The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-03 00:00:00

INDIA.

We have been favoured with the following letter,
written by an officer, and dated from the banks of the
Chenab:— _ _ _

" December 14.

" We are still here, and nothing done since my last letter,
at least, nothing of consequence. At the time of writing,
there was every chance of some hard fighting. From the
22d till the 3d, we were in the face of the enemy. They had
possession of the river. On the day after the arrival of the
heavy guns some were brought into position, and a strong
division of the army was detached, under the command of
General Thackwell, to cross at a ford some fives miles up the
river, with the intention of taking the enemy in flank. On
their arrival, however, at the ford. it was found to be occu-
pied in force by the enemy. The General, therefore, pushed
on to Wuzeerabad, some way higher up, got possession of
some boats, and crossed over his force easily.
" The appearance of the column was to be the signal for
the heavy guns to open. They did good service, and soon
obliged the enemy to retire out of fire; but they kept pos-
session of the ford with a few guns they had in battery.
"The enemy had heard of Tbackwell's march, and went
out in force to meet him. They got possession of a strong
position between two villages, with a nullah and some high
sugar-cane fields, which afforded capital shelter to their skir-
mishers. Thackwell found them all ready to receive him.
It was merely an artillery fight, ours doing great execution
among them. Above 300 were killed. Night corning on saved
them. During the night they fell back upon the Jhelum. and
have now entrenched themselves very strongly. They have
a village on their right and left, with thick jungle; the
Jhelum in their rear, and a fine open plain in front for the
play of their guns—the only way by which we can attack
them. Provisions are said to be very scarce in their camp.
Major Lawrence is a prisoner in their hands. Nothing is to
be done till the fall of Moultan. The whole of the troops are
expected there on the 23d, and it is supposed they will take
it about the first week in January, when that force will be
available to co-operate with us. All the wounded are getting
on very well. Captain Fitzgerald died of his wounds. Pro-
visions and forage are very plentiful with us. Attock still
holds out. The Seikhsare good soldiers, and know how to use
a sword well.

" The Chenab is a very difficult river to cross. The ford
is very deep and uncertain. The enemy certainly know how
to take up a good position. I have been all over it since.
We could never have crossed it in their face. They would
have licked us to a certainty. Before getting to the river
there are very heavy sands, which knock up the cattle com-
pletely. They had entrenched themselves on the other side
of the river, opposite the ford, and they had also two large
islands (at least they are islands when the river is full) on
which they had batteries and entrenchments. Their skir-
mishers dig holes for themselves in which they are quite
safe.
" They have taken a good many camels from us. and have
no cause to be dissatisfied as yet with what they have done.
We appear always to fight our battles after long marches,
when the troops are tired. Thackwell's affair was entirely
of artillery, and the enemy were driven from their guns;
but Thackwell would not take them. He had lots of fine
cavalry, but after the enemy had left their guns he would
not follow up his success. Every one who was there says
that if he had let the cavalry at them he must have taken
the whole of their guns. The cavalry had done nothing all
day.
" When the enemy found be would not advance they re-
turned and took away the guns. I expect we lost nearly as
many men as they did. The Commander-in-Chief hasorders
from the Governor-General not to cross the Chenab till after
the fall of Moultan ; he can cross for a day or two, but must
return to head-quarters. Thackwell's force is about thirteen
miles the ether side. We are all tired of this work—it's very
stupid in tents, and very cold."

(From the Delhi Gazette of Dec. 27.)
MOULTN.
We are in receipt of the following communications from
likloultan, which give us already a foretaste of what is
speedily to follow. It will be seen by our Bahawuipoor cor-
respondence that the frequent cavalry reconnoissances on
the part of General Whish have closed the gates of Monitan
nail* the entry of the large supplies that have hitherto