The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 21, 1857.

1128

guns on the esplanade of the fort, in presence of all the
troops of the garrison. The crime of the prisoners con-
sisted in meeting for seditious purposes in a house in the
bazaar. The bacon, or spiritual adviser of the Marines,
gave information to the police, and these two men were
watched and listened to by the Superintendent and by Cap-
tain Barrow, of the Marines. They spoke of a ris►ng for this
very day, when the occurrence of the great Hindoo festival
of the bewallee causes great display of wealth among the
natives. Plunder appears to have been their main object,
but they expressed themselves most disloyally towards the
British Government, and openly lamented that the arrival
of the ;l rd front the Mauritius had rendered it impossible
to get up a massacre at the time of the Mohurrum. One
other man, a native officer, is undergoing his trial for
attending a fortner meeting of a similar character, and
evidence is being collected against some few others. It
is contemplated to remove the 10th to Poonah, where they
can be better looked after, and to have down the 4th Rides,
late from Persia, in their place. The sooner we gel more
English troops the better.
From Assam there are no very distinct statements
later than Bth October, when a writer from Calcutta
observes that Assam has remained quiet, and that
the Assam troops have not actually risen, though
they have shown that they are about to do so very
shortly :
- - • - •

The Ist Battalion at Debroghur openly declare that they
are about to set their former Rajah on his throne again,
and the 2nd Battalion at Gowhatty have been sending
away their wives and children, and have been discovered
pl tting with Kowar Singh. Most of the Europeans. tea-
'linters and others, have taken refuge in the neighbouring
station of Seebsangor. The only loyal native troops in
As ant are a few Ghoorkas under Major Hannay at
Debrogliiir. The church there has been provisioned and
fortified, and guns protect the square.

Scin(le seems quiet. A letter from Kurracbee,
October 12, shows how narrow was our escape from
a general rising. The writer observes:—

We have had difficulties in our garrisons all over Scinde,
owing to the want of wore European soldiers. The panic
of was beyond belief, and he would have denuded
Scinde of defence had his requisitions all been available;
but great caution became obviously necessary here when
the various native regiments perceived our weak European
resources. Instructions of the general have been admi-
rably carried out, and at the three large stations in Scinde
(Shikarpore on the frontier, Hydrabacl on the Indus, and
Kurracbee on the coast) mutiny has been arrested just
in time—and only jest--for at Kurrachee, on the night of
13th September (when the 21st Native Infantry were
discovered partially under arms), had not our little army,
and the general with it, been down on the 21st Native
Infantry lines ut midnight, this whole station, in half
an hour more, was to have had confusion rushing from
end to end.
The intention of the rebel portion of the 21st was to rob
the Treasury during the combustion of the hour (on a re-
markably dark night), and to carry money and aims to
their disarmed friends at Hydrabad, where about a week
before the artillery affair had dared up, and our good Bri-
gadier Morris had run the guns into IlydnibeAl fort before
the men could get at them.
The Shikarpore mutiny was the last to occur, and its
spirit had been somewhat checked by the dire example
made of the rebels here, and the utter defeat of the plot at
Ilydrabad—a plot which, at tie latter place, had com-
menced, and if carried out would have united the 21st
Native Infantry plunderers with the Artillery mutineers at
Ilydrabad, also at Shikarpore, and then the robber tribes
on the frontier, with innumerable horse, were to have
come down to join the insurgents. The :hiefs of these
horse warriors are mentioned by Sir C. Napier, " Mice
Khan," and " Dhil Morita." They new have the honour
of being our prisoners, on board the ship Feroze, on their
voyage to Bombay.

Altogether we see little reason yet to congratulate
ourselves that the "all is over" assumption may be
safely accepted. We have work before us yet that
will tai the energies of our best men, and strain the
resources of the empire, and much now depends
upon money and mear s of transport.

Aftet six days of open trenches, during which the Artil-
lery and Engineers, under their respective commanding
officers, Major Gaitskell and Lieutenant-Colonel Baird
Smith, vied with each other in pressing forward the work,
two excellent and most practicable breaches were formed
in the walls of the place, one in the curtain to the right of
the Cashmere Bastion, the other to the left of the Water
Bastion, the defences of those bastions and the parapets
giving musketry cover to the enemy commanding the
breaches, having also been destroyed by the Artillery.
The assault was delivered on four points. The Ist
column, under Brigadier J. Nicholson, consisting of her
Majesty's 75th Regiment (300 men), the Ist European
Bengal Fusiliers (2(X) men ),and the 2nd Punjaub Infantry
(400 men), assaulted the main breach, their advance being
almirably covered by the Ist battalion, her Majesty's 60th
Rifles, under Colonel J. Jones. The operation was
crowned with brilliant success, the enemy, after severe
resistance, being driven from the Cashmere Bastion, the
main guard, and its vicinity, in complete rout.
The 2nd column, under Brigadier Jones, of her Majesty's
01st Regiment, consisting of her Majesty's Bth Regiment
(250 men 1, the 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers (250 men),
and the 4th Regiment of Sikhs (330 men), similarly co-
vered by the 60th Rifles, advanced on the Water Bastion,
carried the breach, and drove the enemy from his guns,and
position, with a determination and spirit which ,gave me
the highest satisfaction.
The 3rd column, under Colonel Campbell, of her Ma-
les' v's 52nd Light Infantry, consisting of 200 of his own
regiment, the Kumeon Battalion (25(1 men), and the Ist
Puninub Infantry (500 men), was directed against the
Cashmere Gateway. This column was preceded by an
explosion party, under Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, of
the Engineers, covered by the 60th Rifles. The demoli-
tion of the gate having been accomplished, the column
forced an entrance, overcoming a strenuous opposition
from the enemy's infantry and heavy artillery, which had
been brought to bear on the position. I cannot express too
warmly my admiration of the gallantry of all concerned in
this difficult operation.
The reserve, under Brigadier Longfield, her Majesty's
Bth Regiment, composed of her Majesty's 01st Regiment
(250 men), the 4th Regiment Rifles (450 men), the
Belooch Battalion (300 men), the Jheend Rajah's Auxi-
liaries (300 men), and 200 of her Majesty's 60th Rifles,
who joined after the assault had been made, awaited the
result of the attack, and on the columns entering the
place, took possession of the posts I had previously assigned
to it. This duty was ultimately performed to my entire
satisfaction,
The firm establishment of the reserve rendering the
assaulting columns free to act in advance, Brigadier-
General Nicholson, supported by Brigadier Jones, swept
the ramparts of the place from the Cashmere to the Cebu!
Gates, occupying the bastions and defences, capturing the
guns, and driving the enemy before him.
During the advance Brigadier-General Nicholson was,
to the grief of myself and the whole army, dangerously
wounded. The command consequently devolved on
Brigadier Jones, who, finding the enemy in great force,
occupying and pouring a destructive fire from the roots
of strong and commanding houses in the city on a 1
sides, the ramparts themselves being enfiladed by guns,
prudently resolvesd on retaining possession of the Cahul
Gate, which his troops had so gallantly won, in which
he firmly established himself, awaiting the result of the
operations of the other columns of occupation.
Colonel Campbell, with the column under his com-
mand, advanced successfully from the Cashmere Gate by
one of the main streets beyond the " Chandnee Chouk,
the central and principal street of the city, towards the
Jimmie Mnsjid, with the intention of occupying that
important post. The opposition, however, which he met
from the great concentration of the enemy, at the Jumma
Musjitl and the houses in the neighbourhood, he himself,
I regret to state, being wounded, satisfied him that his
most prudent course was not to maintain so advanced a
position with the comparatively limited force at his disposal,
and he accordingly withdrew the head of his column, and
placed himself in communication with the reserve, a
measure which had my entire approval, I having previously
determined that, in the event of serious opposition being
encountered in the town itself, it would be most inexpe-
dient to commit my small force to a succession of street
fights, in which their gallantry, discipline, and organisation
could avail them so little.
My present position, therefore, is that which, under
such a contingency, I had resolved to occupy and establish
myself in firmly as the base of my systematic operations
for the complete possession of the city. This embraces the
magazine on one side, and the Cabul Gate on the other,
with the Moree, Cashmere, and Water Bastions, and strong'
intermediate posts, with secure communication along the
front to the rear.
From this base 7 am now cautiously pressing the
enemy on all points, with a view of establishing myself
in a second advanced position, and I trust before many
days to have it in my power to announce to the Supreme
Government that the enemy have been driven from their
last stronghold in the palace, fort, and streets of the
city of Delhi.
Simultaneously with the operations above detailed, an
attack was made on the enemy's strong position outside the
city, in the suburbs of Kissengunge and Pahareepore, with
a view of driving in the rebels, and supporting the main
attack, by effecting an entrance at the Cabul Gate after it
should be taken.
The force employed on this difficult duty I intrusted to
that admirable officer, Major C. Reid, commanding the
Sirmoor battalion, whose distinguished conduct I have
already had occasion to bring prominently to the notice of
superior authority, and who was, I much regret, severely
wounded on this occasion. His column consisted of his
own battalion, the Guides, and the men on duty at Hindoo
Rao's (the main picket), numbering in all about 1,0(X),
supported by the auxiliary troops of his Highness the
Maharajah itumbeir Singh, under Captain R. Lawrence.

The strength of the positions, however, and the desp&wate
resistance offered by the enemy, withstood for a time the
efforts of our troops, gallant though they were, and the
combination was unable to be effected. The delay, lam
happy to say, has been only temporary, for the enemy have
subsequently abandoned their positions, leaving their guns
in o ur hands.

In this attack r found it necessary to support Major Reid
with cavalry and horse artillery, both of which arms were
admirably handled respectively by Brigadier Hope Grant, of
her Majesty's 9th Lancers, commanding the Cavalry
Brigade, and Major H. Tombs, of the Horse Artillery, who
inflicted severe punishment cn the enemy, though I regret
their own loss was very heavy.
The resistance of the rebels up to this time 11118 been that
of desperate men, and to this must be attributed the severe
loss we have sustained, amounting proximately, so far as I
am able to judge, in the absence of casualty returns, to
forty-six officers killed and wounded, and about titK) men.
Amongst those of whose services the State has been de-
prived, are many officers of distinction and merit, holding
superior commands, whose places cannot be supplied ; anti
I have sp.mially to lament the loss which has been eus-
tained by that gallant corps, the Engineers, nine officers of
that arm having fallen iu the gallant performance of their
duty.
Until I am in possession of reports from brigadiers and
other commanding officers, I shall he unable to enter more
fully into the details of these operations, and I trust the
circumstances under which 1 write will excuse any slight
inaccuracies or imperfections which my despatch may
exhibit.

The absence of such reports also prevents my bringing
to notice Cie natues of those officers oral men who have
specially distinguished themselves. This will be my
grateful duty hereafter. But I cannot defer the expression
of my admiration for the intrepidity, coolness, and deter-
mination of all engaged, Europeans and natives, of all arms
of the service.-1 nave, &c., _

A. I% iLsoN, Major-General,
Commanding Field Force.

A precis of the killed and wounded on the first
day, from the Adjutant General Chamberlain, accom-
panies this despatch. Our casualties on the day of
the assault were :—Europeans, killed, 8 officers, 62
rank and file; wounded, 52 officers, 510 rank and
file. Natives, killed, 103 ; wounded, 310. Missing,
10 Europeans. Total, Europeans and natives, killed
and wounded, 1,145.

The adjutant-general adds to his letter, dated the
Pith, the following important P.S., important as
indicating the effect of such hoavy losses upon so
small a force :

P.S.-10th. During the night we advanced our left up
to Abbott's house, and also Khan Mahomed's house. This
gives us a strong position up to within 150 yards of the
palace walla. All our mortars are bearing upon the Jumma
Musjid and the southern part of the town, which is being
fast evacuated, the resistance becoming much less on our
right: we are also progressing by working though the
houses. The King and royal family are said to have eva-
cuated the palace and gone to the old fort outside the city
to the south. Our very small number make it necessary to
be cautious in taking possession of so large a city. for frum the
great nuinber we hare of sick and wounded, and our loss un
the day of the assault, hare reduced us very much.