The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-17 00:00:00

MILITARY DESPATCHES.

A supplement this week to the Gazette contains
various official despatches of recent military opera-
tions in India, and which have been received from

1005

time to time by the authorities. The first despatch is
from General Wilson,detailing the incidents of the bat-
tle of Ghazee-od-deen Nuggur, May 31st. Several de •
spatches from Colonel Neill relating the operations
before Benares and Allahabad, and from the late
Sir Henry Barnard, also occupy the earlier pages.
In a despatch dated Delhi, June 13, from the Assistant
Adjutant-General of the Army, the major-general
in command trusts at that period to be " ere long "
enabled to strike a " decisive blow." The last
despatch from Delhi is from General Reid, July
13th, in which the returns of the effective force,
and of the sick and wounded in the British camp,
are given as follows :
EFFECTIVE FORCE.—TotaI-11 field officers, 38
captains, 167 subalterns, 24 surgeons, 2 veterinary
surgeons, 52 subadars, 31 jemadars, 621 non-commis-
sioned officers, 7,072 rank and file, 2,140 horses.
SICK AND VOUNDED.—TotaI-3 field officers, 4
captains, 15 subalterns, 3 subadats, 4 jemadars, 30
non-commissioned officers, 518 rank and file, 213
horses, sick ; 1 field officer, 6 captains, 12 subalterns,
4 subadars, 2 jemadars, 20 non-commissioned officers,
298 rank and file, 28 horses, wounded.
GRAND TOTAL.-583 officers and men, 213 horses,
sick ; :132 officers and men, 28 horses, wounded.
The more important despatches are those from
General Havelock, detailing the operations of the
force under his command.
On the 12th July, from the Camp, Futtehpore,
General Havelock writes to the Deputy Adjutant-
General of the Artily :
Sir,—By telegrams and reports in various shapes, the
Commander-in-Chief has been kept informed of the opera-
tions of Major Renaud, lat Madras Fusiliers, on the Grand
Trunk Road, between the Ist and 11th inst., at the head of
a force of 400 British and 420 native troops, with two pieces
of cannon. He has everywhere pacificated the country, by
punishing the ringleaders in mutiny and rebellion, where-
ever they have fallen into his hands, and earned, as I
venture to think, the best thanks of his Excellency.
But on the 10th inst. his position became critical.
Cawnpore had suddenly fallen, by an act of treachery
unequalled in our annals, save by one fatal event beyond the
Indus ; and the rebel force, thus freed from occupation, had
rapidly pushed down a force to the vicinity of this place,
within five miles of which the major would arrive on the
morning of the 12th. He would thus be exposed to the
attack of 3,50:) rebels with twelve guns.
No time was to be lost; so on the 10th my column
marched, under a frightful sun, fifteen miles, to Synee,
and, resuming their course at eleven o'clock at night, joined
Major Reiland on the road, by moonlight, and with him
marched to Khaga, five miles from Futtehpore, soon after
dawn, and took up a position.
The heat was excessive, but there were now on a point
1,400 British bayonets, and eight guns, united to a small
native force. The whole is detailed in the margin.*
Our information had been better than that of the enemy,
for when Lieutenant• Colonel I'ytler pushed a recon-
naissance up to the town they evidently supposed they had
only Major lienaud's gallant but small farce in their front,
for after firing on the lieutenant•colonel and his escort,
they insolently pushed forward two guns, and a tome of
infantry and cavalry, cannonaded our front, and threatened
our flanks.
I wished earnestly to give our harassed soldiers rest,
and so waited until this ebullition should expend itself,
making no counter disposition, beyond posting 100 Enfield
riflemen (04th) in an advanced copse. But the enemy
maintained his attack with the audacity which his first
supposition had inspired, and my inertness fostered. It
would have injured the morale of my troops to permit them
thus to be bearded, so I determined at once to bring on an
action.
Futtehpore constitutes a position of no small strength.
The hard dry Grand Trunk Road subdivides it, and is the
only means of convenient access, for the plains on both
sides are covered at this season with heavy lodgments of
water, to the depth of two, three, and font. feet. It is sur-
rounded by garden inclosures of great strength, with
high walls, and has within it many houses of good
masonry. In front of the swamps are hillocks, villages,
and mango groves, which the enemy already occupied in
force.
1 estimate the enemy's number as set forth in the
margin.+
I made my dispositions. The guns, now eight in num-
ber, were formed on and close to the chaussee, in the
centre, under Captain Maude, Royal Artillery, protected and
aided by 100 Enfield riflemen of the 64th. The detach-
ments of infantry were, at the same moment, thrown into
line of quarter-distance columns, at deploying distance,
and thus advanced in support, covered at discretion by
Enfield skirmishers. The small force of volunteers and
irregular cavalry moved forward on the flanks, on harder
ground.
I might say that in ten minutes the action was decided,
for in that short space of time the spirit of the enemy
was utterly subdued; the rifle fire, reaching them at an
unexpected distance, filled them with dismay, and when

• British.-3rd company 9th battalion Royal Artillery, 76; Ist
Madras Fusiliers, 376 ; her Nl,kjesty's 61th Regiment, 433; nob
Highlanders, Pt; 64th Regiment, 190; detachment Bengal
Artillery, 22; Volunteer Cavalry, 20—total British. 1,403.
Native.—Regiment of Ferozepore, 44i; 13th irregular. and 3rd
Oude Irregular Cavalry, 95; Golundauze, 15—total native, 561.
Grand total, 1,961.
• Mutineers.-20d, 3rd, and 7th Light Gavairy and TrregularS
500; native infantry and artillery, ow; armed mordents
I,6oo.—Total, 3,600. Iron And ban guns, 12.

1000

Captain Maude was enabled to push his guns through
flanking swamps to point blank range, his surprisingly
accurate fire demolished their little remaining confidence.
In a moment three guns were abandoned to us on the
ehaussee, and the force advanced steadily, driving the
enemy before it on every point.
Major Renaud won a hillock on the right in good style,
and struggled on through the inundation. The 78th, in
extension, kept up his communication with the centre ;
the 64th gave strength to his centre and left ; on the left
the Hith and regiment of Ferozepore pressed back the
enemy's right.

As we moved forward the enemies' guns continued to
fall into our hands, and then in succession they were
driven by skirmishers and columns from the garden in•
closures, from a strong barricade on the road, from the
town•wall, into and through, out of and beyond, the town.
They endeavoured to make a stand a mile in advance of it.
My troops were in such a state of exhaustion that I
almost despaired of driving them farther. At the same
time the mutineera of the 2nd Light Cavalry made an
effort to renew the combat by charging, with some success,
our irregular horse, whose disposition throughout the
fight was, I regret to say, worse than doubtful. But
again our guns and riflemen were, with great labour,
pushed to the front. Their fire soon put the enemy to
final and irretrievable flight, and my force took up its
present position in triumph, and parked twelve captur'd
guns.

Our fight," adds the gallant 'general, " was
neither with musket, nor bayonet, nor sabre, but
with Enfield rifles and cannon." His loss was six
killed, three wounded, and four missing. The
nrcing of the bridge over the Pandoo Nuddee, on
the 15th of July, is thus described by General
Havelock :

The enemy's intrenchments were not formidable, but
the country being thickly wooded, he was enabled to main•
tain himself for some time against our fire, during which
interval large bodies of cavalry advanced r,ri both flanks,
with the intention of capturing our baggage. These
attacks were very persevering, and to defeat them—as I
had only twenty horse—l was compelled to protect the
flanks with the infantry in second line, and by artillery fire.
It is gratifying to have to report that the enemy was unable
to capture a single baggage animal or follower. The last
attempt was defeated by the baggage•guards, whose fire
was very effective.
_ _

Soon, however, the lieut.-colonel overcame all resis-
tance, drove the enemy before him, and captured his
cannon. The road was strewed for miles with abandoned
tents, ammunition, and other materials of war. lie reports
to me, in terms of high commendation, the conduct of the
troops immediately under his command, of Capt. Maude,
commanding the battery, and of Lieut. Havelock, 10th
Foot, my aide-de-camp, and Lieut. Moorsom, 52nd Light
Infantry, whom I had placed at his disposal.
The troops were halted for refreshment and short repose,
when authentic information was received that the bridge
on the Pandoo stream was not destroyed, but defended by
intrenchments and two guns of garrison calibre.
Disposition had to be made to force the passage of the
stream. Fortunately the bridge was at a salient bend of
the river in our direction. Captain Maude at once sug-
gested to me his desire to envelope it with his artillery fire
by placing three guns on the road and three on either
flank. The whole of the Madras Fusiliers were extended
as Enfield riflemen, as being the most practised workmen
in the force. They lined the banks of the stream, and
kept up a biting fire.
The enemy opened an effective cannonade upon our
column as they advanced along the road. They therefore
deployed and advanced with great steadiness in parade
order in support of the guns and riflemen. Capt. itlaude's
bullets soon produced an evident effect, and then the right
wing of the Fusiliers, suddenly closing, threw themselves
with rare gallantry upon the bridge, carried it, and captured
both guns. These two affairs cost me twentyfive killed
and wounded, as shown in the accompanying return.
Amongst the latter I regret to have to particularise Major
Renaud, lat Madras Fusiliers, to whose gallantry and in
telligence I have been under great obligations. His left
thigh was broken by a musket ball in the skirmish at Aeng,
but I hope, from the fortitude with which he endures all
suffering, a favourable result.

On the 20th July General Havelock announces
the capture of Cawnpore. The position Nana Sahib
had taken up to cover the city was excessively
strong. General Havelock stormed it by a flank
movement :

I ascertained that he had taken up a position at the
♦illage of Ahirwa, where the Grand Trunk Road unites
with that which leads direct to the military cantonment of
Cawnpore.

Hie intrenchments cut and rendered impassable both
roads, and his guns, seven in number, two light and five
siege calibre, were disposed along his position, which con•
sista of a series of villages. Behind these his infantry,
consisting of mutinous troops and his own armed followers,
was disposed for defence. It was evident that an attack
in front would expose the British to a murderous fire from
his heavy guns sheltered in his intrenchment. I resolved
therefore ti; manoeuvre to turn his left. My camp and
baggage were accor.lingly kept back, under proper escort,
at the village of Maharajpoor, and 1 halted my troops
there two or three iiours in mango groves to cook, and gain
shelter from a burning sun.
My column then moved off, right in front; the Fusiliers
led, followed by two guns : then came the Highlanders,
in rear of whom was the central battery of six guns
under Captain Mande. The 84th and 84th had two guns