The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

His concluding paragraph is not assuring:—

India has to be reconquered. There is no denying that
we have lost it. All at Cawupore have been killed after
a gallant fight. Perhaps the same will happen here. If
the mutineera bring up the siege train from Uwalior we are
done. But if they are unable to cross the Chumbul we
shall, I hope, be able to hold Gut till reinforcements arrive.

Another correspondent, an officer engaged with
the rebels, gives a graphic ]ascription of the fight :
They had a very strong and commanding position, and
their rifles did much execution, as also the grape which
they kept firing against our guns. We advanced a little,
and lay down again two or three times, when out burst
their cavalry in sueh numbers that they completely sur-
rounded us, and tried to get at onr baggage, spare ammuni-
tion, &c., but our volunteer horsemen bravely managed to
keep theta off. Our small body was then broken up into
three divisions—the main one to attack the village, another
to protect our right half battery, and one company with
headquarters and colours to defend the left half battery,
where, of course, I was; and being just in front of the
village we were exposed to the fire of these riflemen,
hidden behind mud walls. Soon after we were in position
one of our gun carriages took fire, and when we came up
it was in full blaze, one of our tumbrils having been blown
up. Justafter this we saw the cavalry again coming down
upon us, so we faced about, and the cowardly wretches,
instead of charging full at us, swerved and galloped past,
we the meanwhile letting a volley ipto them. Oh! it was
a fine sight to see them rolling over off their horses. In
the village they hull very sharp work, and the severest loss
in charging up it; the first volley knocked over our major ;
he was wounded in the foot, and his horse received three balls
and fell over upon and injured his head. When our brave
boys were well into the village they dealt destruction on all
sides, and the enemy, after a faint resistance, fled in confu-
lion. They were drawing off in full force, when an un-
ucky shot of theirs exploded another of our ammunition
waggons, and on seeing this they set up a loud clamour and
rallied for awhile; however, we went on firing till we hag
expended all our gun ammunition which had not been
blown up, and then, being helpless, we haul to burn the
village, form up our force, and retreat. The want of
ammunition was most unfortunate for us, as the enemy
were getting short of it, too, and had begun firing pice
(farthings) and bits of stone, so that a few more rounds
would have given us a decided victory, instead of leaving it
a half-and-half business; but such are the chances of war.

During our retreat the enemy followed us with one gun all
the way into the city, and the cavalry were upon both our
flanks as long as we were in open ground, but took care not
to come within reach of the fort guns. The very last shot
fired from this one gun (which appears was the only one
left that they could move about) came just over the
colours, anti killed two men not eight yards in front of me.
And one thing is certain, if their cavalry had had one grain
of pluck they might have cut us up almost to a man.
One time, towartia the close of the action, some dozen of
them galloped in actually between the company 1 was with