The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-05 00:00:00

NOTIFICATION.

CAMP, MUKKOO, JAN. 17.
t. 1. The Governor-General has much satisfaction in in-
italiting to the President in Council, and of notifying for
Public information, that he has this day received a demi-
plcial letter from his Excellency the Commander-in-
ujet, in which his Excellency announces to the Go-
' v'ernor-General that, on the afternoon of the 13th inst ,
troops under his command attacked and entirely de-
:ftted the Seikh army, under Rajah Shere Singh, in its
position near the river Jhelum.
The action was obstinately and severely contested.
4ue enemy was in great force, and occupied very strong
,positions. They were driven back at every point, with
14e loss of many of their guns, and had, by the latest in-
tiligence, relinquished all the positions in which they
ad been entrenched.
4. The detals of these operations have nt yet reached
ft!' Governor•iGeneral; as soon as they are o
received they
"111 be published for general information.
„..4. The Governor-General directs that a salute of 21
Cuts be fired at every principal station of the army as
"n as this notification shall be received.
47 order of the Right Hon. the Governor-General of
India,

H. M. ELLIOT,
Secretary to the Government of India, with the
Governor-General.

'44 EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF TO THE
GOVEHNOR•GENERAL OF INDIA.
CAMP, CHILLIANWALLAII, JAN. 16.
AMY Lord,—Major Mackeson, your Lordship's Political
iitent with my camp, officially communicated to me on
,„ e 10th instant the fall of Attock, and the ad-
, 5,...e
of .
11' Strdar Chuttur Singh, in order to concentrate
ki's force with the army in my front under Shere Singh,
ti early amounting to from 30,000 to 40,000 men, with
ch.guns, concludin his letter thus:—" I would urge, in
;" °Tent of your g Lordship's finding yourself strong
4-4)tigh, with the army under your command, to strike
itll effectual blow at the enemy in our front, that the blow
i
7,111c1 be struck with the least possible delay."
b"ncurring entirely with Major Mackeson, and feeling
t I was perfectly competent effectually to overthrow
l; !re Singh's army, I moved from Loah Tibbab at day-
jegut on
from, to Dingee, about 12 miles. Having
klrted, my spies, and from other sources of infer-
thltti°n, that Shore Singh still held with his right
ti° villages of Lukhneewalla and' Futtee Shah-ke-
tick, having the great body of his force at the village
"L 11* with •
RI, 0 lumens, his left at Russool, on the Jhelum,
te,ri,gly occupying the southern extremity of a low range
Nuifacult hills, intersected by ravines, which extend
in`itly to that village, I made my arrangements accord-
-42 that evening, and communicated them to the com-
heuers of the several divisions; but, to insure correct
4 °lrritation as to the nature of the -country, which I be-
seea
d, '-' to be excessively difficult and ill adapted to the
‘O4-,Erics of a regular army, I determined upon moving
onuili Pillage with a view to reconnoitre.
bu, the morning of the 13th the force advarc2d. I
to'r a considerable detour to my right, partly in order
4 distract the enemy's attention, but principally to get
Clear as I could of the jungle, on which it would ap-
riser that the enemy mainly relied.
1 /We approached this village about twelve o'clock, and
hee °llnd on a mound close to it a strong picket of the
-. ,
obt'.l s cavalry and infantry, which at once dispersed,
110 (lining from the mound a very extended view of the
~,„
'utry before either the enemy drawn out in battle ere
e
IY, he having during the night or that morning
h red out of his several positions and occupied the
i"2tind in our front, which, though not a dense, was still
ke°.ilteult jungle, his right in advance of Futteh Shah-
Chuck, and his left on the furrowed hills before de-
krihed. '
Wile day being so far advanced I decided upon taking
tiot'lt position in rear of the village, in order to recon-
-41,1,tre my front, finding that I could not turn the ene-
-0 flanks, which rested upon a dense jungle extending
l'„,ftrlY to Hailah, which I had previously occupied for
11°'`'e time, and the neighbourhood of which I knew, and
e'4l the raviny hills near Russool, without detaching a
ttlie to a distance ; this I considered both inexpedient
',idangerous.
th, he engineer department had been ordered to examine
1,4" country before us, and the Quartermaster-General
),113 in the act of taking up ground for the encampment,
r,en the enemy advanced some horse artillery, and
itVlei a fire on the skirmishers in frost of the village. I
f„:llediately ordered them to be silenced by a few rounds
i,ll° our heavy guns, which advanced to an open space
L that of nearly the whole of the enemy's field artillery,
dad exposing the position of his guns, which the jungle
1, hithcrto concealed.
kicit Was now evident that the enemy intended to fight,
e4tw°llld probably advance his guns so as to reach the
4 th
'l33Pinent during the night.
erefore drew up in order of battle; Sir Walter
N uett's division on the right, flanked by Brigadier
litPhe's brigade of cavalry, which I strengthened by the
tip, Light Dragoons, well aware that the enemy was
Ihr,"4g in cavalry upon his left. To this were attached
eor troops of Horse Artillery, under Lieutenant-
irtel Grant. The heavy guns were in the centre.
Isf rigadierGeneral Cabell's division formed the
%tta, flanked- by Brigadier White's brigade of cavalry,
Cpl three troops of Horse Artillery, under Lieutenant-
-441. B rind.
Th e held batteries were with the infantry divisions.
144,
, formed the troops were ordered to lie down, whilst
81„"avy guns, under Major Iforford, ably seconded by
Op,,tet-SlijorsLudlow and Sir Richmond Shakespear,
rtied a well-directed and powerful fire upon the ene-
skil entre, where his guns appeared principally to be
th,lut and this fire was ably supported on the flanks by
',geld batteries of the infantry divisions.
to'sv. fter about an hour's fire, that of the enemy appeared
ker, if not silenced, sufficiently disabled to justify an
ease upon his position and guns.
to then ordered my left division to advance, which had
1.0°,4 Over a great extent of ground, and in front of
aftl,en the enemy seemed not to have many guns. Soon
tre I directed Sir Walter Gilbert to advance, and sent
k N to Brigadier Pope to protect the flank and sup-
heriLthe movement. Brigadier Penny's Brigade was
tq't in reserve, while the Irregular Cavalry, under Bri-
ord,ler Ilearsey, with the 2uth Native Infantry, was
Stikred to protect the enormous amount of provision
di "glop that so hampers the movements of an In-
‘i truly.
A" c'rne time after the advance, I found that Brigadier
,ea .
hohtlYcnlck's brigade had failed in Maintaining the posi-
IV it had carried, and I immediately ordered Brigadier
Etti,,,tlY's reserve to its support; but Brigadier-General
koh-Pbell. with that steady coolness and military deci-
kii; for which he is so remarkable, having pushed on
e,o'eft brigade and formed line to his right, carried
Of tthYthing before him, and soon overthrew that portion
Osergei enemy which had obtained a temporary advantage
his right brigade.
ii his last brigade, I am informed, mistook for the
Is "°1 to in double time the action of their brave
ode_ move .
elroa's, Brigadier Pennycuick and Lieutenant-Colonel
Itte-'es (two officers not surpassed for sound judgment
%Lc military daring in this or any army), who waved
tlit:,words over their beads as they cheered on their
„ 08'07 Comrades. This unhappy mistake led to
d
qct trails outstripping the native corps, which could
thiek"P pace, and arriving completely blown at a belt of
SSetter jungle, where they got into some confusion, and
etc; Colonel Brookes, leading the 24th, was killed
of infers the enemy's guns. At this moment a large body
40 e "try which supported their guns opened upon them
titoisstructive a fire that the brigade was forced to re-
ttaii„ha.„,ing lost their gallant and lamented leader, Bri-
the ;r, .rennycuick, and the three other field officers of
Itltytill and nearly half the regiment, before it gave
kiff, •the native regiment, when it came up, also
°llowring Severely. In justice to this brigade, I must be
toe thed to state that they behaved heroically; and but
Itoeie;_r too hasty, and consequently disorderly advance,
Marsh have emulated the conduct of their left brigade,
, 'Net "eft unsupported for a time, had to charge to their
i Km, and right, wherever an enemy appeared. The bri-
Volo,;31, Reno Artillery on their left, under Lieutenant-
taiee'riel Brind, judiciously and gallantly aiding, main-
an,effective fire.
%ad '°r°Genceral Sir J. Thackwell, on the extreme left
1h01,;:,,4r, charged the enemy's cavalry wherever they
Th"' tneraselves.
Ittrjh: right attack of infantry, under that able officer
thy .-General Sir Walter Gilbert, was most praiwwor-
-140,41:114t.d. successful. The left brigade, under Brigadie
Puns twin, i'qn, advanced under a heavy fire upon the enemy's
' !is k,„114 a Manner that did credit to the Brigadier and
,ierer s'ant brigade, which came first into action and suf •
taedby°rely, The right brigade, under Brigadier
Indian;.V3ly aupported the advance.
;;Lersion
_nobly maipt.ained the character of the
s
ritas i, tr. taking and spiking the whole of the enemy's
1141/)' wee eir front, and dispersing the Seikhs wherever
The ° seen.
4_ e kajor-G
" of hi eneral reports most favourably 01- the
~,,._
.8 field battery-
vr, 4 Zt?Fihrt brigade of cavalry, under Brigadier Pope,
°Milo say, so successful. Either by some
t

order, or misapprehension of an order, they got into
much confusion, hampered the fine brigade of horse artil-
lery, which, while getting into actio❑ against a body of
the enemy's cavalry that was coming down upon them,
had their horses separated from their guns by the false
movements of our cavalry, and, notwithstanding the
heroic conduct of the gunners, four of those guns were
disabled to an extent which rendered their withdrawal
at the moment impossible. The moment the artillery
was extri.•ated and the cavalry re-formed, a few rounds
put to flight the enemy that had occasioned this con-
fusion.
With this exception the conduct of the troops gene-
rally was most exemplary. Some corps, both European
and Native, acted under most trying circumstances (from
the temporary failure in our left centre and right, and
the cover which the jungle afforded to the enemy's
movements), and with a gallantry worthy of the highest
admiration.

Although the enemy, who defended not only his
guns but his position with desperation, was driven in
much confusion, and with heavy loss, from every part
of it, and the greater part of the field artillery was ac
tually captured, the march of brigades to their flanks
to repel parties that had rallied, and the want of num-
bers and consequent support to our right flank, aided by
the cover of the jungle, and the close of the day, enabled
him, upon our further advance in pursuit, to return and
carry off, unobserved, the greater portion of the guns
we had thus gallantly carried at the point of the bay ono.
I remained with Brigadier-General Campbell's divi-
sion, which had been reinforced by Brigadier Mountain's
brigade, until near 8 o'clock, in order to effect the
bringing in of the captured ordnance and of the wounded,
and I hoped to bring in the rest of the guns next morn-
ing. But I did not feel justified in remaining longer out.
The night was very dark. I knew not how far I had ad-
vanced. There were no wells nearer than the line of this
village. The troops had been arduously employed all
day, and there was every appearance of a wet night;
rain did fall before morning.
I should have felt great satisfaction if I were enabled
to state that my expectations in regard to the guns bad
been realised; but, although a brigade of cavalry, under
Brigadier White, with a troop of Horse Artillery, were
on the ground soon after daylight, we found that the
enemy, assisted by the neighbouring villagers, had car-
ried off their guns, excepting twelve which we had
brought in the night before. Most of the captured
waggons I had caused to be blown up before leaving the
ground.
The victory was complete as to the total overthrow of
the enemy; and his sense of utter discomfiture and
defeat will, I trust, soon be made apparent, unless, in-
deed, the rumours prevalent this day of his having been
joined by Chuttur Singh prove correct.
I am informed the loss of the Seikhs has been very
great, and chiefly amongst their old and tried soldiers.
In no action do I remember seeing so many of an
enemy's slain upon the same space; Sobraon, perhaps,
only excepted.
I have now, my Lord, stated the general movements
of this army, previous to and during the action of
Cr.'llianwallah; and, as the action was caracterised by
peculiar features, which rendered it impossible for the
Commander-in-Chief to witness all the operations of the
force, I shall beg leave to bring prominently to your
Lordship's notice the names of the several officers and
corps particularly mentioned by the divisional com-
manders. _ _ _

I have already stated the obligations I am under to
Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell and Sir Walter
Gilbert, and Brigadier-General Campbell, for their most
valuable services. I warmly concur with them in the
thanks which they have expressed to the several briga-
diers and officers commanding corps, and to the troops
generally.
Sir Joseph Thackwell names, with much satisfaction,
Brigadier White's conduct of his brigade ; Major Yer-
bury, commanding the 3d Light Dragoons ; the gallant
charge of Captain Unett, in command of a squadron of
that corps; Major M`Kenzie, commanding the Bth, and
Captain Wheatley, commanding the sth Light Cavalry;
and the conduct of Captain Moore, of the Bth, with a
squadron detached in support of the artillery. He fur-
ther notices the assistance he derived from the zeal and
activity of Captain Pratt, Assistant-Adjutant-General,
and Lieutenant Tucker, Deputy-Assistant-Quartermas-
ter-General of his division; of Captain Cautley, Major
of Brigade ; of his Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Thack-
well; and of Lieutenant Simpson, Sub-Assistant-Com-
missary General.
Brigadier-General Campbell speaks in terms of admi-
ration of the sth Brigade, led on by that distinguished
officer Brigadier Pennycuick, and particularly of the
gallant exertions of her Majesty's 24th Foot, under the
command of Lieutenant- Colonel Brookes, and the good
and steady advance of the 25th and 45th Native Infan-
try, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Corbett
and Major Williams. He particularizes the undaunted
example set to his brigade by Brigadier Hoggan; the
continued steadiness and gallantry of her Majesty's 61st
Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel M`Leod,
under the most trying circumstances; the distinguished
conduct of Major Flemyng and the officers of the 36th
Native Infantry, and of the 46th Native Infantry, under
Major Tudor; as also the able and zealous exertions of
the Brigade Major, Captain Keiller. The Brigadier-
General also brings to notice his obligations to Major
Tucker, Assistant Adjutant-General of the Army, and
to Captain Goldie and Lieutenant Irwin, of the Engi-
neers, who were sent to his assistance, and the cordial
and able support which he recaiv©d from Major Pon-
sonby, his Assistant Adjutant-General; and he particu-
larly mentioned the conduct of Ensign Garden, his
Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master-General, and of
Captain Haythorne, his Aide-de-Camp, further naming
Lieutenant Grant, of her Majesty's 24th Regiment;
Lieutenant Powys, of her Majesty's 61st, who attended
him as orderly officers, and of Lieutenant and Adjutant
Shadwell, of her Majesty's 98th, who was with him as a
volunteer.

Sir Walter Gilbert speaks warmly of the charge led
by Brigadier Mountain against a large battery of the
enemy, and followed up on his right by Brigadier God by,
and of the subsequent conduct of those officers; as also
of the conduct of Major Chester, Assistant-Adjutant-
General, and Lieutenant Galloway, DeputyeAssigtant-
Quartermaster-General of the division, of Lieutenant
Colt, his Aide-de-Camp, of Captain Sherwill and Lieut.
Macdonnell, Majors of Brigade, and of Captain Glas-
furd and Lieutenant W. E. Morton, of the Engineers.
The Major-General further mentions the undaunted
bravery on this occasion of her Majesty's 29th Regiment
under Lieutenant-Colonel Congreve; the distinguished
conduct of the 2d European Regiment, under Major
Steel; and the manner in which Majors Smith and Way,
of the 29th, and Major Talbot, of the 2d Europeans,
seconded their able commanders. He also expresses his
thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel Jack, commanding the
30th Native Infantry, Major Bamfield, commanding the
56th Native Infantry, who was mortally wounded, Major
Corfield, commanding the 31st Native Infantry, and
Major M'Causland, commanding the 70th Native Infan-
try, for the manner in which they led their regiments
into action, naming likewise Captain Nembhard, of the
56th, who succeeded to the command of that corps,
Captain Dawes, commanding the field-battery of the di-
vision, and Captain Robbins, of the 15th, who acted as
his Aide-de-Camp.
The reserve, consisting of the 15th Native Infantry,
and eight companies of the 69th Native Infantry, was
ably handled by Brigadier Penny, well seconded by
Lieutent-Colonels Sibbald and Mercer, commanding the
corps. The Brigadier particularly mentions the steady
conduct of the Rifle company of the 69th, under Cap-
tain Sissmore, and acknowledges the services of Captain
M'Pherson, his Major of Brigade, and Brevet Captain
Morris, of the 20th Native Infantry, who attended him
as orderly officer.
Brigadier-General Tennant, commanding the Artil-
lery division, rendered me every aid, an presided
over the noble arm of which he is the head most credi-
tably to himself and most beneficially to the service.
The Brigadier-General particularly mentions Brigadier
G. Brooke, who commanded the whole of the Horse Ar-
tillery ; Brigadier Hathwaite, commanding the Foot
Artillery ; Lieutenant-Colonels C. Grant and P. Brind,
Major R. Horsford, and Major Mowatt, all of whom
were in important commands. He further brings to
notice Captain J. Abercrombie, Deputy-Assistant Ad-
jutant-General ; Lieutenant Tombs, Deputy-Assistant
Quartermaster-General; his Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant
Olpherts ; Captain Hogge, Commissary of Ordnance ;
and Lieutenant de Teissier, who attended him as or.
derly officer.
I have, in the beginning of this dispatch, noticed the
service of Brevet-Major Sir Richmond Shakespear, and
Brevet-Major Ludlow, in command of the heavy batte-
ries, under the general superintendence of Major Hors-
ford; and it only remains for me to add, that the con-
duct of iMajor Fordyce, Captains Warner and Duncan,
Lieutenants Robinson and Walker, commanding troops
and field batteries, as well as the officers and men of the
artillery gnerally, has been named in terms of praise by
the divisional commanders.
Lieutenants C. V. Cox and E. Kaye, Brigade-Majors
of this arm, have been also named by their respective
Brigadiers.
From the Engineer department, under Major Tre-
menheere, I received active assistance, ably aided by
Captain Durand, Lieutenants R. Baird, Smith, and
Goodwyn.

To the general staff I am greatly indebted:—Lieut.-
Colonel Gough, C. 8., Quartermaster-General, and
Major Lugord, Acting-Adjutant-General, and Captain
C. Otter, Acting-Assistant•Adjutant-General of her
Majesty's forces, Lieutenant-Colonel P. Grant, C. 8.,
Adjutant-General of the Army; Major C. Ekins (killed),
a valued and much regretted officer, Deputy-Adjutant-
General and Major Tucker, Assistant Adjutant-General
of the Army; Lieutenant-Colonel W. Garden, C. 8.,
Quartermaster-General of the Army ; Lieutenant W.
E Tytler, Assistant-Quartermaster-General, and Lieu-
tenant Paton, Deputy-Assistant- Quartermaster- General
of the Army ; Lieutenant-Colonel Birch, Judge-Advo-
cate-General, and Lieutenant G. B. Johnson, Deputy-
Judge-Advocate-General ; Major G. Thompson, Assis-
tant-Commissary-General ; Lieutenant-Colonel J. G.
W. Curtis, Assistant-Commissary-General; Captain C.
Campbell, Paymaster to the Army ; Captain J. Lang,
Postmaster, and Mr. H. Franklin, Inspector-General of
her Majesty's Hospitals.
To my personal staff I am also much indebted :
Captain F. P. Haines, Military Secretary ; Major H.
Bates, Aide-de -Camp ; Lieutenant A. Bagot, Aide-de-
Camp; Lieutenant S. J. Hire, Aide-de-Camp; Captain
Gabbett, Aide-de-Camp ; Lieutenant G. N. Harding°,
Aide-de-Camp ; and Lieutenant W. G. Prendergast,
Persian interpreter.
The unwearied exertions of Dr. Benny, superintend-
ing surgeon, and of Dr. M'Rae, the field surgeon, in the
care of the wounded, have been beyond all praise.
The Earl of Gifford kindly accompanied me through-
out the operations, and was most useful in conveying my
orders to the several divisions and brigades. I had also
the advantage through the day of the active services of
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir H. M. Lawrence, Major Macke-
son, Mr.:Cocks, C.S., Captain Nicholson, and Lieutenant
Robinson, as well as of Major Anstruther, of the Madras
Artillery, and Lieutenant 11, 0. Mayne, of the 6th Ma-
dras Light Cavalry.