The Press. — London, England, 1857-11-28 00:00:00

P''' 1150 INDIA. DELHI-AGRA-LUCKNOW, The following telegram was received at the Foreign•office at 10.15 a.m., Nov. 25, 1857 : ALEXANDRIA, November 18, 1857. intelligence per Bentisick, which arrived at Suez yester day from Calcutta:— The following ships, with troops, had arrived at Cal catta:—Steamship Thebes (I), steamship Golden Fleece (2), and steamship Caledonian (3). Passed ships Area (41 and Bueephalus (5) at Sand Heads. At Madras there were—steamship United Kingdom (8), steamship Carthage (7), and ship Alnwick Castle (8), on the 4th of November. At Galle there had arrived, on the 23rd, steamship Australian (9) ; 25th, steamship Robert Lowe (10) and steamship Candia (11) ; 29th, ship Whirlwind (12) and ship Stuelta (13); 30th, steamship John Bell (14) and ship William Hammond (15). Her Majesty's ship Simoon and steamship Mauritius were there, to receive troops ftom sailing vessels; and her Majesty's ship Advert. ture had sailed. Reports are rife of threatening disturbances at Hydera bad, and critical position of the mutineers, Bundeelahs (?). The steamer Caledonian ordered from Calcutta to Masulipatam, to land her troops there. Havelock in the Residency of Lucknow with 1,500 men; 1,000 more, with sick and wounded, are at Alumbar, distant three miles: communication between the two difficult. The enemy said to be in great force, and very strong in artillery. A convoy of provisions from Cawnpore had arrived at Lucknow shortly after its relief, escorted by 250 men, who, it is said, got in unmolested, in consequence of the sepoys being busily engaged intrenching themselves. Reinforcements being sent up with all speed from Cal cutta. Detachments, amounting in all to 1,200 Europeans, were to have left Cawnpore for Lucknow on the 16th of October. The garrison at the latter place could easily force their way out, but the general does not wish to expose the women and children to further danger. Nana Sahib is said to be near Bithoor again. Nothing was known at Calcutta of his reported capture by the Belooch Battalion. Maun Singh, heretofore our friend, has turned against us since the storming of Delhi was announced. Part of the 32nd [slst ?] Native Infantry mutinied at Deese [Dacca?), and murdered two of their officers; and the Maharajah of Oralius [Gwalior, or Oudey pore ?] is reported to have been murdered by his own people. Colonel Greathed's column, consisting of her Majesty's 9th Foot and 9th Lancers, two troops Horse Artillery, one line 4th Field Battery, five 12-inch mortars, two companies of Punjaub Sappers, 2nd and 4th Punjaub Infantry, 125 detachment of Punjaub Cavalry, and 200 Hodson's House, about 3,000 in all, in pursuit of Delhi fugitives, fell in with the enemy at Bolnndshuhur, and after two hours' fighting routed them, with heavy loss of men, two guns, and ammunition. Our loss was fifty killed and wounded. Malaghur was afterwards taken and blown up. Fought them again successfully at Allyghur, on the sth; 400 of the enemy cut up, two guns taken. The column reached Agra on the 14th. The enemy made a sudden and unexpected attack on cantonments, were repulsed, utterly dispersed, and pursuit continued up to the Kharee. Great numbers killed. 1,000; all the guns, 43 ; plunder, camp equipage, and five lacs of treasure capture], with small loss on our side. Some Delhi fugitives in the neighbourhood of Bithoor were attacked by Colonel Nelson, with a small force from Cawnpore, on the 18th, and driven out of the place, which was strong. Cavalry much wanted everywhere, and transport animals. Two large ships in tow of steamers had been sent to Rangoon for elephants. A column under Brigadier Showers, 1,200 men and four guns, had marched [through ?] Bulubgurh in pursuit of rebels. The fell of Delhi has a marked effect in Meerut and contiguous districts. Revenue has [been ?) brought in very rapidly, and loyalty was the order of the day. Commander•in-chief had ordered that a standing camp of 2,000 men be instantly organised at Konugunge [Ranee Gunge ?]. (1) Thebes, sailed July 31, with 209 troops of the 36th Regiment. (2) Golden Fleece, sailed Aug. 6, with 934 troops of the 34th and 42nd Regiments. (3) Caledonia, sailed July 26, with 97d troops of the Ist Regiment. (4) Areta, sailed June 13, with 214 troops of the East India Company. (5) bucephalus, sailed July 1, with 223 troops of the nth Regiment. (8) United Kingdom, sailed Aug. 4, with 410 troops of the 38th and Rifle Brigade. (7) Carthage, sailed Aug. 1, with 220 troops of the 36th Regiment. (8) Alnwick Cattle, sailed July 23, with 422 troops of the 19th Regiment. (9) Australian, sailed Aug. 15, with 306 troops of the 42nd Regiment. (10) Robert Lowe, sailed July 28, with 438 troops of the Ist Regiment. (11) Candle, sailed Aug. 15, with 672 troops of the 19th, 20th, 34th, an 4 97th Regiments. (12) Whirlwind, sailed July 3U, with 953 troops of the 19th and 42nd Regiments. (13) Susetta, date of sailing not known. (14) John Bell, sailed Aug. 6, with 406 troops of the 88th and 60th Regiments. (15) William Hammond, sailed July 23 With 238 troops of the s3sh, 53rd, and 00th Regiments. THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 28, 1857. Peninsular and Oriental steamer may be expected at Suez, to convey troops to Calcutta, on the 24th instant. Bentinck met Pottinger and Hindustan on the 12th, and Emeu on the 14th instant. All well. This message is forwarded from Malta by Admiral Lord Lyons at 11.15 a.m. on November 24th, 1857, having just been received from Alexandria by British steamer Dutchman. Lvoxs, Admiral and Commander in-Chief. Consul Crum. Cagliari, Nov. 24,9 p.m. The following telegram was received at the Foreign-office on the 25th of November, 1857, of 10.40 a.m.:— The Vectis, just arrived from Alexandria, brings no further news than was communicated this morning by telegraph, except that Lucknow was reinforced by her Majesty's 63rd and 93rd Regiments about the 24th of October. By the 30th Oreathed would raise Havelock's army to 7,000 men. Lord LYONS. Cagliari, November 24, 1857, 4 p.m. The following was received the same day at the India Board : The Madras Presidency continued quiet throughout. In the Bombay Presidency there was no serious die turbance ; but the Punjaub, and Rajpootana especially were unsatisfactorily situated for want of troops. DELHI. DESCRIPTION OF THE SIEGE OP DELIII. Extracts of letters from a young officer with the besieging force at Delhi, to his mother : September 24. ....Thank God, everything is again quiet, and I can write to you as before, having now p!enty of leisure. We attacked Delhi on the 14th, and took it by storm. The atmosphere of bullets we were in for an hour or so was something beyond description, and how any one escaped I cannot imagine, but I did escape without even a wound, and that night before I laid me down on my hard bed (for we had to sleep on the ground, the whole of Delhi not being in our possession) I thanked God for his merciful deliverance. Our loss that day was 61 officers and 1,380 men killed and wounded. Officers who were in the Cabul campaign, and in the Sutlej and Punjaub campaigns, say the fighting there was mere child's play compared with what we have had here. We have also Crimean officers here who have been rather astonished at what they have had to undergo, and who much preferred the Crimea to Delhi ! In my regiment we bad 1 officer killed, 1 dangerously wounded, 1 severely, and 1 slightly; 38 men killed, and 49 wounded ; many of whom died afterwards—this out of a little regiment that went into action only 280 men strong, including everyone ! Every regiment suffered severely, but when we got inside, the bayonet commenced its silent work. The way we took the place was this :—The ad. vanced batteries knocked down a portion of the wall, and we had to get into the ditch, then climb up ladders, and scramble on the best way we - could. I shall never forget the morning of the storm. We knew well enough the night before what would hap pen on the morrow, but everything went on as usual. We went to mess, and were all very cheerful. I soon after went to bed, determined to have a good sleep. At two a.m. we all got up, and I buckled on my sword and fell in with the coverers. I was told off to cover the ladder-party—anything but an enviable situation in an attack, as you are ahead of all. We had to march about three miles, and when we were close to the walls—i.e., about fifty yards or so—we laid down and waited for the order to advance. lean time the shot came tearing over us, and it was almost impossible to lift one's head up. Numbers of wouuded and killed men and officers were constantly being carried off, which was not a cheering sight. At last we got the order to advance. It, was now broad daylight, and up we all rose. 1 waved my sword, and, shouting to the men to follow me, dashed into the fire, neck or nothing. How I escaped I can not make out. However, I got to the ditch in safety, a very steep and deep one and I had to slide down it, and thus we got inside. Then came a fierce rattle of musketry, which lasted about forty minutes, and afterwards the different columns dispersed over the city. I happened to come into one of their largest bastions, one that had annoyed us cruelly during the siege, when I immediately turned the guns against the enemy, who were outside in great numbers, and astonished them not a little with grape and round shot both together. The scoundrels could not believe that we could scale their walls ; so, many of them had not time to bolt, and hundreds were bayoneted in consequence. Many concealed themselves in houses, under bedding, Sze., but the men soon dragged them out and shot them. Their vile bodies lie all over the city, and the stench is something fearful.... Well, after getting into Delhi we bad to shell the palace, Jumma, Musjid and fort, and the whole city. At last the place became too hot to hold them, and the remainder bolted in every direction, without leaders, money, or ammunition—so Ido not think it will be long before they meet with their just deserts. After we got into Delhi we were still under a very hot fire of all sorts. One bullet struck the ground between my feet one day, which is the nearest I have seen, although many a one bad pinged about my ears and head. The King and Begum wera caught a day or two ago, and are close prisoners ; he looks like a very dirty " kitmutgar," or worse. Two of the King's sons and his grandson, the wretches who ordered our poor ladies to be murdered, were yesterday caught and shot, and I had the pleasure of seeing their bodies lying in a cart ; they were afterwards spread out in the " Cutwallie," the scene of theft atrccities, for the public to gaze at them. A European ser geant has also been caught who has been with the mutineers the whole time, and who directed their guns drc., and he will, I hope, meet the tate he deserves. The quiet now seems quite strange, and is cer tainly very pleasant, for during the last two months we have heard nothing but the roar of cannon, the TO THE EAST INDIA HOUSE. Dated Cagliari. Intelligence from Calcutta of the 22nd of October. Important papers had been found in the palace at Delhi. Nothing, however, of date anterior to the outbreak at Meerut. A commission has been issued for the trial of the King, and it was uncertain whether any promise of his life had been made. _ _ Sir J. Lawrence superintends the of the Delhi territory. Colonel tireathed's column arrived at Alloy Forek [? fourth] October, defeated the fanatics there, and marched on to Akrabad on the sth, which they destroyed, and reached Agra on the 10th, where they were attacked suddenly by the mutineers (Undore and Ohopar) [lndore and Gwalior?], whom they soon defeated, with the loss of thirteen guns and all their camp equipage, driving the survivors across Kharee. The latest date from his camp is the 14th of October, when he had crossed the Jamna, and was making the best of his way to Lucknow. Indian [write?) on the 10th of October that the muti- neers of the Gwalior Contingent were marching towards Cawnpore via Jhansi. The intelligence from Lucknow is 13th of October. General Outratn had urgently applied for large supplies and reinforcements to be organised at Allumbamek, about four miles from the Residency, in preference to Cawnpore. Communication between Allumbamek and Cawnpore quite open, but not between Allumbamek and the Resi• dency, in the neighbourhood of which the whole rebel force is concentrated. convoy of provisions reached Allumbamek safely on October 6th from Cawnpore. About 3,000 or 4,000 fugitives from Delhi, with four guns, were expected to reach Sheorajpore, near Bithoor, on October 19th, bat on the same day a force of 600 men, with guns, from Cawn• pore, attacked the rebels, and utterly dispersed them. 13ajoinh Singh, it is certain, has turned against,us, and it is supposed that most of the large Tallookdars have also. Accounts from Rajah [Rewah?l of 16th October, stating that Lieutenant Osborne's house was threatened with about 2,000 rebels, who were deterred attacking him from the preparations he had made. A wing of the 17th Madras Infantry, with two guns, was ordered to march to his relief, and arrived at the Cuttra Pass, and his position improved. The Europeans at Saugor are still in the fort, and relief urgently required. The protraction of the contest before Delhi had begun to tell on the population of Ahepursaub [the Punjaubl. Nothing from Rajpootana, Central India, Bundelcund, Hyderabad, or Nagpore. No accounts from Bombay of 13th November, 1857. Two more of the King's sons have been sentenced to be shot, and execution was to take place on 13th October. The Bheels at Chaudup have dispersed, and tranquillity prevails throughout Gourjeret. The Bheels are still in rebellion at Nassick, on the frontiers of Kadkandash. All quiet in Scinde, Bombay, Madras, and the Nizam's dominions. The Vectis will leave Malta st p.m. ( hour omitted.) MONTANARO. The Bombay and China mails arrived at Alexan dria on the 21st, with dates from Calcutta, Nov. 23, Bombay, Nov. 3, and Hong Kong, Nov. 10. The only additions to the above intelligence which this mail and a later despatch from Trieste brings are to the effect that both Outram and Havelock were shut up in the Residency at Lucknow, and that General Penny was in command of the Delhi garrison : On the 15th of October two regiments of the Kotah Con- tingent had mutinied and had murdered Major Barton, the Political Agent, and several other English residents. A conspiracy had been discovered among the Bombay Grenadiers at Ahmedabad and the conspirators executed. Brigadier Showers's column was scouring the country round Delhi, advancing to Kootule, and afterwards to Renaree, which they found abandoned by Rao Jooleran, who left his guns, &c., behind him. Two other sons of the King of Delhi had been executed, and the King was to be tried by a military commission.