The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-12 00:00:00

JHANSI AND NOWGONG.

It appears that the first report of Captain Skene
having at the last moment of defence of the fort at
this place first shot his wife and then himself, is
incorrect. An officer, writing from Agra, gives the
following version of the affair : I
The fort gates were barricaded inside with stones, and
the garrison Christians only, with some native servants,
(tainted their enemies, who began the attack on the 6th.
One man said the garrison gave in on the Bth ; another
says the 11th was the day. The latter authority was inside
the fort during the defence. Burgess, he said, killed
fourteen men. Poor Powys shot a man who tried to open
one of the gates, and was killed with sword cuts in return.
Burgess killed his murderers. Both tales agree on this
point, and also that Captain Gordon was hit in the head
when looking over the wall parapet. He died of it. Some
of the writers tried to escape in native clothes, letting
themselves down by ropes, but they were caught and killed.
At last Major Skene and the rest were deceived by
assurances that their lives would be spared if they sur•
rendered, and they opened the gate, the Hindoos and
Mahornedans having both sworn to them. Two attempts
to said word to Nagode and to Gwalior for help had
failed, end so, taking the hand of some man or other,
Major Skene marched out first; they were taken to a
garden, tied to two ropes in two rows, men and women
separate—Burgess's servant says the men alone were tied—
and then every soul, whatever the age, rank, or sex, was
killed by the sword. The men died first, Burgess taking
the lead, his elbows tied behind his back, and a Prayer-
book in his hands. What a sad end for so kindhearted and
unselfish a man. But to (lie confessing the faith is a noble
death. The rest died in the same way. They tried hard
to get the women and children saved. Our quartermaster-
sergeant and his family alone were spared ; the servant says
he was taken with the rebels when they left. This man
said the women stood with their babes in their arms, and
the older children holding their gowns. They had to see
the men killed, but I believe they were spared any violence
save death. Dear little Mrs. Powys—l think of her with
such a pang. Poor Dunlop, too, the first friend I made in
India, and Turnbull, so warmhearted and anxious to do good
and to benefit others. Poor little Taylor! he had been

with Ins brother, and had made great haste to rejoin on the
mutinies breaking out at other stations. lie reached
.11iansi a few days before he died.
A native collector also gives us the following
further details of this horrible instance of treachery
and murder :
Alas! how sorry am T that in my old age, when my
strength is broken, I am to be the messenger of evil
tidings, and recount what has befallen my best of bene-
factors and your kind friend and patron, Capt. Alexander
Skene, superintendent. He, wits, Capt. Gordon, of the
10th Regiment, deputy commissioner of Jaloon, together
with the keeranees (Christian clerks), took refuge in the
fort, where they were besieged by the refractory troops, but,
although they fought like the heroes Roostum and Isfund.-
year, they were, after a most desperate conflict, over-
powered. But the worst is yet to be narrated. One
Bukhshis Allie, a wretch born without a sense of shame,
and to be accursed of God, was employed under Major
tjleeman as a mohurrir (Persian writer) in the Thuggee