The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 19, 1857.

—a date at which the seriousness of the mutiny bad
become apparent—and the Bth of November,
18,660 soldiers of various arms, with 719 offi-
cers, were disembarked at Calcutta. Of these
Madras sent 1,635 men, all native troops ; Bombay
sent 1,370 men, which, with the exception of 83
native artillerymen, were all Queen's troops ; Ran•
goon supplied 1,921 ; Ceylon, 930; Mauritius, 823 ;
China, 1,144 ; and the Cape 200 men. To the 19th
of September no troops had arrived from England,
save men sent out in the way of ordinary relief', in
the steamers Himalaya and Mauritius. On that
do, however, the Cleopatra arrived out with over
1,000 men, followed at intervals by other vessels to
the end of the month. In October the arrivals
became more rapid, but the first eight days of
November brought 4,500 men—nearly as many as
had arrived in the previous seven months, and
making the total aid frum England up to the begin-
ning of November to reach 9,689 men and 401
officers, of which some 5,000 men and officers be-
longed to the Chinese expedition.
Calcutta is full of tcoops, and the diffi-
culty is where to quarter them. Accommodation in
Calcutta is scarce, and expensive in proportion ; and
the troops can be sent up the country only at a rate
of about 150 a day, taking the highest rate yet
reached.
- -

The necessity of immediate disembarkation of
troops after a long confinement in a ship is, with
regard to the health of the men, of such importance
that not an hour should be lost in landing the sol-
diers. The rains (writes one correspondent) are now
over, and, the cold season setting in, there is but little
to fear from exposure to the sun, provided the men
can be kept away from those pestilential nuisances,
the native grog shops. It would he advisable to
pitch a number of tents on the maidaun, in which
the soldiers might be comfortably located. This
measure would, in some degree, abate certain com-
plaints, for which, under present circumstances, there
is nu remedy.

- -
We are sorry to hear that sixteen officers and
upwards of 120 seamen of her Majesty's ship Suns-
parcil are laid up with fever, and that the number is
daily increasing.
- -

With respect to the ships near the Hooghly, it may
suffice to mention that the Alma passed oft the Sand
Heads and in the river no fewer than thirty-six tran-
sports under sail or steam, and that it is thought there
were in Calcutta fully 12,000 Europeans. The
arrivals include some of the earlier departures, such
as the 88th and 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade, and
some of the corps which, leaving later, were de-
spatzlied in swift screw steamers.
The arrangements for carriage would appear to be
improving ; '• 200 men a day will soon be forwarded in
bullock-trains and horsed carriages, and the six little
fiats now building will, if they succeed, take up 2,000.
I say, if they succeed,' for the Government lacking
machinery have put locomotive engines into them.
If they prove strong enough to stem the tide they
will have solved a problem. I am also told that the
Government of Bengal is about to give up its scruples
about compulsion, and take carriage where it can."

NARROW ESCAPE OF SIR C. CAMPBELL.
Benares, Oct. 31.

The commander-in-chief has come and gone.
He arrived to-day at nine a.m., and put up at
Colonel Gordon's, where he breakfasted and saw some
officers, whence he paid a visit to the Lieutenant•
Governor. lie started for Allahabad at one p.m.
On this side of Shergotty the commander-in•chiet's
party came across, most unexpectedly, a detachment
of the fugitive and mutid3ous :32nd, and were very
neatly caught by them. Had the garries been five
hundred yards further on the road, the whole party
would have been cut off to a man, for they were pro•
ceeding without an escort of any kind. These gal-
lant sepoys were seen travelling like gentlemen on
elephant.., of which fourteen were counted, and were
also escorted by twenty-five sowers, who hovered
some time about the carriages. As soon as this
cavalcade was perceived, the carriages turned back,
and retraced their steps for ten miles till they came
up with a bullock-train party. This accounts for
the delay in the commander in•chiefs arrival, who
otherwise would have been here yesterday. You
may imagine how excited people became here, when
coupled with the non-arrival of Sir Colin it became
known in the afternoon that the electric communica-
tion was interrupted between this and Shergotty;
but little did the good folks think how near their sus-
picions were to realisation, for it is not to be denied
that, to use a common phrase, the commander-in-
chief was as nearly " nabbed " as possible and all his
staff with him. Sir Colin looked uncommonly fresh
and well, and intended to be at Cawnpore the day
atter tomorrow.

A BENARES BANKER EXECUTED.—Byrapersaud, the
great banker at Benares, with his jemadar and eight
Hurkaras, were tried at Jaunpore, about a fortnight
ago, for carrying on treasonable correspondence with
the insurgents in Oude, condemned and hanged. We
hear that he onred four sacs for his life, but unfor-
tunately for him did not meet with a benevolent
governor.—Calcutta Englishman, Nov. 6.

THE NEXT NEWS FROM INDIA.—Both the Calcutta
and Bombay mails will be due at Suez this day,
and epitomes of their news by telegraph may reach
London on Wednesday. Should another special
steamer have been sent to Suez for troops, as the
Oriehtal was—and this is not iinFrob able—we may
have later news at the end of the present week.

1223

ported by the two brigades which I accompanied. Both
brigades were established on the canal, at the bridge of the
Char Bagh. From this point, the direct road to the Resi-
dency is a little less than two miles, but it was known to
have been cut by trenches, and crossed by palisades, et
short intervals, the houses also being all loopholed. Pro-
gress in this direction was opposed, so the united column
pushed and deployed along the narrow road which skirts
the left bank of the canal. its advance was not seriously
interrupted until it came opposite the King's Palace or
Kissurah Bagh, where two guns and a body of mercenary
troops were intrenched. From this intrenchment a fire
of grape and musketry was poured, under which nothing
could live. The artillery and troops had to pass a bridge
partially under its influence, but were then shrouded
the buildings adjacent to the palace of Fhureed Buksh.
Darkness was coming, and it was proposed to halt within
the court of this Melia' for the night; but I esteemed it
to be of such importance not to leave this beleaguered
garrison, knowing that succour was at hand, that I ordered
Vie main body of the 78th Highlanders and the Regiment
of Ferozepore to advance.
The column rushed on with a desperate
J. Outran and myself, Lieutenants Hudson and Harhood,*
of my staff, and overcoming every obstacle, established
itself within the inclosure of the Residency.
The
than described; but it is not until the next evening that
the whole of my troops, guns, tumbrils, and sick and
wounded, continually exposed to the attack of the enemy,
could be brought step by step within this inclosure and
the adjacent palace of Fubreed Buksh.
To form a notion of the obstacles overcome, a reference
must be made to the events that are known to have oc•
curred at Buenos Ayres and Saragossa; our advance was
through streets of flat-roofed and loopholed houses, each
forming a separate fortress. lam filled with surprise at
the success of operations which demanded the efforts of
10,000 good troops; the advantage has cost us dearly.
The killed, wounded, and missing—the latter being
wounded soldiers, who, I regret to say, have fallen into
the hands of a merciless foe—amount to 361, officers and
men : Brigadier-General Neill, commanding let Brigade ;
Major ... . , commanding Artillery; Lieut.-Colonel
Blazely, a volunteer with the force, are killed. Colonel
Campbell, commanding 90th Infantry; Lieut.-Col. Tytler,
my Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General, and Lieu-
tenant Havelock, my Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General,
are severely, but not dangerously wounded.
Sir James Outran received a flesh wound in the arm, in
the early part of the action, near Char Bagh, but nothing
would subdue his spirit ; and, though faint from loss of
blood, he continued to the end of the operation to sit on
his horse, which he only dismounted at the gate of the
Residency. As he has now assumed the command, I leave
to him the narrative of all events subsequent to the 2:)th
instant. H. HavxLocx, Brigadier-General.

The despatch from General Wilson, detailing the
final capture of Delhi, also appears. It is dated
" Delhi, Sept. 22nd," and is a continuation of the pre-
vious despatch of the 16th, announcing the assault
on the 11th, and the operations of the 15th and 16th.
General Wilson now continues :

During the 17th and 18th we continued to take up
advanced posts in the face of considerable opposition on
the part of the rebels, and not without loss to ourselves,
three officers being killed, and a number of men killed
and wounded. On the evening of the 19th the Bunt
Bastion, which had given us considerable annoyance, was
surprised and captured.
On the morning cf the 20th our troops pushed on and
occupied the Lahore Gate, from which an unopposed ad-
vance was made on the other bastions and gateways,
until the whole of the defences of the city were in our
hands.
From the time of our first entering the city, an uninter-
rupted and vigorous fire from our guns and mortars was
kept up on the Palace, Jumma Muejid, and other impor-
tant posts in possession of the rebels; and as we took up
our various positions in advance, our light guns and
mortars were brought forward and used with effect on the
streets and houses in their neighbourhood.
The result of this heavy and unceasing bombardment,
and of the steady and persevering advance of our troops,
has been the evacuation of the palace by the King, the
entire desertion of the city by the inhabitants, and the
precipitate flight of the rebel troops—who, abandoning
their camp property, many of their sick and wounded, and
the greater part of their field artillery, have fled in utter
disorganisation ; some 4,($X) or 5,000 across the bridge of
boats into the Doab, the remainder down the right bank
of the Jumna.
The gates of the palace having been blown in, it was
occupied by our troops at about noon on the :20th, and my
head-quarters established in it on the same day.
General Wilson then explains, that, owing to the
" great diminution of his force by losses in action,"
added to " the severe sickness prevailing among his
troops," he had been unable to organise an active
pursuit of the enemy, but that Colonel Greathed,
with a small column,+ WAS to proceed in pursuit the
ensuing day. General Wilson then announces the
capture of the King, who was under arrest in Delhi,

• Halgood. Lieut. Wm. Ilargood, of the Ist Madras Fusi-
liers, and eon of Rear-Admiral Hargood, of Worthing, has been
in every action with General Havelock, and since the battle at
Busserut Gunge has had the honour of being aide-de-camp to
the gallant general—Ed. PRESS.
+ lat Troop, let Brigade Horse Artillery, 2nd ditto, 3rd ditto,
No. 7 Light Field Battery, oth Lancers, let, 2nd, and r.th Pun-
jaub Cavairy, Hodson's Horse (220), 2 Companies Punjaub
Sappers, her Maje-ity's sth Regiment, her Majesty's 7th ditto, 2nd
sad 41,h Pulijsub Infantry.

A

1224

and that three of his sons, " who are known to have
taken a prominent part in the atrocities attending the
insurrection, have been this day captured by Captain
Hodson, and shot on the spot." General Wilson
bears testimony to the arduous nature and the un-
tiring exertions of all the men and officers engaged :

The details of the operations have been so fully entered
into in my previous despatch and annexed reports and
returns from the various commanding officers that little
remains for me to eay, but to again express my unqualified
approbation of the conduct and spirit of the whole of the
troops, not only on this occasion, but during the entire
period they have been in the field.
Fur four months of the must trying season of the year
this force, originally very weak in number, has been ex•
posed to the repeated and determined attacks of an enemy
far outnumbering it, and supported by a numerous and
powerful artillery. The duties imposed upon all have been
laborious, harassing, and incessant, and notwithstanding
heavy losses, both in action and from disease, have been at
all times zealously and cheerfully performed.
Lieutenaut-Colonel Baird Smith, Chief Engineer,
" who, in ill health and while suffering from the
effects of a'painful wound, devoted himself with the
greatest ability and assiduity to the conduct of the
difficult and important operations of the siege," is
thanked, as well as many other officers whose names
are familiar to us all. Brigadier Nicholson, Brigadier
Chamberlain, Brigadier Showers, Colonels Seaton
and Mackenzie, Major Cuke, and Brigadier Hope
Grant are especially mentioned. The civil servants,
also, in the camp are not forgotten. Sir H. Great-
bed, whese subsequent death the general " deeply
laments;" Mr. C. B. Saunders, and Mr. R. Clifford,
both of whom attended the general in action, and
rendered themselves " most useful ;" and lastly, Sir J.
Metcalfe, " whose gallantry in conducting Colonel
Campbell's assaulting column through the city was
conspicuous. Upon the commissariat and medical
services General Wilson confers the highest
praise :

Under circumstances of peculiar difficulty, in a district
the population of which has been inimical, and in which
civil authority has ceased to exist, this force has. from the
commencement, been kept well and sufficiently provisioned
wish supplies of every description, the issue of rations to
the soldiers having been as regular, both in quantity and
quality, as in cantonments.
And again
With the medical arrangements of Superintending Sur-
geon E. Tritton I have every reason to be satisfied, and he
is entitled to my cordial acknowldgements. At such a try-
ing season of the year, and in a notoriously unhealthy
locality, the sickness and mortality have, of course, been
heavy. In addition to those suffering from disease, the
hospitals have received almost daily accessions of wounded
men. The labours, therefore, of the medical department
have bt eu unceasing, notwithstanding there has not been
at any time the slightest failure an the arrangements for the
care and comfort of the very numerous patients.

In conclusion, General Wilson expresses his deep
obligations to several native Rajahs, especially the
Rajah of Putteealali, the Rajah of Jbeend, and the
Nawab Fishan Khan, " who, with his brave nephew,
Sirdar Bahadoor Meer Khan, and their retainers,
accompanied mt. from Meerut, was present at the
actions on the Hintlun, and has since taken part in
nearly every action in which this force has been
engaged." Lastly, General Wilson trusts he shall
be excused if he publicly acknowledge "the all-
important and invaluable aid for which lam indebted
to the Chief Commissioner of the Punjaub, Sir John
Lawrence, K.C.8., to whose indefatigable exertions
in reinforcing me with every available soldier in the
Punjaub the successful result of our operations
is I unhesitatingly pronounce, attributable."
General Wilson incloses the separate reports of
the Akers commanding on the occasion. The most
interesting is that by Colonel Baird Smith, detailing
the operation of blowing in the Cashmere Gate.
The party under the command of Lieuts. Home
and Salkeld consisted of :—Sergeants John Smith,
A. B. Carmichael, Corporal F. Burgess, alias Joshua
Burgess Grierson, of the Sappers and Miners ;
Bugler Hawthorne, H.M.'s 52nd ; 14 Native Sappers
and Miners ; and 10 ditto Punjaub Sappers and
:Miners :

Covered by the fire of 11.11.'s 60th Rifles, this party
advanced at the double towards the Cashmere Bate ;
Lieutenant Home, with Sergeants John Smith and Car-
michael and Havildar Madhoo, all of the Sappers, leading,
and carrying the powder hags, followed by Lieutenant
Salkeld, Corporal Burgess, and a section of the remainder
of the party. The advanced party reached the gateway
unhurt, and found that part of the drawbridge had been
destroyed ; but posing across the precarious footing sup-
plied by the remaining beams, they proceeded to lodge
their powder against the gate. The wicket was open, and
through it the enemy kept up a heavy fire upon them.
Sergeant Carmichael was killed while laying his powder.
Havildar ?dadlion being at the same time wounded. The
powder being laid, the advanced party slipped down into the
ditch to allow the firing party, under Lieutenant Salkeld,
to perform its duty. While endeavouring to tire the
charge, Lieutenant Salkeld was shot through the leg and
arm, and handed over the slow match to Corporal Dui gess,
who fell mortally wounded just as he had auccessfully per.
formed his duty. Tank Sing, of the Sappers and
Miners, was wounded, and Ram Beth, sepoy, of the MN
amps, was killed daring this pert of the °radon.

I,