The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JANUARY 23, 1858:

78°

brigadier (whose horse, wounded in two places, carried
him with difficulty over the rough ground) was pushing on
with all possible speed to the front, shouting," Now, boys,
you have them !" when he received his mortal wound. As
he was unable to keep his seat in the saddle some of his
brave fellows carried him to the rear, while he continued to
urge the troops to maintain the honour of the corps. At
this juncture the enemy fell back on their reserve, which
lay concealed in the parallels behind. Then occurred one
of those blunders which neutralise the effect of the bravest

actions. Two of our own guns opened fire on the 64th
Regiment from the left, and at the same instant the enemy's
cavalry, together with the overwhelming force of infantry
in front, poured down upon the right, and compelled our
troops to retire. Strange to say, Capt. Saunders and (I
believe) Lieut. O'Grady escaped unhurt. After the death
of Brigadier Wilson and Major Stirling, Capt. Saunders
became the senior officer present, and his conspicuous
gallantry to-day deserves not only honourable mention, but
such reward as a soldier covets. The hospital to day is a
perfect Aceldama.
They were in such numbers, writes another officer,
we could make no ground :
While we were fighting with the main body a
large force had taken position at the entrance to the town,
for the purpose of intercepting our progress to the fort.
We were a good way in front of the other regiments
coming towards the town. When we arrived at the corner
of a street we were tcld the enemy was in force in the
houses ; we nevertheless charged round the corner, where
we were received by a very heavy fire of musketry, which
when we returned, the sepoys bolted and we after them.
We literally butchered about 200 of them. I was in front
with the Grenadiers, to which company I belong, and al-
though we received the volley we did not lose a man, but
one officer, who was attached to us, and who was mortally
wonnied in the stomach. We dashed after them like
tigers. I myself shot three ; but the men were not con-
tent with wounding; they were so furious at not being able
to " lick " them in the morning, that they bayoneted
instead of shooting them, for the sake of revenge. It is
perfectly miraculous how we escaped so well. A sepoy
took deliberate aim at ins not fifteen yards off, but God
warded off the bullet. When all was over we returned to
town, and were not further molested during the night.
On the 29th, at dawn, the oombardment of the
intrenchment was renewed by the rebels, who now
occupied and set fire to the town of Cawnpore.
Help, however, was at hand in the form of Sir Colin
Campbell, who during the previous evening had
reached the other side of the Ganges from Lucknow.
Sir Cohn crossed over the bridge of boats at noon on
the 29th, and his arrival in the intrenchments was
hailed with deafening cheers by our worsted and
overworked troops. The bombardment was hot and
heavy; the rebel artillery was ►superior to ours, and
they pitched their shot and shell with precision.
They even hit the bridge of boats :

Sunday, Nov. 29.
At dawn great guns began to play upon us. Soon after-
wards the cannonade became general, and by seven cm. it
was something tremendous—shot and shell flying over us
in all directions.
8.30 a.m.—Good news. Sir Cohn Campbell with a strong
reinforcement, and 470 women and chit-ken from Lucknow,
are on the other side of the Ganges, which flows under the
northern parapet of our intrenchment. The troops with the
commander•in-chief, Raid to number 3,000, are much needed
here to-day. Looking over the wall for an instant (it is not
very safe to show one's head) I see two bodies of horsemen
in advance, and an ex ended line of troops, elephants,
camels, bullock-waggons, and camp followers, stretching far
away to the horizon. The banging of our own guns just
at our ears is most deafening. Grape and round shot have
been falling on the tree close to our tent. Some shells, I
believe, have fallen on the hospital, which is unfortunately
much exposed. Every square foot of the floor and ve-
randah of the general hospital is covered with wounded
officers and men.
11.40 a.m.—Horse Artillery, 9th Lancers, 32nd, 53rd,
and 93rd Regiments have crossed the bridge of boats below
our fort. Heartily glad to see the kilts, the plumes, and
the tartan. May God defend, direct, and bless my brave
countrymen
2.15 p.m.—The cannonade has paused for half an hour.
I bear Lucknow soldiers and their old comrades exchang-
ing greetings and congratulations in their rough but hearty
style, and counting over the dead and wounded of their
acquaintance.
235 p.m.—Cannonade commenced again. The Rifles
have not ceased all day. Colonel Fyers and his men have
done good service. They went into action on Friday as
soon as they reached Cawnpore, althongh they had marched
forty-eight miles almost without halting, and some were
lame, many footsore, and all weary. Their arrival seemed
to be the means of saving the fort, when our other troops
were in full retreat. Colonel Woodford, an excellent officer,
with whom I came from Benares to Allahabad, was killed in
a hand-to-hand fight in the field yesterday. The church, I
am just informed, was burnt last night by the enemy, and
the assembly-rooms and school have been burnt to-day.
There is a dense column of smoke ascending from the
town, about half a mile off.
4 p.m.—One of the ladies from Lucknow has come in,
and M— and I have given up the tent to her. She has a
most touching story to tell, and she tells it most effectively.
She gave us in half an hoar what might be the substance
of an interesting volume. She and her husband have lost
their all.
5.30 p.m.—The scene from the verandah of the general
hospital is at this moment one never to be forgotten. A pro-
cession of human beings, cattle and vehicles, six miles long,
is coming up to the bridge of boats below the fort. It is
just about sunset. The variety of colour in the sky and
on the plain, the bright costumes and black faces of the

native servants, the crowd of camels and horses, and the
piles of furniture, and so forth, in the foreground at my
feet—all seen between two pillars of this verandah, which
is raised some eight or ten feet from the ground—produce
a very remarkable effect. But the grown of the poor fel-
lows on charpoys and on the floor, behind and around me,
dissolve the fascination of the scene.

Slept again in my waggon.
The appearance of the commanderin-chief changed
the aspect of affairs. Sir Colini contented himself
for that day with merely keeping the rebeleat a dis-
tance by the vigour of his artillery fire. He then
crossed over his camp, and when he had safely
despatched the sick, wounded, and women, to the
number of 1,160, to Allahabad, he resumed the offen-
sive.
On the 6th of December he advanced out of his
intrenchments, and, by a series of the most brilliant
manmuvres, drew the rebels from their fortified
position, while he established a force in their rear,
and, placing them between two fires, fought and
routed them with slaughter, and the capture of six-
teen guns and a vast quantity of ammunition and
stores. A newswriter of the Maharajah Scindia,
who writes from Calpee, on the Bth of December,
gives a very fair description of the battle and its
results :

• Three hurkarus came straight from Cawnpore to-day,
and reported that the Gwalioi Contingent rebels, having
collected all their force and stores at Bhoti, advanced
thence to a place two coss nearer to Cawnpore, and left
there, with fifty or silty men, their camp and bazaar.
The whole force, including sepoys and chiefs, with their
followers of all sorts, amounted to 15,000 men. Their
plan was to fight with their guns up to twelve p.m., and
then to assault and carry the intrenchments. At Mogul
Serai, near Cawnpore, the English had a battery, and there
the fight began. The rebels fought very bravely up to
twelve p.m., when the English began to retire, and the
rebels followed them until they were two coss from the
rebel camp. Then 500 English with two guns advancing
on the Allahabad road attacked the rebel camp, and cap-
tured it with all that was in it. Leaving a guard there,
they then attacked the rear of the rebels, when the retiring
English turned and attacked them in front. The rebels
could not endure this double attack, and fled; and the
English chased them to Sacheiniee, and took on the road
their guns, baggage, magazine,—everything, Meanwhile,
the two great guns which the rebels had sent for with
ammunition from Calpee having reached Renniah, the
English marched thither also, and captured them. The
three hurkaras, who report this, were in the action, and
with great difficulty saved their lives, but none of tl.eir
property. And of the flying sepoys no village would admit
a man within its walls—not even if it were, his own home.
The hurkarus put up in the village of Muttabelpore, and
there, at twelve at night, came Koor Dawlut Singh, but the
people would not let him halt there. I cannot tell how
many were slain, but shall hear to-morrow. The English
fought in this battle as Roostum and Isfendisn, alone,
fought before. The Sahibs dismounted amid the fire of
the guns and slew the gunners with their swords, and,
rushing upon the gunners, stopped them as they applied
the match; while the English so worked their guns, that
winking is a slow operation compared to the rapidity of
their fire. They fired after the fugitives as their noise
directed, and if they but saw a head, that head was
crushed. The blood of the dead and w3unded flowed in
streams.

Whoever shall hear this news will rejoice, for these men,
who injured and trampled on high and low, have received
punishment from God proportioned to their cruelty. And
great as was their bravery as signal has been their flight
and destruction. The dead are doomed to dozukh.
The rebels were pursued for fourteen miles, and
Brigadier Hope Grant with a strong column fol-
lowed them up till the oth, when he came upon their
rear guard at Serajgham, where they were beginning
to cross over the Ganges. He attacked them in
stantly with his cavalry and artillery with great spirit,
and after half an hour's sharp firing, took fifteen
guns, including one 18 pounder, eight 9-pounders,
three 12 pounder howitzers, one 6-pounder--native—
with all their stores, carts, waggons, large quantities
of ammunition, bullocks, hackeries, &c. Bella
Sahib, brother of the Nana, and who it is said was
in command of the Gwalior rebels, who was wounded
in the shoulder, took refuge in Calpee, where
he has been since busy in bringing together guns,
ammunition, and provisions.
This is all that we know of the Gwalior defeat.
With respect to Benares and Southern India, the report
that the garrison at Futtehpore, between Allahabad
and Cawnpore, have been obliged to leave their in
trenchments, and take up another position, is con-
firmed, a force of from 5,000 to 10,000 rebels having
advanced on the town. Benares was threatened by
a force from Jaunpore, and a brigade was to leave
on the 2nd December to reinforce the one at Jann-
pore. It is said the insurgents in the neighbour-
hood of Jaunpore are 20,000 and 40 guns strong.
The Hurkaru has intelligence from Chittagong
that the mutineers of the 34th have been joined by
a number of Bundelas, and have taken the route to
Monypore, not by the main road, but by the jungles.
They intend, it is supposed, to ask for assistance
from the Rajah of Monypore, and subsequently to
join the Kookees, who are generally known to be a
turbulent and barbarous race of men.

A letter from Chittagong, of the 24th December,
says that they are busy at work throwing up in-

trenchments, expecting the return of the mutineers,
joined by a party from Tippers h, the Mahratta's
headman being supposed to he in league with Nana
Sahib, who is said to be a relation of his. Some
of the ladies and children have taken refuge in boats
and schooners, and the inhabitants are crying out
for reinforcements.

A letter from Kiasengunge, Nuddea, states that
a body of more than 600 men passed through that
place into the interior, and some of the stragglers
reported that 1,000 more were en route for Dam.
The officer who was made prisoner by the 3&th at
Chittagong was Captain Devaal, not Duval. His
fate is uncertain.
From Delhi'we learn that, on the 7th, a convoy
for Cawnpore left Delhi, accompanied by the 7th
l'unjaub Infantry, Blunt's troop of horse artillery,
a squadron of the 6th Carahineers, and 500 of Hod-
son's Horse. From Meerut and Agra other convoys
were sent at the same time, and the whole rendez.
voused at Allyghur on the 11th of December, Colonel
Seaton taking the command. By a telegram of the
15th December we learn that the convoy, when it
reached Gungree, near Khasgun, twenty-five miles
south east of Allyghur, was attacked by a body of
insurgents, and a tight ensued on the banks of the
Neem Nuddy. The rebels were routed, losing three
out of four guns and 150 killed. Our loss, 3 officers
killed and 1 wounded.

The trial of the King of Delhi was to take place
on the 14th or 15th December. Generally, courts.
martial had been very busy, and six or eight rebels
wore executed every morning. On the 9th December
commenced the trial of the Nawab of Jhuggur.
The departure of so many troops from Delhi leaves
the garrison numerically too weak for safety, notwith-
standing the arrival on the 11th of the left wing of
the Ist Belooch battalion, now located in the famous
Jumma Musjid. The four regiments in quarters
have not more than 250 men each. The same re-
marks apply to Meerut, where the fighting portion of
the community consists of 300 of the 6th Dragoon
Guards, 120 of the 60th Rifles, 4 guns of Tomb's
Battery, and a detachment of Sikhs. Il9w soon it
will be possible to bend a column into Rohilcund,
under these circumstances, it is difficult to say.
The actual murderer of the late Simon Fraser (a
Hadjee) had been caught and cut to pieces outside
the city by some villagers.
Round about Agra there appears to he plenty of
work for skirmishers. A letter from Futteeabad
describes some recent proceedings :
Camp, Fatteesbad, Dec. 3.

We marched from Agra on the *Morning of the 2nd to
this place, which is distant twenty-three miles. Our road
lay past the Taj. Next morning, at three o'clock, we
marched out of Futteeabad about five miles, and reached
the enemy just at daybreak. They soon opened fire on us
with their matchlocks and jingals ( which latter carry 8 or
10 ounce balls) from behind rocks and bushes. We then
stood watching them, until our guns came up, when our
artillery opened fire. The Sikhs went right and left in skin
mishing order, and we advanced straight to the front.
Through the village we went—regular deerstalking—such
a chase you never saw. After we had driven them out of
the village, we had to traverse ravines, climb rocks, and
scramble over small mountains. The runaways buried
themselves in bushes, with the women and children on top
of them. We hauled them out, and killed between thirty
and forty men. Horsemen were of no use in these rocky
jungles. We burned three villages, and hunted the rebel
ryots clean and clear out of the place. We took two
prisoners—one of whom we shot and the other we hanged.
On our side, one Sikh infantryman was wc.unded, and one
man belonging to the 3rd Europeans. The latter was one
of a guard of three men and a corporal, who were in charge
of the ammunition, and were attacked by four sowers.
After we had done this job we got our dram, and marched
quietly home to breakfast, when some more work was cut
out for us. The enemy numbered, as well as we could
guess, about 400, including a few sowers. Onr party con-
sisted of about 200 Sikh cavalry, 200 ditto infantry, 100
Europeans, two 9-pounders, and two mortars.
Dec. s.—We marched from Futteeabad iu the direction
of Gwalior. We went down by the side of the Kharee, the
same river to the banks of which Colonel Cotton chased
the rebels on the 10th. Every time we have had a hunt
these rebels always doer across the water. They are very
shy in showing fight—firing a few shots and then off like
deer. Leaving Futteeabad, we marched through jungles
and ploughed fields, having natives to pioneer the way for
us. That morning we marched ten miles. After pitching onr
camp there wasa rumour that there were between 700 orBoo
rebels, with six guns, in a village not seven miles from us.
Twenty cavalrymen, with two officers, went out to recou-
noitre, who on their appearance got a salute of bullets from
out the jungle-grass; end an artillery officer got one
pollee through the skirt of his coat, the bullet taking a
piece out of the horse's back. This morning we marched
out to see what we could do with the rebels. They soon
opened fire on us with their jingala, but hit nobody; our
artillery treated them in return to a shell or two, and a few
round shot. Then they made off. While the artillery
were firing, we refreshed ourselves with a tot, and then
went off in skirmishing order, driving them over the river.
Cavalry are of no use in these rocky jangles, so our horse-
men dismounted and chased the fugitives on foot with the
carbine. We followed in the hunt two or three miles.
Returning we set fire to the villages that had fired on us.
In the chase we killed about fifty. We had one Sikh
wounded, one man of the 3rd shot through the arm. oar
men behaved admirably, no unnecessary slaughter taking