieved that the moment Sir Colin Campbell attacked Lucknow a portion of the mutineers would fall back by a detour on Cawnpore, which they would simultaneously, with the above•mentioned troops, attack, after breaking the bridge of boats behind them, so as to prevent Sir Colin recrossing the Ganges. The Nawab of Furruckabad, it is imagined, will send his troops to join in the hostile move ment, though he is too sick to accompany them himself. Letters from Agra of Nov. ?3rd state that the rebels had again retreated to Calpee. The Delhi Gazette and the Hurkaru contain the following extracts of letters from Brigadier Hope Grant's camp. They are interesting, as showing the nature of the enemy in Oude with whom we have to deal : Camp, six miles from Alumbagh, Nov. 3, 18-17. We had our first fight in Oude yesterday, but it was the mildest affair that has taken place since we left Delhi. We marched from our last ground at seven o'clock, with tne intention of encamping on a large plain a mile and a half nearer Lucknow, there to await Sir Colin Campbell. We had not gone a mile before our advanced guard was fired upon by the enemy, who had taken up a position in a large village near the road. We were soon in the thickest of it, and were not long in tinning our friends the Mattadeens out of their position, after which we could not persuade them to come within musket-shot. It was with great diffi culty our cavalry managed to come up to their rear. We bagged upwards of 101) of them in the village, and after wards took the only two guns they had. Our loss amounted to one killed and about ten wounded. Some of the 44th Native Infantry men were killed fighting against us, and actually had their leave certificates on them. We have taught the zernindars, a number of whom were op posed to us yesterday. a lesson they are not likely to forget in a hurry. Every village for miles round has been burnt to the ground, and the whole country seems as if it was on tire. After pursuing the fmetives to within two miles of Alumbagh, we retired to this place. Sir Colin is expected out to-day, and if he arrives we shall probe)) , move on to Alumbagh to-morrow morning. We can hear the Lucknow guns quite distinctly. There has been very heavy firing there this morning. The men of the Punjaub regiments are delighted with the 03rd Highlanders, who are certainly splendid men, and always march in their kilts and bonnets. The Punjenbees call them " Tape wallas," and the " Tuintslia ka Pultun." They admire the bagpipes more than anything. and want to have a Rajah like it. The following is from a correspondent of the Hurkant, with the relieving force in Conde : Camp about twelve miles from Lucknow, 4th Nov. We have been encamped here for three days waiting for Sir Colin, who is expected in camp to-day. We have hitherto met with no opposition, though our movements are most narrowly watched by the evaporating, enemy. On the 3rd they expected us to march as we always do at four or three in the morning, and had filled a villee,e on the road with infantry, intending, it is supposed, to allow our column to pass and then to attack and to loot our luggage. As luck would have it, an order came which caused us to break up our camp and march at delight, so we disappointed our friends, and instead of plundering as they expected, they were killed and burnt out them selves Yesterday some al:ie. - in villages were burnt mind our camp. We have never done this where unopposed, but op position rules the men, and incendiarism is a sure collie gitenze. Now we are io Onde we can scarcely make a mis take. The whole country is risen, under their chiefs, against us; and unless we show that to be a losing game, they will fancy that we are weak and unable to punish; from what I saw on the 3rd, the enemy we have to deal with here is utterly to be despised away from their loopholed walls and cover. I never saw large bodies of men absquotu late so suddenly in my life ; like figures in a magic lantern, they are here and in a moment vanisn entirely. This is a good deal to be accounted for by the fact of the greater part of the country being covered by high jower crops, so high that an army can hide itself although close to you. The sugar. cane katea are also splendid cover, and save hundreds of wretches from the sabres of our cavalry. Another writer gives a vivid description of the posi tion Wheeler so gallantly defended at Cawnpore : Just on the right hand side of the road, beyond the 12:th milestone from Allahabad, stand the old Dragoon barracks, and if anyone were to give a true photograph of them, no one could persuade them that for twenty-two days th 'se barracks were held by hardy soldiers ; that tendetly-rearei English ladies could have braved it out there would be incredible. As for the intrenchment one heard of, a child would ride his pony full gallop over it, and not know he had left the level plain. One barralk has no roof—it was burned and fell in; it is just like the Meean Meer barracks, centre and verandah rooms in three long wards. 1 never saw buildings so riddled with ball; not a foot of the surface but is hit; all the verandahs beaten down—a little bit stands to show there was a verandah; every side is equally smashed ; on all sides the cowards poured shot on that little band whom they bad not pluck to attack. About the floor lie mementoes, children's clothes, socks, shoes, scraps of letters and papers, music.books. G. picked no Wheeler's lest pay certificate, B. a book having on the titlepage the name of a lady he knew, and so on. Low down on one wall is the scar of a ball ; all iound it the blood and brains and hair of young Wheeler, who, lying on the floor wounded, his sister kneel ing over and fanning him, was killed by this ball. T., one of the survivors, is here now. and can point out everything to us. The Cliabootra of the well is smashed to bits, showing how that was a special mark. In one corner of the inclostire lie the hones of animals, bullocks. Really no one can imagine the nothingness of the intrenchment and the utter smashing of the buildings until he sees them. As we walked through those rooms we didn't speak ; I, fur one, could not : I should have sobbed with pity and rage— nearly all the latter in attempting it. One felt inclined to vow one's life to revenge, to swear to kill so many a day of that cursed race, to tear all pity from one's heart : it made one's heart stone and one's brain are. I would, not go again there for anything. Of the rest of India a rapid sketch only must suffice. The insurrection in Western India has not yet attained the proportions to be anticipated. 'The campaign against the insurgents of Mundesore has been successfully opened, and one object at least completely attained. Neemuch is relieved, Mehid pore and Muudesore reoccupied. This rapid success will enable Sir Hugh Rose to turn eastward, instead of following the enemy beyond Neemuch. A sufficient force left in the latter place will keep the rebels now at Naghur in check, and the main body is now doubtless on its way to Sehore. Brigadier C. Stuart's column will move on Hoshungabad, as at first arranged, and prevent the insurgents from con centrating themselves against Saugor, which is still in a perilous position. One of the first operations to be undertaken in this quarter will he to clear Oodeypoor of malcontents. The Minister writes from thence that the cantonments have beeen burnt and plundered, and that the few houses left un destroyed by the Bengal sepoys have been levelled with the ground. The fort of Oodeypoor bad been surrounded by insurgents, many of them Mekranees from Mundesore, who had erected batteries against it, which, fortunately, were soon silenced, probably because the ammunition failed. Joudpore, the capital of another principality, north-west of Oodeypoor, is in a position equally critical. The political agent remains there, however, as usual, and his position will no doubt he improved by the defeat of the rebellious legion of that State. This corps concentrated itself after the mutiny of September, and took the direction of Delhi. Follow ing the western ridge of the Aravulli-hills it left Geypore on the right, and finally reached Narnsnl, or Narnol, on the road from Hansi to Neemuch. Re cruiting its force from the fugitives of Delhi, Rewarree, Kanoud, Dadree, and all the places lately taken by Showers' brigade, it mustered at last a force of 5,000 men, with five or six guns. The latter were distributed on the roads leading from Ajmere and Delhi. Showers' brigade, when it left Kanoud, heard that the Joudpore legion was in the vicinity, and marched accordingly to Rewarree, where tho legion was not. The brigadier's proceedings are well described in the following letter : Some report about the Joudpore legion being at Naniol was current in eamp, and this was the reason assigned for our looking up Rewarree. Thence we went to Goorgaon, twenty miles from Delhi. The Carabineers leaving the column halted, started to Furrucknuggnr, where twenty of the Newel'''. sowers were abet. Auer this, instead of skirting the hills, we entered them, crossed a tract of bills running without order, and at a range of from 9.00 to 300 feet high, with here and there a peak of 500, until we quitted them again at Sonah. Our object was to punish the wild Mewattees who inhabit these hills, and whose natural trade is plunder. As we found every town had been burnt and gutted by the Mewattees, we