The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-29 00:00:00

LErTEns FROM INDIA.

THE mail, which is now expected every hour, will
bring us intelligence of dreadful interest. We shall
hear of the fall of Cawnpore and of the massacre of
211) women and children ; of the deaths of poor Sir
Hugh Wheeler, Sir Henry Lawrence, Sir Henry
Barnard, and numerous brave and gallant officers ;
of obstinate battles, terrible losses, and of the con•
tinued spread of the mutiny. From the letters
before as, we gather sufficient to show the dread
with which a spread of the movement is anticipated
in India. It is " a great Mahomedan plot," writes a
member of the civil service. " All the rajahs think
our raj is gone," writes another ; " and what Asiatic;
can then be stanch?" he asks. The people of
India no longer tear us. We have lost that terrible
element of our rule. The natives on all sides see
British officers and Englishwomen starving naked
wanderers, subjected to every humiliation, and mas-
sacred at pleasure. It is " horrible and heart•
rending," and subjects those in power to a terrible
responsibility. Bombay and Madras remain stanch,
by the latest dates, and the Punjaub was" tranquil ;"
but "I know," writes a correspondent from Madras,
"from the very best authority that the Mahomedans
are plotting at this place, but whether they dare rise
will depend on how things go on in other places :

The events of the next three weeks will be most mo-
mentous. The panic has been intense. I believe, too,
that the fears are reasonable. We have at Bangalore a
strong force, and the Madras senoys have hitherto proved
loyal. There is one circumstance in our favour. We
allow all our regiments to have their women and children
with them in their lines, whereas in Bengal the sepoy
leaves his wife in his village, and is allowed to visit her
for a certain period every year. Our system, doubtless,
is a great check on the sepoys, as they know that, in the
event of their rising, their families are in our power, but
the Bengal soldier can roam at will.
Peshawur is said to be "quiet" and "all well."
What the signification in this case of these terms is
may be seen by the following extract from a private
letter, June 30th
We are certainly in a dangerous situation. We only
get one night in bed as the duty becomes so heavy, and
then we must lie in our clothes with our muskets beside
us ; and, to add to our trouble, we have to find a strong
guard over• the families of the officers. If there is not
some speedy assistance sent us from Europe, we have a
poor chance of maintaining our ground.
The refugees at Nynee Tal were safe up to the
last account, and were defended by a regiment of
Üboorkas

I think we are here as safe as we can be ( writes an officer ).
Capt. Ramsay is most vigil mt and wise in his proceedings.
The ro:ids are guarded by Ghoorkas ( filith Ghoorka Regt ).
A company of Ghoorkas are also in this station; and guns;
all the gentlemen have been formed into a militia,
caUlel th Kiimaon Militia, subject to Captain Ramsay in
rty way. This militia is divided into companies ; there
are about a hundred gentleman with firearms, and they
take it by turns to patrol. Enough grain for three months

837

is being brought in, because we are afraid onr provisions
may run short, as there are so many people, and until the
country is quieter no one can go to the plains. The
fihabur (the country at the foot of the hills) is overrun
with dacoits and bad characters. It is horrible that we
cannot hear what is going on below. Strange reports
come, and we don't know what to believe.

From Gorruckpore the following letter from Mr. J.
A. Steel, nephew of John Steel, Esq., M.P. for
Cozliermouth, will be read with interest :
Gorruckpore, June 2,5, IS-57.
My dearest Willy,—l inclose you a copy of a letter I
wrote some days ago to the major-general commanding at
Dinapore, to which he replies he has no European troops
to spare." That is all very well, but still what I want is
that European aid should be sent us from some available
source. We are all quiet at pre.ent, but of course I dare
not give an order to hang a mutineer of my own regiment
captured on his return home (Gorruckporej—we cannot
avenge the murder of five of our fellow-countrymen—ail
around see how weak we are, and fancy the raj is gone.
tinder such circumstances we can but stay here until we
are kicked out, unless some European troops can be sent
sharp, and then with the rains coming on all behind the
Rabtree at least would be perfectly aeltire—our treasure
(six lacs), our gaol, and our lives. Thank God our dear
belongings have gone, hut still if Gorruckpore is worth
saving, it is surely worth while sending European troops.
Two companies world make us strong, and no doubt both the
N. I. and I. C. would then do good service in the districts.
It is the filthy lucre that is the hitch, and if once
Europeans had charge of it there would be no longer
covetousness, because were the power to help themselves
gone they would turn their thoughts elsewhere—but if
Gorruckpore is not worth saving, it is hardly fair to ex-
pect a number of Europeans to stay and sacrifice their lives
unprofitably.
Since I wrote to the general all Ouile, except Lucknow,
is gone, and we are daily threatened with an attack from
Fyzabad. May God avert it. All the rajahs begin to
think our raj is gone, and to-day we hear Cawnpore is gone
—if such be the case it is impossible to say what may be
the consequence. Azimgliur and Jaunpore both went

some three weeks ago, since when until three days ago our
in that direction were all closed. For seven blessed
days we heard from no one, until at last Holmes
managed to send us the dak through Segowlie. Janopore
still remains in anarchy and confusion, but Azimgbur has
been reoccupied by an indigo planter, who has been vested
with magisterial powers, but should the Juke through that
district be closed again I see no help fur us I see
nothing to prevent Sur going. Holmes's Irregulars have
hitherto been stanch, and were no doubt a check upon ihe
N. 1., who have also been calm and apparently cheer;ul
since the rush towards the treasury—hut what Asiatics
can be stanch if they think our raj is gone ? It is
useless to go on daily telling that European troops are
fast pouring into Calcutta, for they naturally think
why not show them then ? The good men and true
want assistance, and the bad are only wondering how much
longer we mean to stay here. Surely this Is a pleasant
state of affairs.

A few days ago every man would have trembled lest
even a drunken European should get injured near their
village, hut now they have seen English officers and their
wives flying from Oude—five of them murdered with im-
punity ; they have seen others stripped, go barefooted,
nearly naked, hungered and athirst—threatened with
death, and subject to every humiliation. Having seen all
this, how is it possible they can any longer fear us? (and
it was only fear that made our rule sl strong). Depend
upon it, the troops are only waiting to see the late of
Lucknow, and Sir H. Lawrence writes he is well provisioned
and can hold out for three or four months. I hope and
pray such is the case, and, if so, surely it is worth while
saving that whi,h we still hold. By holding Gorruckpore
and Azimghur firmly all the districts of Chupra, Sarum,
Chumparm, Tirhoote, will be saved, but if we go, I
see no help for them. Holmes has no more than twenty
or thirty men with him, and his men must be demoralised
by such a state of things—even to preserve his good corps
should be a potent consideration. Will you now, like a
good fellow, do your best for me in this matter? Take op
the map and look at the importance of our position. Urge
this on the autkorities. Wyttard, who is acting•commis-
sioner. has written to Sir P. Grant. Do you also please
urge it on my account. I am alone, the only military
man here, and owing to our ticklish position do not like
to send for more officers, but once T felt we were steady f
would beg to have all the officers of the 17th Native
Infantry, who are quietly waiting at Benares, sent to us.
My dear wife and child I have written to, to take the
first steamer from Ghszeepore ( where th v. they should
arrive tomorrow) to Calcutta. Take care of them, and
now, with every good wish, God bless and keep you.
Believe me, yours ever affectionately, _ _

J. A. STEEL.

P.S.—T am sick of talking and haranguing, for what can
one say? It is no longer religion, it is plunder—
" Minch "—sir, which the native officers themselves will
tell you is the disease now ! Adieu.

INCIDENTS OF THE SIEGE OF DELHI.
Many private letters from officer; in the camp
before Delhi give animated pictures of :the nature of .
the work in hand. The mutineers, it would seem,
have fortified Delhi strongly, and fight their guns
admirably well. "The men out here," says a
civilian, " who were also out in the Crimea, say that
was a joke to this." Sickness, we regret to say, is
on the increase in the camp, and, observe letters
from headquarters, 66 if the troops have to remain

838

before Delhi after the rains set in, there will be sad

accounts of both men and officers "

The mutineers generally sally out every afternoon with
a couple of guns and some cavalry, the greater portion of
them, however, being infantry. These gentlemen come
skirmishing up towards our big house, between which and
one part of the city is some very nasty rocky ground,
covered with brushwood ; sneaking up behind the rocks
and stones these scoundrels come, and when near the
house we have to sally out and drive them back. On the
afternoon of the 9th, the day we arrived, a very large body
of the villains came out, and we had some very sharp
fighting to drive them back. Poor young Bettye was, I ant
sorry to say, mortally wounded through the stomach, the
ball coming out at his back. He lived twenty•four hours
only, and we buried him yesterday morning. A more
gallant soldier never lived. Daly, our commandant, was
cut through the boot, and a alight scratch made on his
instep. 1 was slightly wounded in two places—one a sword
cut across my chin and lower part of my cheek, and
the other across my left hip, a little below the bone. Both
cuts are doing famously, and healing up quickly. The way
I got them was this :—I was skirmishing along with a
number of men, and had helped to pepper the mutineers
out of the rocky ground, very nearly down to the city walls,
when suddenly a very sharp fire indeed was directed on us
from some place in front. 1 rushed on, calling on the men
to follow. After running up about fifty yards 1 suddenly
came up with our commandant and a few men halted in
front of a steep ridge of rocks (which formed a splendid
breastwork), and over which Daly was unable to scramble,
having too few men to force the position, so that my rein
forcement was just what was wanted. . . Immediately
on jumping over I had the satisfaction of seeing three
fellows coming with a rush at me ; the first, a great tall
fell:sw, evidently excited to delirium almost by bhang,
opium, and cherries, raised his sword and made a slashing
backhanded cut, which, had it taken full effect, must have
rolled my head off. However, my usual good luck came to
my help, and instead of cutting at my friend I had just
time to change the cut into a guard. My good cavalry
sword stood well, though a deep cut was made in the steel.
However, my guard having been hurriedly made, and my
ooponent a stronger man than myself, my sword was beaten
d tern and my cheek laid open. After the blow I hail my
turn, and gave my friend one across the head, which did
not cut him down to the shoulder, as I had imagined (the
skull being a very tough article) ; at the same moment one
of our men bayoneted this fellow, and Daly cut him down
too. As I got my cheek cut I felt a cut just below my
hip. The man who did it was instantly bayoneted, and a
moment afterwards a third fellow rushed at me—a rather
short little scoundrel ; he made a vicious cut at my head
too, but, being touch taller, I easily guarded it, and, as I
stepped a little forward after his blow, I had full time to
raise myself, arm, and sword to their full stretch. My
sword caught him at the back of the neck and down across
the shoulder a fearful gash, and he fell on his face to rise
no more, for a dozen bayonets were stuck into him.—
Private Letter.
The rebels work their guns well, and with their
enormous supplies of ammunition can afford to throw
two shots to our one :
Our engineer and artillery officers say they work their
guns beautifully, and fully equal us to good shots. We
who are on outpost duty here, some twenty of us (officers
and men), all live in the gateway of this house. The day
before yesterday ( the 17th), while quietly sitting and
chatting together, a round shot came humming and whisk•
ing right into the mouth of the gateway, struck the wall
when it had gone about three yards, and burst into a
thousand pieces. Poor young Wheatley, of the late 54th
(one of the few who had escaped the massacre), was taken
from the middle of us, a large piece of the shell striking
him in the shoulder and nearly cutting him in two. He
dropped down dead, poor young fellow ! Five of us who
were sitting within a circle of ten yards of him were more
or less struck, but none seriously. I got an admonitory
thump on the shoulder from a large piece of a stone
that was sent whizzing by my ear ; thank God, a stiff
shoulder is the only damage done. Two more were cut
about the face. The splinters then left us alone in a most
curious way and went about six yards, I expect with a
large piece of the round shot, which must have struck the
wall at the other end of the gateway and burst again, for it
killed two men of the eth Carabineers who were sitting at
the mouth of the gateway, smashing their massive brass
helmets and thick turban covers, as if they had been made
of thin glass, and at the same time five or six Ghoorkas of
the Sirmoor Battalion were killed on the spot, also a poor
syce. 1 t was a most wonderful thing we were not all killed,
but a merciful Providence was watching over us. We have
now some sandbags as a wall in front of the gateway, and
are pretty safe from shot and shell.—/b.
At the tight on the 19th of June our troops do not
seem to have been well handled :
On the 19th they came out again, having received rein-
forcements, which they immediately sent out to fight us.
At the same time a very large force sent out a long way
and tried to get round into the rear of our camp. A large
force of ours consequently went out to meet these gentle-
men, and a tremendous fight was the consequence. Out
arrangements were very bad in this tight—the cavalry,
infantry, and artillery all mixed up in sad confusion ; many
of our men, I fear, killed by our side. The mutineers held
a capital position, and their big guns did terrible execution,
loaded as they were with grapeshot ; unfortunately, too,
evening closed in on the fight, and, instead of quietly
retiring, so tia to protect our camp, we were ordered to
fight on, and the confusion became terrible ; at last,
however, the order came to retire ; many of our guns were
left on the ground till morning, as also our killed and
wounded, but were luckily all safely brought back into
camp next day. I fear our loss was nearly equal to the