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

984 It was entirely through his means that these letters were intercepted. These are indeed exciting times. God grant all may be well yet in Bengal, and that no such insurrection may break out here ! THE MASSACRE AT CAWNPORE. Two affecting letters, in the form of a diary from the 27th May to the Ist June, from a lady who was murdered at Cawnpore, have been published this week. There is something exquisitely touching in the tone of gentle sweetness and patient endurance pervading them : Cawnpore, May 27. ... . It is a sad history. We are living in awful realities, and we cannot see the end of them We were apparently sale and quiet here till the :list, when the 2nd Cavalry began to show symptoms of uneasiness, and intelligence was given that a rising of the native troops was hi contemplation that night. Mr. H—, the magis trate and collector, brought his wife and children in to u in the afternoon, and we agreed all to remain together. Up to this time, no suspicion having been entertained of the troops' loy, ilty, no preparations for defence had been made. Now, however, all were astir. The general (Sir Hugh Wheeler) telegraphed to Lucknow for succour, the European barrack at the depot was assigned as a rendez• veils, and some families went there for safety. We, however, determined to remain at our house until further alarm were given; but Colonel E— said he would go and sleep i❑ the midst of his men, to show that he had confidence in them; so we had only Mr. H— to stay with us. Presently, about eleven o'clock at night, he was called away to make some arrangement, so we thought it scarcely right to remain here alone. Accordingly we took our little unconscious children out of their beds, and with the ayahs ntf we set in the carriage to the European barracks. There we found a number of refugees, in a state of great alarm of course, but for the most part com posed and resigned. It was a night of fearful suspense, yet it passed away without any disturbance, and I had the hap. piness of seeing my husband in the morning alive and well. The next day ( Friday) was one full of agony and dread, and the night was more than poor human nature, un assisted, could endure. When my husband left me that night to go to his post I never expected to see him alive again, fur some of his men had been overheard wildly t tlking of mutiny and murder, and had made a proposal to destroy their officers. Colonel E— himself had fully made up his mind that a death-stroke would be given, yet he flinched not an instant in the performance of his duty, lam happy to say. We were preserved for that night again. I could scarcely believe that my husband's voice a eluded outside the tent—for we had now arranged for a tent just outside the barrack for ourselves. After that miserable night the Saturday following seemed like heaven, for we went to our house and spent the day quietly there—at least with strah quietness as was possible with the most terrible rumours coming in throughout the day, and reviving all our saddest apprehensions. Of course we returned to the depot at night, and fur the first time since our move exhausted nature would be attended to, and I fell asleep for some pours, and for a time shut out all the horrid realities of oar situation. All Sunday was pretty quiet. The Eed came off that day and the next, when it was expected that an outbreak would occur. It did not so, however, and on Monday morning our minds were amnewhat reassured by ell the Mussulmans of the Ist 11-giment coming in a bcdy, according to custom, to salaam to Colonel E— after their prayers, and they expressed their intentions of fidelity, &c., all of which are very well, but not to be depended on now•a•days. We returned to those melancholy night quarters. Oh ! such a scene. Men, officers, women, and children, beds and chairs, all mingled togeth r inside and outside the barrack; some talking or even Duelling, some very frightened, some defiant, others despairing. Three guns in front of our position end three behind, and a trench in course of formation all round. Such sickening sights these for peaceful women, and the miserable reflection that all this ghastly show is caused not by open foes, but by the treachery of those we have fed and pampered, and honoured and trusted in for so many years. Oh! I cannot dwell upon the harrowing thoughts. I am going to despatch this to Calcutta, to be sent through our agents there, that you may know our situation. fly dear little child is looking very delicate; my prayer is that she may be spared much suffering. The bitterness of death has been tasted by us many, many times during the last fortnight, and, should the reality come, I hope we may find strength to meet it with a truly Christian coo rage. It ia not hard to die oneself, but to see a dear child suffer and perish, that is the hard, the bitter trial, and the cup which I must drink should Gad not deem it fit that it should pass from me. My companion, Mrs. H--, is delightful ; poor young thing, she has such a gentle spirit, so unmurmuring, an desirous to meet the trial rightly, so unselfish and sweet in every way. Her husband is an excellent mat), and of course very much exposed to danger, almost as notch as mine. She has two children, and we feel that our duty to our little ones demands that we should exert ourselves to keep up health and spirits as much as possible. There is a reverse to thin sad picture. Delhi may be retaken in a short time. Aid may come to us, and all may subside into tranquillity once more. Let us hope for the beat, do our duty, and trust in God above all things. Should I be spared, I will write to you by the latest date. long as we can live in our house during the day we gruffer but litle comparatively, but we may be shut up at any time. We must not give way to despondency, fur at the worst we know that we are in God's hands, and lie does not for an instant forsake us. He will be with us in the valley of the shadow of death also, and we need fear no evil. God bless you. Cawnpore, June 1. For the chimes of this reselling you, I send a few lines via Bombay that you may have the latest news of uv. The revolt has spread since I wrote last. Ltawab, Allyghur, THE PRESS, OCTOBER 10, 1857. Muttra, and Bolandshawur have all been plundered, and yesterday came news of a serious etneute at Lticknow— the worst thing that could have happened for us, as it seems almost impossible that disturbances so near should not create a commotion amongst the troops here. You will scarcely be able to realise the fearful state we are in; we can scarcely do so ourselves. No one can say how or where the trouble is to end. Mrs. H— is a sweet companion in affliction ; we shall stick close to each other as long as it pleases God to spare us. Last night, after much fatigue, of mental tortme, and several nights of imperfect rest, I fell quite into a state of stupefaction. Body and mind alike refused to be longer active; it was necessary—just nature asserting her rights to restore the exhausted powers. And there was my child, so restless ! and Mrs. H— took her and walked about with her, and soothed the little thing, that T might not be disturbed. I believe we shall be some support to one another under every trial. Our English letters came in a day or two ago, one front you up to April 14. I cannot reply further to it now. In the presence of these awful realities little else can be thought of. Such nights of anxiety I would never have believed possible, and the days are full of excitement. Every note and every message come pregnant with events and alarms. Another fortnight we expect will decide our fate, and whatever it may be I trust we shall be enabled to bear it. It is supposed that the Lucknow mutineers have gone towards Delhi. General Anson must meet the increased band of rebels as well as he may. May we be preserved frcm the evils that the incapacity of our leaders naturally entails. If these are my last words to you, you will remember them lovingly, and always bear in mind that your affection, and the love we have ever had for each other, is an ingredient of comfort in these bitter times. BOMBAY AND MADRAS. An officer, writing from Bellary, August 22nd, takes rather a confident view of affairs in the neigh bourhood : Since I last wrote we have not been as quiet as usual, what with the Kolapore mutiny and Dharwar intended ditto, and this state of affairs is increased by no end of placards stuck up announcing that every European is to be massacred on a certain day of the Mohurrum, and such like reports, got up evidently, in my opinion (the writing very illiterate), by some native who is amused at seeing the old buffers rushing about; or else, which is still more probable, it is the work of some speculating beef con• tractor, who wishes to see the Europeans hack again at this station. As to the country about this, it is alwa}•s in much the same state as in times cf the greatest quiet; hardly a mouth passes without a squadron of cavalry and a detachment of infantry being sent out against some refractory Tehseeldar, or some larking Rohillas. The Mohurram seems a terrible bugbear to everybody, why or wherefore no one can say, but our men, knowing it would be objectionable for large crowds to assemble, have volun• tarily proposed not keeping the Mohurrum. This is a great thing for a Mussulman regiment to propose. I have the greatest faith in our men, and I am sure they will stick to us, whatever may happen. As to the unfortunate thirty thousand bazaar people here, they are in the greatest fright possible, it being the general opinion that oti the slightest disturbance the Rohillas will come in and loot them, whiist we on the other side will pound them with grape and eanister. Even if every one turned against us we might make a gallant tight of it, and at all events die game—but there is no chance of anything of the kind. "Every one," he observes, "is disappointei at the news from borne" : We were in hopes troops would have been sent overland through Egypt. Small batches are what we require. They can be sent up easily by the river steamers or in dak bullock carts—whilst a large force arriving at Calcutta could not move for want of carriage. Take this place for instance: to march a regiment up here from Madras would take two months, whilst we can now ilik them up in carts forty and fifty at a time in six or seven days. There is no use mincing matters; we are in a fix, and virtually the whole of Bengal will have to be reconquered. I cannot see why all small stations are not immediately given up, and the forces collected in large columns. The retreat of Havelock from Lucknow and the slaughter of those ;200 Europeans at Arrah will add thousands to the mutineers. But can you conceive our Government not having yet attempted to increase the Madras army, nor allowed the different regiments to recruit. Our cavalry regiments with our 3011 troopers are not much more than a proper squadron (leaving of course the old men, and those who must remain behind as guards, out), and though we should make a splendid nucleus force corps seven hundred strong, still a cavalry soldier is not made in a day. What ought to be done now is, for every regim:nt in Madras to send to Calcutta a wing of their young and picked men, leaving the remainder to garrison the different stations, and look after the families of those away, with orders to recruit to their proper complement. In this way a body of fifteen thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry might in stantly he made use of not a hit inferior to the Europeans, being both young and picked mer, , able to stsnd any amount of labour and heat, and as to their loyalty, their families remaining in our hands would be a sure guarantee ! The following is the copy of a letter dated Almorah, August 4 : YOU will be astonished to find I have left Nynee Tel. The fact is all ladies, to the number of ninety, and as many children, have Leen ordered away from the Lake, as an attack is expected there—not a very formidable one, however, but belies are always best out of the way at ouch times, and Captain Ramsay knows well that if a panic did occur every coolie would rush away to his home in the mountains, and then there would be no getting away for any of us. Khan Bahadour Khan, the Buedly wretch, has of together such an army as he could raise ; it must be e mere rabble, utterly untrained; still they have the eifion tery to propose an attack on our fortress, and 3,01.0 men were reported to have crossed the Kitcha, and reached Huldwanee on Sunday, the 2nd. There are now WO brave little Ghoorkas at the Lake, besides gentlemen to the number of 100. The roads both by Kaleedoongee and Huldwanee are barricaded at intervals for several miles by means of high stone walls, which only admit of one man passing up at a time, and we have guns in excellent posi• tions to guard each pass. 1 believe the present scheme is to allow the besiegers to come up beyond Julee, and then, when they find themselves with a good steep hill ahead the Ghoorkas are to get round behind, cut off the road, and so render retreat impossible. The hlahotnedans in llampore have found out that their Nawab is friendly to us, and has helped u 4 in sending up supplies, Jai., though he has not of course been able to take any active part. A powerful party against him exists in his own city, and there is a great chance that the poor man will have fallen a victim on the day of the festival 13uckre Eed. If the Nawab's life be taken, his force of 5,000 will assuredly attempt the Kaleedoongee pass ; but even fur this emergency, though greater than the other, every one says we are prepared, and then there is scarcely a probe. bility of any one getting up to Nynee Tal. Mrs. Edwardes has received a letter from her husband (Mr. Edwardes, C.S.), which was brought up concealed in a hookah by a native. It is a scrap in pencil, scarcely le. Bible, but says he is safely concealed by a Hindoo Itsjah in Oude, fourteen miles from Futteyghur. The wan has a fort and a few guns of his own, consequent') powerful. Mr. and Mrs. Prohyn and four children from Futteyghur are also with this Rajah. They are kindly treated and in safety, for though the Nawab of Futteyghur has several times demanded the English whom he conceals, their pro. tector refuses to give them up, and challenges his enemy to get them if he can. ARRAII. The following is an account of the defence at Arrah On Monday, the 27th of July, about eight a.m., the in. surgent sepoys, the whole of the 7th, Bth, and 40th Native Infantry, arrived in the station, and having first released the prisoners, rushed to the Collectorate, where they were at once joined by the Nejibs, and looted the treasure, amounting to 85,000 rupees. This did not take long, and they then charged our bun , ,mlow from every side, but, being met with a steady and well directed fire, they changed their tactics, and hi•ting behind the trees with which the com pound is filled, and occupying the outhouses and Mr. Boyle's residence, which was unfortunately• within sixty yards of our fortification, they kept up an incessant and galling fire on us during the whole day. They were joined by numbers of hoer Singh's men, and the sepoys repeatedly declared they were acting under his express orders, and after a short time he was seen on the parade, and remained during the siege. Every endeavour was made by the rebels to induce the Sikhs to abandon us ; heavy bribes were offered to them, and their own countrymen employed as mediators. They treated every offer with derision, showing perfect obedience and discipline. On the 28th two small cannon were brought to play on our bungalow, one throwing 41b. shot, end they were daily shifted to what the rebels thought our weakest spots. Finally, the largest was placed on the roof of Mr. Boyle's dwelling•honse. completely:commanding the inside of our bungalow, and the smallest behind it at a distance of twenty yards. Nothing but cowardice, want of unanimity, and only the ignorance of our enemies prevented our for. tification being brought down about our ears. During the entire siege, which lasted seven days, every possible stra tagem was practised against us. The cannons were fired as frequently as they could prepare shot, with which they were at first unproviled, and incessant assaults were made upon the bungalow. Not only did our Sikhs behave with perfect coolness and patience, but their untiring labour met and prevented every threatened disaster. Water began to run short; a well of eighteen feet by four was instantly dug in less than twelve hours. The rebels raised a barricade on the top of the opposite house; ours grew in the same proportion. A shot shook a weak place in our defence; the place was . made twice as strung as before. We began to feel the want of animal food and the short allowance of grain ; a sally was made at night and four sheep brought in. And filially we ascertained beyond a doubt that the enemy were undermining us; a counter mine was quickly dug. On the 30th troops sent to our relief from Dinapore were attacked and beaten back close to the entrance of the town. On the next day the rebels returned. and, telling us that they had annihilated our relief, offered the Sikhs and the women and children (of which there were none with us) their lives and liberty i they would give up the Government officers. August 1 we were all offered our lives and leave to go to Calcutta if we would give up our arms. On the 2nd the greater part of the sepoys went out to meet Major Eire's field force, and on their being soundly thrashed the rest of them abandoned the station, and that night we went out and found their mine had reached our foundations, and a can vassed tube tilled with gunpowder was lying handy to blow us up, in which, however, I &) not think they could have succeeded, as their powder was bad ; and another stroke of the pick would hive broken into our counter- mine. We also brought in the gun which they had left on the top of the opposite house. During the whole siege only one man, a Sikh, was severely wounded, though two or three got scratches and blows from splinters of bricks. Everybody in the garrison behaved well; but I should be neglecting a duty did I omit to mention specially Mr. Boyle, to whose engineering skill and untiring exertions we in a great measure owe our preservation ; and Mr. Colvin, who rendered the most valuable assistance, and who rested neither night nor day, and took on himself far more than his share of every disagreeable duty. In comilusion, 1 must earnestly beg that his honour the Lieutemurt•t.iover