The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-21 00:00:00

THE PRE S S, NOVEMBER 21, 1857.

and natives; the regiments in camp being her Majesty's
Oth Lancers, her Majesty's Gth Dragoon Guards, Guide
Cavalry, Hodgson's Horse, and detachments of the Ist,
2al, and 6th Punjaub Cavalry.
Her Majesty's tith Foot ( part of), 62nd Foot, 00 Rifles
(pair of), 01st Foot, 76th Foot, Ist and 2nd Bengal Fusi-
liers, Sirmoor and Kumaon Battalions (Glioorkas), 4th
Sikh Infantry, Guide Infantry, Ist, 2nd, and 4th Regiments
Punjaub Infantry.
Four troops of horse artillery (Tombs', Turner's, Re-
mington's, and Rennie's), two light field batteries ',Scott's
and Bourchier's), and some companies of foot artillery
attached to the siege guns, which numbered about forty
heavy guns and howitzers, tea heavy and twelve light
mortars.
The means of the Engineers were very restricted, not in
officers but in trained men, of whom there were only about
120 sappers. Some companies of Muzbee Sikhs had, how.
ever, been tepidly raised and partially trained ; and a body
of coolies bad also been collected, who worked remarkably
well ; the park had been at work for some time iu collect
ing material, and 10,000 faseines, 10,000 gabions, and
100,000 sandbags were ready for future operations ; field-
magazines, scaling-ladders, and spare platforms hail also
been duly prepared, and great credit is due to Lieutenant
Brownlow, of the Engineers, in charge or the park, whose
aztirity and intelligence contributed not a little to the
eventual success of our operations.
The north face being the side to be attacked, it was
resolved to hold the right in check as far as possible, and
to push the main attack on the left first, as the river would
completely protect our flank as we advanced ; second, as
there was better cover on that side ; third, as after the
assault the troops would not find themselves immediately
in narrow streets, but in comparatively open ground.
The front to be attacked consisted of the 31oree, Cash-
mere, and Water Bastions, with the curtain walls connect-
ing them. These bastions had been greatly altered and
improved by our own engineers many years ago, and pre-
sented regular faces and flanks of masonry with rroperly-
cut embrasures ; the height of the wall was twenty-four
feet above the ground level, of which, however, eight feet
was a mere parapet three feet thick, the remainder being
about four times that thickness; outside the wall was a
very wide beam, and then a ditch sixteen feet deep and
twenty feet wide at the bottom, escarp and connterscarp
steep, the lattter unrevetted, and the former revetted with
stone and earth eight feet in height. A good sloping glacis
covered the lower ten feet of the wall from all attempts of
distant batteries.

On the evening of the 7th of September No. 1 advanced
battery, in two portions, was traced about 7tH) yards from
the Moree Bastion, the right portion for five 18-pounders, and
one s•ineh howitzer was to silence the Moree and prevent
its interfering with the attack on the left. The left portion
for four 24 pounders was intended to hold the Cashmere
Bastion partially in check. The working parties were very
little disturbed daring the night ; the covering parties in
front kept the musketry at a distance, end except three
wall-aimed showers of grape thrown from the Moree, which
knocked over some workmen, we received no further an-
noyance. By the morning the two portions of the battery
were finished and armed, though not ready to fire until
nearly sunrise ; a trench was also male connecting the
two portions and extending a little to the right and left, so
as to give communication with a wide and deep ravine,
which, extending very nearly up to our own lett attack,
formed a sort of first parallel, and gave good cover to the
guard of the trenches, the coolies, tte. For some time we
were well pounded from the Moree with round shot and
grape, but as our guns in the new battery got gradually
into play the enemy's tire grew less and less, and was at
length completely overpowered. This battery became
known as timid's, being worked by that otlicer with great
tiluct till the end of the siege.
On the evening of the Mth and 9th No. 2 battery was
traced and commenced. To our surprise we hail been
allowed to seize this advanced position at Ludlow Castle,
within 000 yards of the city, without even a fight for it, on
the previous day. In fact, there is little doubt the enemy
still thought the attack was to be on the right, where all
the fighting bad hitherto been, and where all our old bat-
teries were located. Ludlow Castle and the Koodsee Bagh
were now occupied by strong detachments, and formed our
chief supports to the lea attack. During the 9th, a sharp
fire of musketry, shot, and shells was opened on these
Positions by the enemy from the jungle in front, and from
Cashmere and Water iiniioll9, and the Selimgurh, but no
great damage was done.
During the nights of the 9th and 10th No. 2 battery was
completed and partially armed, but not yet unmasked. It
was in two portions—one, immediately in front of Ludlow
Castle, for nine 21-pounders, to open a breach in the cur-
tain between the Cashmere and Water Bastions imme-
diately to the left of the former, and to knock off the
parapet to the right and left for some distance, so as to
give no cover to musketry ; the other portion, some 200
pods to the right, consisting of seven S-inch howitzers and
two 18-pounders, was to aid the first portion, and work with
it for the same end. No. :1 battery was also commenced
on the left, and No. .1 battery, for ten heavy mortars, com•
pleteil in the Koodsee Bagb, but not yet unmasked. Major
Tombs was in charge of this battery ; the light mortars,
%mkt'. Captain Blunt, were afterwards worked from the rear
of the Customhouse.
_ _

During the nights of the 10th and 11th No. 2 battery
was strengthened. armed, and unmasked, and No. 3 bat-
tery completed. This last was made in the boldest manner
within 180 yards of the Water Bastion, behind a small
ruined house in the Custom-house compound, and under
inch a fire of musketry as few batteries have ever been
exposed to ; it was for six 18 pounders, which were to open
a second breach in the Water Bastion, and was worked by
111:ijor Scott. The enemy also went to work to•nigbt. and
made an advanced trench parallel to our left attack, and
about 351) yards from it, from which at daybreak they
'pelted a very hot fire of musketry, which was maintained
throughout the i,st of the siege; they had previously gut

some light guns and one heavy gun out into the open on
our right, which caused considerable annoyance by their
enfilade fire.

On the 11th our batteries ornerl fire, a salvo from the
nine 24-pounders opening the ball, and showing by the way
it brought down the wall in huge fragments what effect it
might be expected to produce after a few hours. The Cash-
mere Bastion attempted to reply, but was quickly silenced,
and both portions of No. 2 went to work in fine style
knocking the bastion and adjacent curtains to pieces
Majors Campbell and Kaye, Captains Johnson and Gray,
had charge of Nu. 2. No. 3, however, did not commence
fire till the following day, when the full power of our
artillery was shown, and a continuous roar of fifty guns
and mortars, pouring shot and shell on the devoted city,
warned the enemy that his and our time had at length
come. Night awl day, until the morning of the 11th, was
this overwhelming fire continued. But the enemy did not
let us have it all our own way. Though unable to work a
gun from any of the three bastions that were so fiercely
assailed, they yet stuck to their guns in the open, which
partially enfiladed our position ; they got a gun to bear
from a hole broken open in the long curtain wall ; they
sent rockets from one of their martello towers, and they
maintained a perfect storm of musketry from their ad•
vanced trench and from the city walls.
On the night of the 13th the Engineers stole down and
examined the two breaches new: the Cashmere and Water
Bastions, and, both bring reported practicable, orders for
the assault were at once issued, to take place at daybreak
the following morning.
The arrangements for the storming were as follows:-
Ist column—B igadier-General Nicholson.
H.M. 75th Regiment, Ist Bengal Fusiliers, and 2nd
Funjaub In:entry—To storm the breach near the Cash-
mere Bastion, and escalade the face of the bastions.

Engineer officers attached—Lieutenants Medley, Lang,
and Bingham.
2nd column—Brigadier Jones, C.B.
H.M. Bth Regiment, H.J. 61st Regiment, and 4th Sikh
Infantry—To s.orrn the breach in the Water Bastion.
Engineer officers attached—Lieutenants Greathed, Ho—
venden, and Pemberton.
3.4 column—Colonel Campbell.
H.M. 52nd Regiment, 2nd Fusiliers, and Ist Panjaub
Warta-y-10 assault by the Cashmere Gate aaer it should
be blown open.
Engineer officers attached—Lieutenants Home, Salkeld,
and Tandy.
4th column—Major Reid.
Detachment of European Regiments, Sirmoor Battalion,
Guide IM'antry, and detachment of Dogealis—To atiaek
the suburb K;ssengange, and enter the Laho' e Gate.
Engineer officers attached—Lieutenants Maunsell and
Tennant.

6th column—Brigadier Low-4field.
H.M. 60. h Rifles, Kumaon Ba.,alion, and 4th Punjanb
Inrantry, the reserve.
Eigideer officers attached—Lieutenants Ward and
Tkackeray.
At four a.m. the different columns fell in and were
marched to their respective places, the heads o: Nos. 1,2,
and 3 columns being kept concealed uniil the moment
for the actual assault should arrive. The signal was to be
the advance of the Rifles to the front to cover the heads or
the columns by skirmishing.
Everything being ready, General Nicholson, whose
excellent arrangements elicited the admiration of
all, gave the signal, and the Rifles cleaned to the
front with a cheer, extending along and sk;rmish-
ing the low jungle, which at this point ex-
tends to within flay yards of the ditch. At the same
moment the heads of Nos. 1 and 2 columns emerged
from the Koodsee Itagh, and advanced steadily to-
wards the breach. Oar batteries had maintained
a tremendous fire up to the moment of the advance
of the troops, and not a gun could the enemy
bring to bear on the storming columns ; but no
sooner did these emerge into the open than a
perfect hailstorm of bullets met them from the front
and both flanks, and officers and men fell fast on the
crest of the glacis. For ten minutes it was impossible to
get the ladders down into the ditch to ascend the scarp,
hut the determination of the British soldier carried all
before it, and Pandy declined to meet the charge of the
British bayonet. With a shout and a rush the breaches
were both won, and the enemy fled in confusion.

Meanwhile, the explosion party advanced in front of the
column straight upon the Cashmere Gate. This little
band of heroes ( tor they were no less) had to advance in
broad daylight to the gateway in the very teeth of a hot
fire of musketry from above, and through the gateway and
on both flanks the powder-bags were coolly laid and ad-
justed ; but Lieutenant Salkeld was by this time hors de
ewnbal, with two bullets in him. Sergeant Carmichael
then attempted to fire the train, but was shot dead. Ser-
geant Burgess then tried and succeeded, but paid for the
daring act with his life. Sergeant Smith, thinking that
Burgess too had failed, ran forward, but, seeing the train
alight, had just time to throw himself into the ditch and
escape the effects of the explosion. With a loud crash
the gateway was blown in, and through it the third column
rushed to the assault, and entered the town just as the
other columns had won the breaches. General Wilson
has since bestowed the Victoria Cross on Lieutenants
Home and Salkeld, on Sergeant Smith, and on a brave
man of her Majesty's 52nd, who stood by Lieutenant Sal-
keld to the last, and bound up his wounds.

General Nicholson then formed the troops in the main
guard inside, and with his column proceeded to clear
the nimparts as far as the Moree Bastion. It was in ad-
vancing beyond this, towards the Lahore Gate, that he met
the wound which has since caused his lamented death, a death
which it is not too much to say has dimmed the lustre of
even this victory, as it has deprived the country of one of
the ablest men and the must g;dhuit soldiers that Lugland
anywhere numbers among her ranks.

1129

The 4th column, I regret to say, failed, but as it was too
far for me to know anything of its real progress, I prefer
leaving its story to be told by another, instead of sending
you a vague and imperfect account. Had this column
succeeded, its possession of the Lahore Gate would have
saved us much subsequent trouble.
I regret that my account must stop here, as, being
wounded myself at this stage of the proceedings, I was
unable to witness the subsequent capture of the magazine,
the Burn Bastion, the Palace, and finally of the whole
city. Some one else will, doubtless, conclude my story in
a more worthy manner than I have told it.
On the day of the assault we had 01 officers and 1,178
killed and wounded, being nearly one-third of the whole
number engaged. The Ist Fusiliers alone lost nine officers,
and other regiments, I believe, in proportion. The Engi-
neers suffered heavily; the three oft/zero conducting Nue.
1,2, and 3 columns (Lieuts. Medley, Greathed, and
Maunsell ) were all struck down early iu the fight, and of 17
officers on duty that day 10 were put hors de combui. The
loss of the enemy is never likely to be ascertained, but at
the end of the operations it is probable that at least 1,500
men must have been killed between the 7th and 20th, and
a very large number wounded who were carried away.

THE CAPTURE OF THE KING.
The capture of the old King was effected without
difficulty—he appears to have made little effort to
escape. The heir-apparent accompanied the main
hotly of the enemy in their retreat upon Oude :
On the 21st the old King surrendered to Captain Hod
son and his cavalry near the Kootub !dinar, which is about
l:i miles south of Delhi. He was accompanied in his cap-
tivity as in his flight by his chief wife, the Begum Zeenut
Mahal, "the Ornament of the Palace." The King is said
to be nearly ninety years of age, and it is probable that
he is scarcely in any way responsible for what has been
done in his nailer, so that, as at present informed, we
cannot condemn the clemency which has spared his life.
He is now a prisoner in what was once his own palace.
Two of his sons ands grandson, however, who were
captured also by Captain Hodson, at the tomb of Hu.
mayoon, about five miles from Delhi, and who are known
to have been leaders in the rebellion, have received the
reward of their treason. They were shot on the spot, and
their bodies were brought back to the city and exposed at
the Kotwallee or chief police-office, where it is said au
many of our countrymen were brutally murdered.—Bombay
Gazelle.

On the 23rd two columns of our troops started in
pursuit of the fugitives, one under Colonel Greathed,
of H.M. Bth (King's) Regiment, marching uu
Allyghur, the other proceeding down the right bank
of the Jumna towards Muttra and Agra. We have
no precise information as to what these pursuing
forces have dune; indeed, the reports as to the move•
ments of the enemy or of these columns in pursuit
are very obscure. The Times Bombay correspondent
doubts whether more than one pursuing column is
in the field. Colonel Greathed had with him 1,600
European and Sikh Foot, the 9th Lancers, and three
troops of horse artillery. The army at Delhi was
so weakened by its losses that it is scarcely possible
any further force could be safely detached in put-
suit :
It appears, indeed, clear that the vast majority of the
mutineers who did tot meet death in the city marched
down the Jumna on the Muttra road, keeping at first on
the right or Delhi bank; but that at some point of the
road, or points, perhaps, large bodies of them mussed the
river into the Duab. We still hear of the Bareilly Brigade,
the Neemuch Brigade, and so on. The former of these
bodies, together with er prezeded by the Nusseerabad
rebels, are said thus to have crossed the stream. The
Neemuch people, according to reports at Agra, were
bent on joining their comrades fruiu Incline, who were
still at Dholpore, on the Chumbul. But, in truth, the
movements of the mutineers are at present obscure. Nor
are those of the British much less so. We are told at
one time that two purstting columns lea Delhi,—one on
either side of the river ; that the one on the right was
commanded by Colonel Greathed, of the Bth, and had
presumably reached or passed Muttra, iu which direction
heavy firing was heard from Agra on the 27th ; and that
the one on the left, under Brigadier Showers, arrived at
Soruna, sixteen miles from Ailyghur, on the 28th. On
the other hand, it is undoubted that if Colonel Greathed
started, as I believe he aid, on the riOt bank, he crossed
to the lett shortly afterwards ; for on the 27th he attacked
and defeated the Jhansi mutineers posted in a strong posi•
tion at liolundshuhur, capturing two guns and killing and
wounding a considerable ninulJer, with a loss to himself of
about sixty killed and wounded. No officers are returned
as killed, but four as severely wounded. The effect of
this skirmish was the evacuation by the rebels of the
strong fort of Malagliur in the neighbourhood, which was
thereupon occupied by a party of cavalry.
The following aro the messages received at Bom-
bay since the precis from the Adjutant-General of
the Army :

Lahore, Sept. 20, Two p.m.—We now have Selimgnrh
and the bridge. I hope to be able to report shortly that
we are in possession of the Torkmati and Delhi gates and
bastions, and entirely master of the whole town.
Sept. '2O, Five p.rn.—Our struggle has ended here. We
have possession of the whole city, the pelPtce, Selimgurh,
and the bridge. Number of guns taken in the town and
Delhi bastions are unknown. Our loss to-Jay is trifling.
Lahore. Sept. •2l—The capture of the city of Delhi, of
die palace. and the fort of Selirugurh, was completed yes-
terday. All honour to the noble army which, under the
coutinand of Major-General Wilson, has effected this
•