The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-05 00:00:00

A BATTERY.

The war in India, while it has abundantly proved
that the race of our great commanders is far from being en.
tinct has no less shown that our officers and soldiery en
alike worthy to follow such leaders. In the battle fought%
the 23rd of November, 1857, near Mundisore, Central Ind*
by the force under the command of Brigadier-General Stuart.
the battery of artillery commanded by Captain Hungerford
had for its escort a party of twenty men of her Me=
14th Light Dragoons, headed by Lieutenant Cunlife llazelr,
of the Ist Bengal Light Cavalry. The enemy, numbering
5,000 men, fought well, and suffered a very ham" loos,
while that of the comparatively small British division
was very severe also. During this action Captain
liungerford directed Lieutenant Martin, with his twenty
Dragoons, to charge • battery of six gum, advantageously
posted by the enemy on a high bank In a village situated in
the British front, the battery was accordingly charged and
captured by this handful of men; but on a plain just behind
the village was an overwhelming force of the enemy, in.
Sentry and cavalry, end which lost not a moment in attack.
Tits little party was borne down by the force and weight of
number., but yet faced about and fought its way back slowly
and strati!y upon its supports, never running one step in
its retrogrde movement. This was the more difficult pare
of the operation, and those who witnessed its orderly execu-
tion in the face of such overpowering odds hardly knew
which to commend must, the headlong charge against a
heavy-armed and well-served battery, or the resolute and
ad-
dbrlike conduct of the retreat, in the face of a savage enemy
confident in their numbers—men who gave and received no
quarter. We are not in possession of the report of Major
Gall to the brigadier-general, but in the despatch of the
latter officer to the Commander •in-Cidef all who are me m.
Honed by Major Gall are strongly recommended to the
uotica of his Excellency, and Lieutenant Martin especially.
Captain Hungerford, of the Bengal Artillery, who ordered
the charge of cavalry, writes in his report I regret to
say that in this charge, moat gallantly led by Lieutenant
Martin, that officer was shot through the thigh and disabled.
It is unnecessary to speak of the conduct of my own men, and
of the squadron of cavalry under my command, as the briga-
dier witnessed it. I beg again to bring to his notice Lieu-
tenant Martin's vary gallant conduct." Lieutenant C., c 4
the Bengal
,Lift Cavalry, who witnessed the ch
writes wounded through the thigh= —"
making, with dragoons, the most gallant charge ever
seen." Lieutenant Martin has, we are glad to say, receversel
from his wound, and he is now restored to the service; but
his escape on this, and on another trying occasion, wee
almost miraculous. During the mutiny of his corps—the Ist
Bengal Light Cavalry—his clothes and cap were torn with
shot, and those who witnessed the terrible scene, oonclwied no
must have been killed—and his death was actually announced
in the Calcutta newspaper. But his time had not arrived,
while Norman, his younger brother by four years, ma
brought to the earth by one shot. We learn that Lieutenant
Martin has been recommended for the Victoria Crate—
r/tilted Berries Gagne.

CHATHAM, APRIL 4.
The large screw steamer Hero, 91, the launch at
which is definitively flied for the 16th inst., is ordered to
be fitted with the following powerful armament :—Lower
d►ck, 34 8-inch guns, 66 cwt., 9 feet long; [Rohl deck, 34
32-pounder, 68 cwt., 9 feet 6 inches long; upper deck, n
32-pounders, 46 cwt., 8 feet 6 inches long; 1 pivot 66-
pounder, 95 cwt., 10 feet long.
Admiralty orders have been received for the following ad-
ditional war steamers to be laid down at this dockyard, viz.:
—Atlas, 91; Bulwark, 91; Undaunted, 60; Orpheus, 22;
Rattlesnake, 22; and Rebidwr, 16.

PORTSMOUTH, Aran 3.
The squadron of vessels now lying at Spithrod
proceed very slowly with the entrance of men to fill up their
complements. The Marlborough, 131, has only about 680
men of her complement of 1,100. She has entered yen fete
bands during the last three weeks. The Itenoan,
still many men short of her crew, scarcely any having joined
since her snivel at Spithead. At present her force is end
760 men. The Diadem, 32, and the Caravel, 31, are seat
about 20 men short of full complement.
It is reported here that the new Board of Admiralty pro-
pose that all ships put in commission for the future shall be
retained in commission five year., instead of being paid off at
the expiration of three years, according to the premed
system.
Considerable excitement has been occasioned here during
the past week in consequence of • series of disturbances
having occurred between two of the militia regiments—the
Rceooinnion and Royal Wiltshire—now stationed in this
garrison. What the came of the dispute is Las not yet tree-
spired; but it Is evident that deep-rooted animosity exists
between them. Several severe conflicts have already wined,
and some of the men have been seriously injured in the affrays
which have taken place. The authorities have, as a prima-
tion, increased the number and strength of the picquets that
patrol the struts.
Major Joseph Oates Travers has resigned his office of
barrack-muter of Portsmouth, end hes beta succeeded by
Msjor Hell, late, we believe, of Shorncliffe. On the redly-
ment of Major Travers, the lieutenant-governor of the ger-
riAon, Major-Genend Sir James Yorke Seneca, expressed
his sense of the uniform propriety with which that office
bad discharged his duties, and the great benefit which hid
accrued to the service by the unremitting attention which
had marked his career.

DEVONPORT, Arun. 4.
The Agamemnon was commissioned on Thursday
aCaptain G. W. Preedy. She is to have a complement ci
men, and 30 seamen riggire, to be lent from this dock-
Mr. Alfred Joseph Voila]. Mister of her Majesty's ship
Niger, and for many years in commend of the Avon Mean
tender at this port, his been appointed by Admiral Sir M.
81ey mow, E..C.8., harbour master at Canton.
Ships in %emission at this port : In Ilerbonr—lmple•
cable, Royal William, Exmouth, Cambridge, Valorous, NMI
Hogue, Wellington, Euryslus, Nautilus, Niagara, =
Avont Conflance, Priespero, and Pike. In the 8
Lapwing.

THE ORDER OP THE MEDJIDIE.—A supplernent
to the Gazette, published on Friday, contains a list of office
of the navy end marines who have received her Majesty's per
mission to accept and wear the insignia of the Order of the
Medjidie, conferred upon them by the Sultan for their die.
tinguiehed services during the late war.

EXECUTION OP JOSEPH SHEPHERD, .AT TOBL
Joseph Shepherd, the murderer of Bethel Perlin.
.on, on Wadsworth Moor, near Halifax, underwent the at.
teems penalty of the law on Saturday at noon.
The oulpdt was visited on Fnday night by the Rev. J.
Parka% who arrived at the oondemned cell at eleven ceded,
and remained with the wretched man until live o'clock a
Saturday morning. Shepherd, if it be possible, was ear
hardened than ever, for when the rev, gentlemen convent
with him upon the concerns of his soul, and 'Ai red up pray,
in his behalf, he laughed aloud. Mr. Parkes remonstrant
with the culprit, bat all hi ears were of no avail. He toil
the prisoner that he could not expect happiness and rani
the next world if he acted in that manner, upon whir Is
remarked with a smile, "If there's no rest for we in the
next world, I might r well have an much rest here while I
stop," and then laid himself down on bis bed. Several OM
during the night he re-asserted his innocence. He asp st
intervals, and at four o'clock ha went into a sounder sir
than nasal. . .

Mr. Noble, the governor, also visited the unhappy sat
and in the course of conversation he told him that if he ON
in his present state, and did not repent of his aim Is
would surely go to hell. The culprit answered, " Newt
mind, 1 Mall be all right in the snowy weather ; I id
be right during one half-year, when the weather's cole
The culprit also made a similar observation to Mr. all%
the deputy-governor.
Shepherd was removed from the condemned cell to a tat
on the opposite aide of the Castle-yard, sod adjoinet
the scaffold, at about six o'clock in the rooming. Wbsi
the officers were ready to conduct him, the culprit wallid
away quietly, his nerves were unshaken, and bil
peered determined to meet his fate with perish melees
' and to retain his self-possameion and fortitude to the lest
On coming through the office, in which there is a debt
Shepherd looked at it, and observed the little pile
at els, remarked "When that gets to the top 1 shall be teas
for; it will be all over then." On drawing himself belle
full of joke and' fun. When the officers of the prison ass
conducting him across the castle yard he was is high
and laughed sit before. He looked et Clifford's Towmt
said, " That's the old tower, I suppose."
Since his trial the culprit had never Leen hard to Wel
word of prayer, and his conduct throughout hod bean d Se
most aliens character. When be arrived in the ametnel
adjoining the scaffold, be threatened that when ha wed
the drop, If be had the chsnce, he would " Mott sat
Ketch over." The culprit, mince his enademnation,
a wish that he could obtain arsenic and=
trinrs:ll, and had said that be deserved to be hanged,
he did not murder Parkinson, still maintaining his sweater
tion of innocence.
lltuirg the twenty-Sve years that Mr. Noble hes belle
York Castle, be has known about twenty men ns".b
on the scaffold, but in all his experience he never met wiff
man like Shepherd, so hardened, so callous, and so load teal
sense of religion.
The Under-Sheriff (William Grey, Esq.) arrived at el
Castle at a quarter to 12; and at 12 the processioo weds
appearance au the scaffold, Shepherd being attended bit
Thew. Mr. Parkes and the gaol officials. He was held by
,"
Green, the vender keeper, until the executioner complete
arrangement's, and repeated two or three times., " Lord,
mercy on me," after which the bolt was withdrawo, 2:114
unhappy man was launched Into eternity. awn
unhappy much fora short tame. He made no conkarim.
weather was fine, the sun shining brilliantly, and them eel
from 10,000 to 16,000 persons gement, many of whom awl
from the country, sad from the neighbourhood of Ilafitkt

STEITZ OP BURKE FOR T. STEPHEN'S MAW"
Mr. Theed hes just finished his statue in marble of Hd
Burke, for the Hey Pekoe, Westminster. This state,
complete the series for Bt. Stephen's Ibe rune eV!
hes likewisefinished the bas-relief of " The Field It
Cloth of Gold." sad "Elisabeth Knighting Drab,'
easaidell kr the New Palace.