The Press. — London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

884 We came within 500 yards, and then the infantry were ordered to lie down, and our guns, three on each flank, opened. This continued for three hours, during which their cavalry (we had none but a few volunteers) came at us several times and once charged through us from the rear, very nearly' boning" me. As I was on a grey mare, I presume I attracted notice. Yon never heard such firing; the shrapnel' shells, round shot, and grape, to say nothing of hundreds of musket balls, were flying about our ears as thick as hail. I was with our left buttery when they blew up two of our tumbrils and dismounted one of our three guns. What a cheer they gave ! Then from behind the village out dashed a party of cavalry. Up jumped a com pany of the 3rd and gave them a volley, which empted half their saddles, and sent them to the right about. At length the order was given to assault the village in two canning. I went with the left one. Lord, what a peppering we got ! I don't know how on earth so tew were killed. Well, we drove them from the village and spiked a gun. I saw this Nat the time, awl galloped back to tell the brigadier they were flying in confusion. He ordered me instantly to bring up the guns. I went, but, alas! not a round of ammu nition remained. I certainly thought that we were done, and that not a man would reach Agra alive. Of course we retreated at once, they walking into us with a 6-pounder as we went. Thomas, the major of the :Ird, was shot at the village. Poor D'o2.ly was mortally wounded ; many others were done for Altogether, we lost one man in six. . . We passed straight through the cantonments into the fort. Soon all the splendid barracks and houses were in a flame, but we were left unmolested. All the women and children are safe in the fort. I am now a COWL I have of it. This is a war of extermination. The Mahomedans have made tools of the Hindoos, and now are showing in their true colours. Their hope is not to leave a single Christian alive. Please goodness, they'll be acid yet! They'll have no mercy from me. I've already fairly killed with my sword between twenty-five and thirty of them, besides having cut down a good many more. My only wound of consequence is a sword•cut in the left arm, which I received when storming a village on foot. The fellow fought well, but I at length killed him with a blow which nearly cut his head in two. This was on the Ist inst., just before our regi• went mutinied. I was very savage that day. Just as I bad done with the chap I wounded I had a turn up with four more. They knocked over the only sowar who was with me with a sort of battle-axe. I had one pistol with me, with which I blew the head of one of them to pieces, and then turned and ran ; but my foot slipped, and down J came. Luckily, I was up again before they could polish me off; but I felt too done to run any more, so turned on them and wounded two in a moment. To my intense delight they then ran off, but were met by some sowars hunting for me, and all killed. officer, and precious hard work THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 5, 1857. and the guns we were protecting, and cut down several of our volunteer horsemen : we bad to form our company into three sides of a square and stand till they came at us, but they never did. Our loss was very great-30 killed, and 3 officers and 92 men wounded, of whom $ have since died, and 2 others of sunstroke today. The artillery lost 3 killed and 17 wounded, among whom were 2 officers, poor D'Oyley ( since dead) and Captain Lamb, whose recovery is most doubtful. Of the militia and volunteers 0 were killed and 18 wounded, of whom H were officers an d civilians. Total loss :—killed or died of wounds, 51; wounded, 90; out of about S(X) engaged. Is not this a bloody action for our first essay ? The enemy's loss is said by themselves to have been over 500, and we spiked one of their guns. Fancy, in the village the women loaded the men's muskets and handed them to the men to fire. Soon after we returned to the fort the whole of the bungalows ( houses) were in flames, and a grand sight it was, too. The enemy, we hear, expected we had gone back for ammu- nition and were coming out against them next day, and so off they bolted and went in the direction of Muttra, and never came on here at all. Another officer, attached to the 2nd Cavalry, adds : The battle of Shahgunge lasted about two hours ; we suc• ceeded in taking the village, but having run short of ammu nition (not another shot being left to fire from the guns) we retired into cantonments, and then into the fort of Agra. Our loss was forty-nine killed and ninety-one wounded— very heavy indeed, one in three. We were obliged to come into the fort immediately after the action, as the instant our backs were turned to go out to give battle to the rebel force at Shahgungo the villains in the city of Agra set fire to nearly every bungalow, barrack, and church in the place, and it would be difficult to give you a correct description of the scene which pre sented itself at night, the whole place being in a blaze, more nearly resembling a scene in the P,•ophete than any thing I can think of. The whole seems a war of extermi nation of all Europeans in India, and a blessed thing it will be when European regiments come out to assist us. We are now shut up here, ',AR/ fighting men with ammuni tion, and about 4,000 or 5,000 altogether, eagerly awaiting the arrival of European troops. Numerous other letters give details of the battle, and one writer gives a touching incident. Poor D'Oyly, mortally wounded, refused to be carried from the field, but sitting propped up on a tumbril gavo his orders with coolness and decision. "When I am gone," he said, " place a stone over my grave, and say I died fighting my guns to the last." This is but ono instance of the heroism which animates our officers and men. The fort of Agra is well provisioned" for 6 months," says one writer; but then their fighting men aro few, and hence their position not without hazard. The enemy, after burning the town and canton ments, retired towards Bhurtpore, a fortress long since dismantled, but capable of being restored to its original strength by judicious labour. Bhurtpore in 1805 cost Lord Lake 3,000 men killed in four disastrous assaults. In 1826 it was taken by Lord Combermere after six weeks of open trenches by an assault, which cost us 550 killed and wounded. The mud walls may yet witness a third no less dangerous and tedious siege. With regard to the rest of the important intelli gence brought by this mail, the l'unjaub appears less quiet than is generally asserted. At Jhelum the 14th Bengal Native Infantry broke out ;n open mutiny on an attempt being made to disarm them, shot several British officers and soldiers, and finally escaped to the Cashmere frontier. Sir John Lawrence, anxious to prevent their gaining an en trance into Cashmere, had despatched a strong force to Puklee, where it was believed 700 mutineers were assembled. At Sealkote also, on the 9th July, a serious mutiny broke out in the 46th Native Infantry, and the 9th Bengal Cavalry. Several officers were mur dered, the stations burned, and the rebels started off for Delhi. Sir John Lawrence, at Lahore, instantly despatched Brigadier Nicholson in pursuit. On the 12th he caught them on the banks of the Ravee- Trimmoo About nine this morning information was received that the Sealkote mutineers were crossing at Trimmoo by a ford. In about ten minutes the column was in motion, and reached within a mile of Trimmoo by twelve o'clock ; the column here deployed, the nine guns covered by the infantry. All this time we could distinctly see the 411th formed in line, in front of us, with the 9th Cavalry on either flank. They had also videttes far out. watching, who fell back as we advanced; when within SOO yards of the enemy our guns were unmasked. Thus we advanced within 300 yards, when the order was given to unlimber the guns, but not to fire, as Nicholson wished to commence with the Enfield rifles of the 52nd, who were placed between the guns. I really am not sure whether the first shot was fired by us or by them, I rather think the latter, but there was it very smart interchange between their muskets and our rifles for two or three minutes, when our guns opened first with round shot, then with grape. Scarcely had our guns opened when the cavalry charged, not from the front, but from the right flank, into the guns on that side, and caused no little contusion, but were cut or shot down. Then we had a charge of cavalry on our flank and rear. There was a good deal of scrimmaging and pistolling. No sooner was this got over than the Pandys charged manfully at our guns, and came, I suppose, within forty or even thirty-five yards. The Europeans could not stand this, but with a cheer they went at them with the bayonet. Two or three Pandys had bayonets through them in no time, and the rest turned and tied. The Oth Punjaub Infantry then advanced and drove them across the Ravee, leaving their camp and all their loot on the river bank on this side. They had a gun on the other side, from which they began pounding us with round shot, and though not one told yet the gun was, considering th a distance, mighty well served, nor can we imagine who they had to serve it. Two or three of our guns were brought to the river side, and plied them with round shot and shell, some of the latter evidently bursting among the enemy and taking effect. While this game at long bowls was going on Nicholson went to have a look at their camp, at which the Sikhs flew like vultures. There were three or four gharees of sorts; I took shelter in one for half an hour, and bathed my head with eau de Cologne, a botttle of which I found, and qualified the Itavec water with essence of ginger, which I also found. Nicholson felt sadly the want of cavalry, and the enemy made the most of this deficiency on our part. Their tactics were admirable. They attacked us on both flanks and in rear, which they could not have done had we had 100 reliable horse. Their crossing the Rime at Trimmoo is unintelligible, unless it be that their information about the moveable column was defective. They have retired to the other side again, and still have the gun, which does not seem to have been brought over. I am inclined to think that the whole of their baggage had not come over ; they are watched of course. lioswell with the Sikhs has been left at the Serai at Trimmoo, which the scoundrels have damaged very much.—Prirale Letter. On the 15th the brigadier, finding tlism strongly posted on an island in the Ritvee, under cover of his artillery landed the sth on the island, carried the position, and destroyed the mutineers almost to a man. The following letter from a young civilian in the Punjaub district describes the beginning of the mutiny and the conveyance of the first news of it to the late General Anson : Camp, Dadoopore, June 21. You know we had a alight row at Umbelhill on Sunday, the 10th of May—the same day that the Meerut riw took place. But s e were more fortunate than the people at Meerut, though we had not so large a European force. Both the infantry (native) regimenti came out without orders, and, after threatening to shoot some of their officers, were persuaded to return to their lines by the presence of the artillery with lighted portfires, and of the 9th Lancers (Europeans). On Monday we received the painful news of what was going on at Delhi. It was heartrending to know that our countrymen and couutry women were actually being murdered at the very moment we received the intelligence. The news came in by electric telegraph. There was something pitiable in the message of some three lines—" Mutineers from Meerut come in, massacreing every European. We must stop!" That " We must stop " was the most grievous sentence I had ever read. So passed Monday; all quiet with us. Towards afternoon we received another message, mention ing the names of some of the unfortunates. On Tuesday came the news from Meerut, which took longer in coming, as it had to come by post instead of telegraph. But it was not a quiet night that we passed at Umballali. We had intelligence, which, thank God, turned out to be false, that on this night all the natives were to rise. Though three miles from canton ments, we were beat off at the civil lines, as se had only our treasury guard of about fifty men of the sth Native Infantry to dread, while we had 200 faithful Sikhs to back us up. We patrolled the city all night, and the people in the cantonments kept a sharp look out. All was quiet. But it seemed to us, in our excitement, a quiet of ill omen. On Monday the commander•in•chief, who was up at Simla, about ninety miles from Umballah, was written to to send down troops at once from the hills, where three regiments of Europeans are stationed. On Tuesday the first of the Delhi fugitives came creep ing in, and on Wednesday evening there came a letter from a small band of miserables who were collected at Kurnaul, eighty miles from Delhi, whence they hail escaped, asking for aid. This letter, and another calling lb.. immediate assistance in Europeans, I volunteered to take up to the commander in chief at Simla, and, after a hot ride through the heat of the day and the best port of the night, I reached the commander•iu•chief at about half put four in the morning of Thursday. I turned him out of bed ; they held a council of war ; and at half past ten we were all riding back again. On reaching the foot of the hills I knocked up, the sun and want of sleep for two nights, added to a ride of 130 miles, having been too much for me. By this time the last European had left the hills, and on Sunday morning all were cantoned in Umballah. They came down bravely, notwithstanding the heat, all eager to revenge their comrades. I reached Umbillbll myself on the Saturday. But, in the meanwhile, though secure at Umballah, the districts round Delhi and between Meerut and Umballah were frightfully exposed. You have by this time seen the end of that exposure; how, in some cases, all the Europeans in a station were murdered, how the treasuries were robbed and the towns sacked, while in others they were more fortunate. Towards Umballah disorganisation was rapidly spreading from that contaminating spot Meerut, while towards Agra the example of Delhi was proving equally hurtful. It was agreed then at head quarters that a party should be sent to tranquillise the country between Umballah and Meerut, while the party attacking Delhi would restore confidence to the country they passed along between Umballah and Delhi. I volunteered for this duty, as a civilian was required to work the party. A squadron of the 4th Cavalry was placed at my disposal, His concluding paragraph is not assuring:— India has to be reconquered. There is no denying that we have lost it. All at Cawupore have been killed after a gallant fight. Perhaps the same will happen here. If the mutineera bring up the siege train from Uwalior we are done. But if they are unable to cross the Chumbul we shall, I hope, be able to hold Gut till reinforcements arrive. Another correspondent, an officer engaged with the rebels, gives a graphic ]ascription of the fight : They had a very strong and commanding position, and their rifles did much execution, as also the grape which they kept firing against our guns. We advanced a little, and lay down again two or three times, when out burst their cavalry in sueh numbers that they completely sur rounded us, and tried to get at onr baggage, spare ammuni tion, &c., but our volunteer horsemen bravely managed to keep theta off. Our small body was then broken up into three divisions—the main one to attack the village, another to protect our right half battery, and one company with headquarters and colours to defend the left half battery, where, of course, I was; and being just in front of the village we were exposed to the fire of these riflemen, hidden behind mud walls. Soon after we were in position one of our gun carriages took fire, and when we came up it was in full blaze, one of our tumbrils having been blown up. Justafter this we saw the cavalry again coming down upon us, so we faced about, and the cowardly wretches, instead of charging full at us, swerved and galloped past, we the meanwhile letting a volley ipto them. Oh! it was a fine sight to see them rolling over off their horses. In the village they hull very sharp work, and the severest loss in charging up it; the first volley knocked over our major ; he was wounded in the foot, and his horse received three balls and fell over upon and injured his head. When our brave boys were well into the village they dealt destruction on all sides, and the enemy, after a faint resistance, fled in confu lion. They were drawing off in full force, when an un ucky shot of theirs exploded another of our ammunition waggons, and on seeing this they set up a loud clamour and rallied for awhile; however, we went on firing till we hag expended all our gun ammunition which had not been blown up, and then, being helpless, we haul to burn the village, form up our force, and retreat. The want of ammunition was most unfortunate for us, as the enemy were getting short of it, too, and had begun firing pice (farthings) and bits of stone, so that a few more rounds would have given us a decided victory, instead of leaving it a half-and-half business; but such are the chances of war. During our retreat the enemy followed us with one gun all the way into the city, and the cavalry were upon both our flanks as long as we were in open ground, but took care not to come within reach of the fort guns. The very last shot fired from this one gun (which appears was the only one left that they could move about) came just over the colours, anti killed two men not eight yards in front of me. And one thing is certain, if their cavalry had had one grain of pluck they might have cut us up almost to a man. One time, towartia the close of the action, some dozen of them galloped in actually between the company 1 was with