The Express.
London, England, 1857-12-28 00:00:00

ARRIV,AI/4

OP Till •

BOMBAY MAIL.

We have received by special exprma, in anticipa-
tion of the Overland Moil, our despatches from

Bombay, dated December 4. The following is the
summary of the Bombay Times of that date :

THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW.
In oar hat we mentioned the arrival of Grant's
column at Cawnpore, on the 27th October. When
crossing the Ganges, they arrived at Alumbagh on
the let November. It bad now become known that
Outram and Havelock were not only holding their
own, but were suffering comparatively little injury
from the almost unceasing fire kept upon them
_ .

by the enemy. They were provisioned for weeks,
and as there we. understood to be above
one hundred thousand rebels in arms around,
Sir Colin Campbell wisely resolved to delay
the final attack until the force ►t his die-

real should have sasembled in suffisient strength
to bs irresistible. Ilia Excellency and staff

reached Cawnpore on the 3rd, having, as formerly
stated, narrowly escaped being captured gy the
enemy on the road. Although it was known in
August that 90,000 men were on the way from Eng-
land, the arrangements for pu•hing them on hp-
pear to have been deferred till close upon their
larrival. To this source of detention, the teasing

delays that followed are mainly ascribed. Troops
were now mastering in strength at Cawnpcmi.
On the 9th. the sth, 53rd, 54th, and 93rd,
with portions of other regiments, crowed
the Ganges, and were speedily followed by
the Naval Brigade, who dragged their 24 guns along
with them, as if they had bees toys. Large sup-

plies of prevision had by this time been wig into
Alumbagh, and arrangements of all sorts were made
with the caution required, and deliberation per-
mitted by the occasion. Sir Colin Campbell left
Cawopore on the 11th, and rode forty miles at a
stretch in the direction of Locknow. The sick and
wounded, left by Havelock at Alombagh,
were sent into his camp, with the view
of returning to Cawnpore, under a guard of
Sikh horsemen, an arrangement that nearly proved
fatal. As they approached the British camp, they
were mistaken by the seamen of Peel's Naval Bri-
gade for the advanced guard of the enemy, when
the guns, loaded with grape, were levelled and
about to be find. Luckily, the face of the European
surgeon was recognised in time to prevent mischief.
Th. Commander-in-Chief bad with him a European
. .

Horse Battery, two troops of Hone Artillery, silty
Royal Artillerymen, with two 18. pounders sod two
8-ineh mortars; 320 of the 9th Lancers, detachments

of her Majesty's 6th, Bth, 63rd, 76th, and 93rd,
and 300 of the Naval Brigade, se including
the 900 joining him from Alumbegh, above
3,000 Europeans in all t besides a squadron of
Sikhs and of Hocison's horse, 1,000 Sikh Infantry,
Sappers and Miners, B:c., or an additional 2,000
natives. On the 13th, he advanced to the banks of
the canal, dispersing the rebels who approached him,
and capturing all their guns. On the 15th, the
rebels, after a running fight of a couple of bows,
were driven from the bilkosha and La Martinicre.
They shortly after rallied, however, and
made an attack on the British position,
when a severe repulse was enitaissd by them-
During these three days Lieut. Mayas, Horse
Artillery, and Captain Wheatcroft, Carabiseers, wore I
killed. We had chiefly depended on oar artillery,
wisely avoiding the needless exposure of our In-
fantry to desperate men. On the 16th, the canal
was crossed which separates Alambagh from
Lacknow, the Chief advancing on Secunderbagh,
which wan carried after a severe struggle, the enemy
suffering terribly. Having garrisoned each position
as we advanced, the-Sddibeh was attacked about
three o'clock in the afternoon, and after a tremendous

manmade, was carried about. dusk. Sir Colin Camp-
bell describes it as ems of the most severe
fights he had ever witnessed, and few men have
seen more of hard fighting than he. Early on the
morning of the 17th, communications were opeaed
to the left rear of the barracks towards the easel.
A heavy cannonade having been kept up all the
morning an the mess-house, that very strong po-
sition was carried by assault at three p.m., when the
troops, pushing on rapidly, were able to seize the
Motet Mahal before dark. Sir Cohn Campbell now
approached the brave garrison, who had been
closely beset since the 25th of September,
when Generals Outram and Havelock came out
to meet him. Although the enemy was net yet com-
pletely subdued, the communications with the rear
were alt re-opened, and the sick and wounded, the
ladies and children, were despatched under escort to
Cawnpare. Our lose, though considerable, was less
so than might have been looked for. Captain Herdly,
Royal Artillery, Captain Dalsell, 93rd Highlanders,
Captain Lumeden, of theists 110th Bengal Native In.
Pantry, attached to the 93rd, Lieutenant Fraaikland,
2nd Punjaub Infantry, and Midshipman Damien,
Naval Brigade, were killed. Thirty-two officers
wise wounded—two dangerouly, and eighteen se-
verely. Our latest tidings extend only to the 21st,
and have been supplied by electric telegraph alone,
so as to be in the last degree meagre and incom-
plete. On that date, two telegraph assistants were
murdered at Alumbagb, and we must now
wait for further intelligence. The routes
from Cawnpore westward are still so inter-
rupted, that the mails are in the last de-
gree irregular, or we should before now hove had
full particulars by letter. It is more than probable
that tidings, considerably later than any we can at
present give, will be forwarded for our London con-
temporaries ►y the steamer this evening. There is
mach yet to be done in (hide, but the Commander-
in-Chief has now a numerous force at his disposal ;
and Lucknow being relieved, can consult his own
convenience in matter of time. We have no longer
any ocession for those headlong and deadly
assaults, which, heroic and irresistible as
they are, are accompanied with frightful
sacrifice of life, which greater caution, and the
full use of our artillery, may avoid. The force in all
now in Oude amounts to close on 12,000 men, con-
sisting of the 9th Lancers, the Naval Brigade, the
Ist Madras Fusiliers, H.M.'s sth, Bth, 23rd, 32nd,
53rd, 84th, 75th, 78th, 82nd, 84th, and 00th Itegte.,
with a magnificent park of Artillery, a portion of
the Rifle Bilged', Royal and Madras Sappers and
Miners, the Sikh Infantry and Cavalry—ably com-
manded and in the highest state of efficiency.
ROHILCUND.

The tidings from Rohilmind, sent home by the
mail of the 171 h November, came down to the sth,
sod were in general very satialactory. They con-
tinue of the Dame complexion, and extend. fortnight
further on. In the end of October, Colonel C,otton's
force, having captured Fottehpore Sikree, a place
thrice the size of Agra, reached Iluttra on the let
of November. After a day's rest they left again on
the 3rd, 'parching twenty mike on a stretch, to a
town ealled Ihet. The place was surrounded by
our cavalry, when the rebels were found to have de-
camped several hours before. Pushing on be-
yond this a camelman was killed by the rebels in a