The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-28 00:00:00

time I found myself at the Cashmere Gate. Our columns
had entered, and one had even penetrated as far as the
Bank, but, being unable to withstand the murderous fire,
was compelled to retreat. It was with the greatest difficulty
that I could keep my seat, for on reaching the branch
roads outside the Cashmere Gate the ballets and shot of
all descriptions were dying about like hail, and one which
struck close to the hoofs of my pony frightened him so
that he became quite unmanageable. However, I got
him through the gate, and a fearful sight it was that mat
my eyes.

A portion of our troops had escaladed the bastion walls
close to the gate; others had scrambled up two large
breaches in the walls and bastion near the Treasury. The
remainder had entered at the gate itself, which had been
blown open by one of our officers. The latter was really
the hazardous duty of the day, and was moat gallantly
performed, though in broad daylight. The explosion party
consisted of Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, of our corps,
a few sappers and a bugler of her Majesty's 52nd. On
their nearing the gate they found it slightly open, with •
number of muskets protruding at the opening. They were
received with a volley, which killed and wounded a number.
Still, however, they advanced, and fixed their powder bags
on to the gate. Sergeant Carmichael, of the Sappers, tried
to light the portfire attached to the bags, but was sho
dead in the attempt. After him Sergeant Harness, of thp
Sappers, tried, but fell, pierced with three bullets. AMe
Sergeant Harness, Salkeld tried, but fell into the
shot in the leg. which is broken, and in the arm, which has
been amputated. Sergeant Smith, of the Sappers, tried
next, and he and Home between them happily succeeded
without a wound. Seeing the portfire well a-light the
whole party jumped into the ditch, and the enemy, little
dreaming of what had been done, continued firing till the
explosion took place, so you ma:, fancy what effect it took.
Twenty of the mutineers strewed the road inside the gate,
not one of whom would it have been possible to recognise,
and this was the first sight that met my eyes at the gate.
Little wonder that Donald refused to move ; however,
finally ke did, and got as far as the centre of the main
guard, beyond which nothing would urge him. It was per-
fect agony keeping my seat, and I would hare given worlds
to dismount—but walking was out of the question; it was
anything but an agreeable fix to be in. I felt how perfectly
useless I was, and being the only mounted man there in
the open space, fully accounted for the number of ballets
whistling past my ears. There was no help for it, so I
had to make my way back to camp as I best could, fully
convinced of my own folly. You may imagine I had done
neither leg nor ankle much good by the trip, and I had
not many opportunities of seeing the remainder of the
operations. We progressed slowly after this for two days,
but having obtained Possession of the magazine con-
taining about 130 guns there could no longer be much
doubt as to the result. The enemy, who bad hitherto so
atontly resisted us, was losing heart, though he bad suc-
ceeded in beating us back with loss and kept us at bay at
two or three points. Daily and nightly large numbers
continued to leave the city till the 20th, when we found
ourselves in perfect possession and the entire city eva-
cuated. Immediately on receiving news of the evacuation,
I started for the palace. You can have no conception of
the scene of confusion—Riflemen, Ghoorkaa, Sikhs, and
Punjaubees quarrelling over their plunder, and such plunder
to quarrel about ! Old counterpanes, dirty blankets, tin
and copper pots and pens, sepoys' red coats, baskets,
papers, packets of tinsel, bottles of rose-water and otto of
roses lying here, there, and everywhere, and the whole
place in a state of squalor and wretchedness passing all
description. On turning into the gardens in front of
Douglas's stables, I found myself alone. I cannot tell
you what a scene of desolation presented itself to my eyes.
The garden had been an encamping-ground of the sepoys,
and everything bore witness to its having been deserted in
hot haste. The tents were still standing, but it seemed as
if everybody had taken his armful out of the boxes, and,
without caring for what might drop, had made the best of
his way out of the place. The stillness, too, after the
noise and riot that 1 had just quitted, was really appalling,
and I stood at the foot of the stairs stupefied as if with a
heated atmosphere and unable to move. I was roused by
hearing three cheers from the apartments above me. . . .
We have captured the King, his two sons and grandson—
the three last (among whom was Mirza Mogul Bey) were
most deservedly shot before they were brought into the
city, where their bodies were exposed in the Chandney
Chouk.

A report dated September 17, from Colonel Baird
Smith to Major-Geueral Wilson, which has not yet
appeared in the papers, brings to our notice the real
facts of that desperate duty of blowing up the Cash-
mere Gate :

Par. 13. The gallantry with which the explosion party,
under Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, performed the
desperate duty of blowing up the Cashmere Gate, in broad
daylight, will, I feel sure, be held to justify me in making
special mention of it. The party was composed, in addi-
tion to the two officers named, of the following:—Sergeants
John Smith and A. B. Carmichael, and Corporal Bur-
gess, Sappers and Miners ; Bugler Hawthorne, her
Majesty's 52nd, fourteen native sappers and miners, tea
Punjaub ditto, musters covered by the fire of her Majesty's
60th Rifles. The party advanced at the double towards
the Cashmere Gate. Lieutenant Home, with Sergeants
Smith and Carmichael, and Havildar Maher, all the
sappers leading and carrying the powder bags, followed by
Lieutenant Salkeld, Corporal Burgess, and a portion of the
remainder of the party. The advanced party reached the
gateway unhurt, and found that part of the drawbridge had
been destroyed; but passing across the precarious footway
supplied by the remaining beams, they proceeded to lodge
their powder bags 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