The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-02 00:00:00

INDIA-HOUSE DESPATCH.

A telegraphic despatch received at the India•house
gives an account of the operations at Lucknow.
The despatch reads :

The commander-in-chief crossed the river and entered
Oude on the ilth inst. lie was reported from Cawnpore
on the 12th to have reached Alumbagh, and to have opened
communication with Sir James Outratn. Between the oth
and 12th 1,300 troops of all arms crossed the river at
Cawr.pore to join the commander-in-chief. On the 12th
three companies of the 82nd marched for Alumbagh,
anti on the following day three companies of the 13th,
the military train, and Crawford's artillery were to move in
the same direction. Further, it was intended send on
Carthew's brigade of Madras sepoys, expected at Cawn-
pore, unless the Gwalior muttneers should crofts the
Junius; the latter on the 12th instant numbered 3,000, or,
by native accounts, 5,000 effective men, with eighty heavy
and thirty field-guns.
By the last telegram, dated 23rd, some portion of this
force had crossed the Junin& and entered the Dual). Oa
the 13th the commander-in-chief commenced operations by
blowing up the Fort of Jhullawan, near Alumbagh ; on
the 15th instant, be occupied Dilkhoosha Park and Mar-
tiniere, after a running tight of two hours ; in the evening
the enemy again came forward, but were heavily repulsed,
and the operation ended in our taking the post across the
canal. Our losses small. Lieut. Mayne, Horse Artillery,
and Lieut. Wheatcroft, Carbineers, killed.
On the 160 t the commander-in-chief advanced across
the canal in force ; on the 17th he attacked 'high, which
was occupied after a severe struggle. The enemy suffered
enormously, 1,500 dead bodies of sepoys having been en-
countered in one place only. The Nhah Iluozill was

then cannonaded for three hours, and was carried at dusk,
after one of the severest tights ever witnessed.
On the 10th the Mess•house was carried by assault, after
a heavy cannonade, and the troops then pushed on rapidly
and seized the Motee Mahn before dark.

Outram and Havelock camp out then and joined the
commander-in-chief.

The commander-in-chief was very slightly wounded, and
of his staff Major Alison, severely; Captains Alison and
the Hon. A. Anston, slightly.
The following officers were killed :—Midshipman
Damien, Naval Brigade ; Captain Headley, Royal Artillery;
Captain 1)alzell, 93rd; Captain Lumaden, 30th N.T., doing
duty with 93rd; and Lieut. Frankland, 2nd Puniaub
Infantry.
Twenty-seven other officers were wounded. The list
goes by this mail. The commander•ln-chief reports that
the garrison had been removed, and that he is engaged in
conveying women and wounded to the rear. The city of
Lucknow will be held in check by a strong moveable
column, with field and heavy artillery, occupying a good
military position outside the town. The Fort of Aim.-
walles evacuated by the enemy, and razed to the ground by
Colonel Southden, who intended returning instantly to the
Jaunpore frontier, as it was still threatened by a large force
from Oude. .

Lieut. Osborne, political agent in Rewab, has been
authorised to detach a force to suppress the insurrection in
Bijerargoogurh, and to take the administration into his own
hands. He reports that certain chiefs of Majher have
broken out in rebellion at Rewah itself. The agent seems
to be all right now. A body of mutineers reported on the
10th to have advanced from Ghorawal or Mirzapore dis-
trict, and so have crossed the lieglun into Rewah territory.
The fort of Dhur occupied by our troops on the 13th, but
the rebel garrison escaped.
It is apprehended that the mutiny of the Kotah troops,
and the disaffection among the feudatories of Meyor and
Marnear may cause serious disorder in Rajpootana. The
force there is very weak, and European troops are urgently
called for. From other native States there is no new in-
telligence of an unfavourable nature. The following
vessels have arrived since the despatch of the last mails:
—Nov. 8, Barhani ; Nov. 13, Victoria and John Bell; Nov.
16, Octavia, Agamemnon, and Urwick Castle; Nov. 17,
Greasy, and Champion I the Seas ; Nov. 19, James Baines ;
Nov. 20, Hammond; Nov. 22, Chartage, and Sir Robert
Sale; Nov. 23, Allenborough ; March 24, Calabar; Nov.
24, Monarch, Calabar, and Atliquir.
G. F. EDHONSTONE,
Secretary to the Government of India.

The following is the intelligence from Oude sup-
plied by the Government of ludia t) the press at
Calcutta :

From Allahabad, Nov. 20, Friday, 12.10 p.m.
FROM BRIGADIER CAMPBELL TO THE PRIVATE
SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.
Head-quarters, Secunderbagh, Lucknow,
November 18, 1857..
_ _

On the 10th the commander•iu-ehief advanced
across the canal straight on Secunderbagh, which
was carried after a severe struggle ; the enemy suf
faring enormously. These positions having been
occupied, the Samuch was attacked with heavy
artillery for three hours. It was carried at dusk,
atter one of the severest fights ever witnessed.
Early on the 17th, communications were opened to
the left rear of the barracks, towards the canal. A
cannonade having been kept up all the morning on
the Mess-house, that very strong position was carried
by assault at three p.m. The troops pushed rapidly
on after carrying the Mess-house, and were able to
seize the Motee Mahal before dark. Sir James
Outram and Sir Henry Havelock then came out to
meet the commander in•chief. The commander-in-
chiers wound is very slight, and does nut interfere
with his duty.

From Cawnpore, Nov. 14,8p.m.
FROM GENERAL WINDIIAM TO TILE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.
News from the commander•in-chiefs camp at Alum-
bawl, 0 a.m. of the 13th ; after several skirmishes in the
day, ending in the capture of two guns, the tort of Jellala-
bad was taken and blown up. The commander-in-chief
luta communicated with Sir James Outram.
From Cawnpore, 16th Nor., 11 a.m.
FROM CAPTAIN BRUCE, BY ORDER OF HIS EXCELLENCY TILE

COMMANDER•IN-CHIEF, TO THE OOVERSOR-GENERAL.
The commanderin-chief occupied the Dilkhoosha and
the Martiniere after a running fight of two hours yester-
day at noon. ho enemy carne forward to attack at three
p.m. After a struggle of an hour he was beaten back; re-
pulsed heavily. An advanced picket having cleared some
villages across the canal, we took post there for the night.
Our loss was very trilling—Lieutenant Mayne, Horse
Artillery, Quartermaster-Generrl's Department, and Lieu-
tenant Wheatcroft, Carbineers, killed.

From Alumbagh, November 17, 9 a.m.
FROM MAJOR SIBLEY TO THE SECRETARY TO OOVERNMES

The commander-in-chief in Lucknow ; heavy cannonade
in the direction of the palaces. I)ilkhoosha and Nlartiniere
occupied by our troops.

FROM MATHERAN,FROII LORD ELPHINSTONE, TUESDAY DEC. 1,

1837, 9.35 A.M.
The following message was received this morning from
Lord Harris at Madras, dated Nov. 30:—
Alma arrived yesterday from Calcutta. Severe fighting
from 13th to 19th November. Sir Coliu Campbell had

:--------
taken most of the important fortified posts in the town'
Great slaughter of the rebels, but they had not yet been
entirely beaten. Sir Colin Campbell slightly woun.led.
The British forces were united. The women and chil-
dren from the Residency were en route to Cawnpore.
The fiord Highlanders and the Naval Brigade had suf-
fered severely.
walior mutineers at Calpee, and General Windham
supposed to have left Cawnpore to attack them.
J. J. Sr. (LAIR,

Ponnah Signal Office,
pec. 1, 1837; 11.5:)

Inspector in Charge.

We have nothing yet but a very general account of
the operations carried on by Sir Colin Campbell to
effect the relief of Lucknow. The last letters left
Sir Colin, on the 9th November, en route to Alum-
hagh. These letters stated that Sir Colin hail
crossed the Ganges with 5,000 men, and that he
would advance to the relief of Lucknow et the head
of 12,000 troops. We find now, as we anticipated
then, that Sir Colin crossed the Ganges with only a
squadron of the 9th Lancers, and another of the
Funjaub Irregulars, and proceeded rapidly to Alum-
bagh, overtaking, at Nawabgunge, Grart's column of
some 3,000, not 3,500, men. Sir Colin reached the
neighbourhood of Alumbagh on the 11th No-
vember, where was congregated a force mustering
about 900 men, closely invested by the rebels.
The commander-in-chief had with him now a Euro-
pean Horse Battery, two troops of Horse Artillery,
sixty Royal Artillerymen, with two 18-pounders and
two 8-inch mortars ; 320 of the 9th Lancers, detach-
ments of her Majesty's sth, Bth, 53rd,75th, and 93rd,
and 300 of the Naval Brigade, or, including the 900
joining him from Alumbagh, above 3,000 Europeans
in all ; besides a squadron of Sikhs and of Hodson's
horse, 1,000 Sikh Infantry, Sappers and Miners,
ktc., or an additional 2,000 natives ; in all a force
under 5,000 men with which to commence operations.
No time was to be lost, for the latest news from the
Residency was to the effect that Outram and Have-
lock were closely besieged by some 12,000 rebels,
well provided with guns, from which they kept up a
constant fire, distinctly heard from Nawabgunge.
One immense piece of ordnance, called Luchmee,
distressed the garrison very much, and relief was
urgently looked for.
On the 13th Nov. Sir Colin advanced to the relief of
Alumbagh, and cleared the ground in the neighbour-
hood by the capture of a small fort, called Jellalahad,
which was taken and blown up. Of the operations that
ensued it is not easy to give an account that will be
intelligible without the aid of a plan of the city.
From Alumbagh to Lucknow a direct road runs due
north, crossing the canal at right angles in a point
called the Charbagh bridge, and diverging slightly to
the westward, cuts through the heart of the city, and
stops at the Batee Guard, or Residency :
The canal, which runs nearly east and west, falls into
the Goomtee at a point north of the Martiniere school.
The Muchee Bawun and Residency abut on the river,
which flows almost due east and parallel to the canal ; but
at some distance the course of the stream alters and winds
suth, joining the canal above the Martiniere school.
Thus Lucknow, the Muchee Bawun, the Residency, and
other buildings, are inclosed north, south, and east by a
hairier of waters, which bathe an area forming almost a
rectangle. Near the junction of the canal and Goomtee,
and consequently near the Martiniere, several bridges are
built on the canals, that which is nearest the river leading
to a group of buildings called the Mahals. These Mahals
are the residence of Wajid Ali's 300 wives, and are an
extensive structure built of bricks, affording excellent
covering positions to infantry, but incapable of resistance
to artillery. Near them are Sevunderbagh, the Barracks,
and Mesa-house. Troops occupying the Mahals and other
buildings just named are under fire sonth-eastward from
the Residency. Artillery placed on the canal in front of
the Martiniere ct ulfl fire on them in a north-westerly
direction. It is, then, obvious that by an advance of our
troops from the siluthwurd or Martiniere direction the
occupants of the Mahals would be under a double fire.
At no great distance in rear south of Martiniere is Dilk-
lionsha, literally Heart's Delight, a palace of brick, com-
posed of two rectangular blocks of buildings, forming
half a square.
The direct road from Alumbagh to the Residency
(writes another correspondent) lies through the
thickest part of the town. Here every alley, every
lane, every house had been strongly fortified. In
the rainy season no other route was practicable for
artillery, and it was by this accordingly that Sir
Henry Havelock advanced when he attempted the
relief of the Residency; and it was advancing along
those fortified streets that he experienced his heaviest
loss. The rebels had evidently made up their minds
that Sir Colin Campbell would follow the same rout
and they had made every preparation to give him a
warm reception. But Sir Colin was not the man to
be taken in. The old warrior was not to be caught
running his head against houses when it was prac-
ticable to turn the position. It had, indeed, been
his original intention to turn the whole of the town.
This could have been effected by crossing the