The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-20 00:00:00

OVER LAND MAIL

INDIA AND CHINA.

THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB.
We have received by express from Marseilles our
advices and papers from India in anticipation of the
overland mail of the 18th of December. The dates
thus received are—from the army of the Punjaub to
the 28th of November, Calcutta the Bth of Decein-
ber, and Bombay to the 18th of December.
We have to announce as the main features by
these advices the retreat of the Seikh army under
Share Singh from the banks of the Chenab, along
the mountain chain, in the direction of the Jhelum,
after remaining for nearly a fortnight in the
presence of our army, which, during the greater
part of that reriod, was awaiting the arrival of its
heavy artillery. The decampment of an army
amounting to 30,000 men and a park of heavy artil-
lery from a position it had so long occupied, and
which offered extraordinary advantages, was occa-
sioned, or at least brought about, earlier than the
enemy probably had anticipated, by a diversion car-
ried out under Major-General Sir J. Thackwell, who
crossed the Chenab with some regiments of cavalry
and horse artillery at Wuzeerabad, 25 miles above
Rarrinuggur, the position of the British camp, in-
tending to fall on the enemy's flank and to attack
their lines shnultaneously with the passage of the
river, and attack by storm from the main position
under Lord Gough. The enemy's attention had pre-
viously been almost solely directed, and not without
reason, to the preparations which had been going
forward for some days in the British camp for the
erection of batteries to cover the passage of the river,
and to overpower the enemy's guns. It was
this fact, as well as the unsuccessful issue of
an attempt immediately made by a strong
division under Shore Singh himself to arrest
Thackwell's progress—resulting in a decided defeat
on their part—and also the completeness of the force
with which the flank movement, when at length it
had declared itself, was conducted (for a strong
brigade of infantry were in readiness, and crossed
shortly after the cavalry), thai, caused the diversion
to be regarded by the Seikhs, who were justly ap-
prehensive Ora joree, attaair on their front, flank, and
rear, as the signal for their retreat. But before

alluding to particulars as regards the main operations
and the latest news, we have a duty to execute of a
far different complexion. We have the painful task
of announcing the fall of several distinguished
officers in an attack that had occurred some ten
days previous to the period alluded to, by a por-
tion of the army, principally cavalry, upon
an outlying body of the Seikh forces, on which
occasion a daring attempt made personally under
Lord Gough, who had just joined the army, was con-
sidered necessary. The army and the nation have to
deplore the fall of that able officer Major-General
Cureton, and of men of great promise in Colonel
Havelock, of her Majesty's 14th Dragoons, and of
Captain Fitzgerald, of her Majesty's 14th Dragoons.
The Seikh matchlockmen must have marked the
officers, fur happily only 21 of the troops fell, al-
though, comparatively, many more were wounded.
The attack which occasioned this loss arose from a
design of driving back a portion of the Seikh force
from the left bank of the Chenab. The first body of
troops who with this view were charged by our
cavalry are described as having stood firm whilst
almost under their sabres, and to have then shown
a singular degree of strategy and of coolness by
managing to open their ranks, in order to tempt the
farther progress of our troops. The opportunity was
but too boldly followed, especially by her Majesty's
14th Dragoons, who charged through a nullah, or
dry gully, squadrons in succession, where but a few
troops could pass, upon a larger body of Seikhs, who
slowly retired, disputing every inch of ground. A
murderous fire was opened throughout upon our
troops at the points where the few men engaged
were enabled only in the confined space of the attack
to take ground, and especially in the nullah, which
had been so well covered as to be altogether unten-
able. Our troops at length withdrew (the engage-
ment having lasted about twenty minutes), having
cut down some 80 Seikhs, but left behind a 6-poun-
der gun, clogged in the sand of the nullah, which was
immediately carried off by the Seikhs.
We will now allude to proceedings in the order of
their occurrence at the main army. The first attack
we have mentioned took place on the 22d of Novem-
ber. Taught by those proceedings, the Seikhs no
longer dared to cross the ford, as they had previously
lone, or to attempt seriously to molest our camp.
The artillery got up on the 30th, and before 48 hours
had elapsed, thanks to the noble exertions of some of
her Majesty's troops (especially the 29th Foot), three
powerful batteries had been erected along the river at
the most favourable positions,:each within 1,200 yards
of the enemy's camp. The batteries opened fire, were
subsequently pushed nearer, and, simultaneously
with these measures, Thackwell's diversion was un-
dertaken.

It is certainly matter of regret that we could not
more securely intercept the enemy in their retreat,
but with this it must be remembered that any
oarlier movement must probably have frustrated the
degree of actual success which has occurred ; and it
was only because the passage of the Chenab was
found to be impracticable at any nearer point than
‘Vuzeerabad, that the flank movement, probably, was
not at once and completely successful.
The following lines are from our correspondent at
Bombay, and give the latest advices immediately
before the departure of the steamer, the dispatch of
which had been delayed for forty hours, to give time
for the arrival of further intelligence as to the results
of General Thackwell's operations :

" There is late news fro.ra the Commander-in-Chief's
'amp, but none respecting Generals Thackw.ll and
Campbell, except that they were in hot pursuit, in-
'antry and cavalry, and, as Shere Singh kept possession
of his guns, they were in some hopes of overtaking
him. Five guns and Shere Singh's elephant arc amongst
the trophies taken at the engagement, when the Shere
moved out against Thackwell. You will see, from Lord
Gough's published dispatch, why General Thackwell
did not follow up the Shere at once ; probably it wa,.
all for the best as things have happened and will yet tall
out. There is reason to suspect, however, that Shere
Singh has already a position prepared for him some-
where oft the Telum, and also reinforcements ready; but
every way the Seikh prospects are infinitely worsted.
Lord Gough, we hear, has crossed the Chenab with his
camp some ten miles. That range will probably be his
basis. The prospects of a hang fire guerilla warfare are
lessened, even if the brigades do not catch Shere Singh,
by the certainty that Ghoolab will now come down on his
fallen friends ; for you will observe that they are in a
position where they might bid for his Government."
This degree of success in our operations is timely
in its arrival. The Seikhs had carried their schemes
of hostility into our own territory, denuded of troops
for the frontier warfare, so that not only was the
peace of the Jullundur threatened—one of the most
consolidated provinces in that part of India—but
bands of Seikhs had crossed from the Doab to plunder
and to instigate to revolt. Those emissaries found no
difficulty whatever in their mission ; petty Rajas at
once collected bands and set up for independence;
and even Pathenkote, a fortress of some strength, had
been invested by insurgents, and it required a retro-
grade movement by Brigadier Wheeler's force across
the Ravee to break up and disperse them.
There are highly satisfactory reports from Loo-
diana as to the efficient state of the army of reserve,
and the measures of safety generally undertaken by
General Sir Dudley hill ; efforts which are riot the
less of value now that we do not require to count on
such precautions.
There is no news yet of the fall of Moulton, nor
are we likely to hear it for some time, unless indeed
Moolraj should evacuate the place when he hears that
the Bombay forces are on the eve of reinforcing Gen.
Whish. The last division of the Sinde field force left
Sukkur on the 29th of November. We announced
some months back, that, in accordance with the de-
sign of the Bombay Government to move forward its
divisions and guns in no other than a united manner,
the siege of the place could not be renewed until
about Christmas. This date will, we believe, be now
found exact. The Bombay authorities, we are in-
formed, considered that the position of General
Whish, under any circumstances, was secure, and did
not choose to risk the success of the troops of the
Western Presidency by moving in detachments
.
There is intelligence by this mail of .t
invest-
ment of Attock by a large body of the
_Seikhsown to the
10th of November. Continued advices
d
22d of the same month give somewhat satisfactory
he
on the
accounts of the character of the resistance, and
the prospects of the besieged under Lieutenant

Herbert.-
Major Lawrence and his family had been given
up to Chuttur Singh by the chief with whom he had
taken refuge at Koh. at, and who owed to him his
fortunes. Chuttur, it is said, treated his prisoners
' Letters to
with every mark of respect, although, of
a 18th Novem-
ber,,
in course,
‘val\lui°e\Na'ssb er
at that time of Chuttur Sin giving the Lcality
they were strictly watched his camp
the above effect had been received in
Bombayombay from
gh's force.
Alaj?raifid.aNavrre furtherence,da o
dated i

THE SANGUINARY SKIRMISH AT

RA MN U GGITR.
(From the Delhi Gazette, of Dec. 1.)
The enemy, who had been report«l in force at the
several places indicated, but who had always evacuated
them before they were occupied by us, were at length
ascertained to have determined on making a stand at
Ramnugger, and General Cureton was din cted to halt
until more troops came up. Brigadier-General Campbell
joined his camp on the 12th, taking command as senior
officer, and bringing up another brigade. A further ad-
vance was made shortly afterwards, and on the 17th the
camp was near Akalghur (commonly written Alleepoor

..--,,e-e_e•eiseereeekae,eaeeeeeeireaaaa:ei
ithe letterS from damp). -Cfenerai Cureton wont qi'e
with a small party to look at the village in the afternoon,
and was fired upon; some of the rebel cavalry were also
seen on that occasion, but not a man after that on the re ill
or 18th, though a report was then still rife that Share
Singh had on the 17th strengthened his force on the
left bank of the Chenab. If he did so on that day, he
certainly withdrew all the troops to the right bank on
the 18th, as a party that went close up to Ramnuggur
could hear nothmg of them, and it was previously ascer-
tained that A lleepoor had been evacuated during the
night of the 17th of November. On the morning of the
18th the whole force were turned out about four in the
morning, but why is not stated, and remained on their
parade till sunrise, when they were dismissed, and the
tents ordered to be repitched. Her Majesty's 61st Foot
reached the camp of Brigadier General Campbell an the
morning of the 19th, 850 strong, and were attached to
assumed
brigade
ume de charoginmane.Aded
uthebnytißeriigt
nftdlrietnratlogg
ii.onhaaide who
bbeen
ba d
re-
ceived in the camp of Brigadier General Campbell on
the 21st, then pitched at Saharun (nine miles S.S.W. of
Ramnuggur, and consequently considerably to the left
of lleedar Singh ka liillah, and a short distance from
the camp near Akalghur), that Share Singh had, on the
171 h of that month, been joined by the Bunnoo troops
under Ram Singh, and that he was, on the morning of
the same day (the 21st), encamped on the right bank of
the Chenab, with a picket of three regiments and four
guns on the left bank. It was then surmised that, in
consequence of the proximity of the head-quarters'
camp (of the movements of the Commander-in-Chief a
separate account is given) accompanied by Generals
Thackwell and Gilbert, operations would commence on
the 23d, especially as Lieutenant Nic'uolson's Patens
having siezed 12 boats at Wuzeerabad on the first ad-
vance of General Cureton to Goojrenwallah about the
7th of November, it was considered that these would,
with the assistance of the pontoon train, afford all the
necessary facilities for crossing the Chenab. The
Commander-in-Chief, having also considered that
the time had arrived for the commencement of operations,
orders were issued, late on the night of the 21st of No-
vember, in the camp of Brigadier General Campbell at
Saharun (with the sanction of his Excellency, who rode
over to the camp of Brigadier-General Campbell on the
afternoon of the 21st), for the following troops to pa-
rade on the ensuing morning, at three o'clock, in front
f the centre of the camp, without sourtd of bugle, trum-
pet, or drum:—
The whole of the cavalry (her Majesty's 3d and 14th
Regiments of Light Dragoons, the sth and Bth Regi-
ments of Light Cavalry, and 12th Irregular Cavalry).
Two troops of Horse Artillery (Duecan's and War-
ner's). _ _

TWo field batteries (Austin's and Dawes's).
And two brigades of Infantry (those of Brigadiers
Godby, 2d European Regiment and 70th Native Infan-
try, and _•••• •

_ _ IS .mit 36 th_ aeth
Native In fa a try.
The cavalry to be formed on the right, artillery on
the left of the cavalry, and the infantry on the left of
the whole. The cavalry and the infantry to be formed
in column of troops and companies at quarter distance,
left in front. The camp was to continue standing, Bri-
gadier Eeltford's brigade, with Captain Duncan's troop
of llorse Artillery, remaining as a guard for the camp;
the 12th Irregular Cavalry to cover the rear of the whole
column. In this order this strong detachment marched,
under the personal command of the Commande-in-Chief
(who had come up from the head-quarters' camp to
superintend the proceedings of the morning), at the
appointed time, and reached the left bank of the
Chenab, near Ramnuggur, at an early hour, in
the hope of surprising the detachment of the enemy,
who were known to be on the same side. It would
eppear, however, that these had early intimation
of the movement of the British troops, and had all
retired across, except a few stragglers, and a picket,
which fled, leaving their tents pitched. The object of
the movement on our side was, however, mainly to as-
certain the real strength and position of the enemy, and
this was in some degree effected on clearing Ramnuggur
towards the left bank of the river. Then it became ap-
parent that their camp was pitched along the right bank
of the river, which was seen to be crowded by thousands
of men, whose white and light.coloured garments
strongly contrasted (says the correspondent to whom we
are mainly indebted for this narrative) with the bodies
of the British troops, to which the eyes of our officers
had been for some time past accustomed. In drawing
out their fire, to ascertain their real strength in guns,
and pressing perhaps rather too zealously in pursuit of
those of the fugitives who appeared to be within reach,
while crossing at the ford with water to the waist, Lieut.-
Colonel Lace's troop of Horse Artillery (2d of the 3d
brigade) got into heavy sand before they were aware of
it, and a leading horse having been shot, it was found
when the order came to limber up and retire, that
one of the guns could not be moved. The Seikhs were
not slow at perceiving this most inopportune embarrass-
ment, and directed so hot a fire upon the spot that it was
found necessary to abandon the gun, although a light
field battery was brought up to cover it (more than one
account says that one or two tumbi ils were abandoned
at the same time, and others that two waggons were left
with the gun, but we are somewhat inclined to believe
that this is a mistake). But the fire from the enemy
from guns that were sheltered, while ours were exposed
in an open plain, was so heavy that nothing could be
dune beyond scattering a few of the nearest groups of
the enemy, and then retiring. The cavalry were ordered
to do the same, and take shelter from the enemy's
round shot behind a slope of trees to the left, where
they remained quietly tor a time, the infantry being
during that interim drawn up on the tight. Some
of the enemy being subsequently (it does not ex-
actly appear at what precise time this was the case,
but it must have been some time after the artillery
retired) di,covered on the left bank of the river
further down to the left, a large number of our cavalry,
amongst whom were the 3d and 14th Light Dragoon.,
moved down by order to dislodge them. On approach-
ing a body of Seikh cavalry, drawn up as if to receive
them, these bloke and separated to the right and left,
when the Dragoons chat ging on were brought up by a
nullah, or ravine, full of inatehlockmen, who opened a
most galling fire on the European cavalry, who were
comparatively helpless, being unable to descend into the
nullah. Here fell Brigadier-General Cureton, who was
hot thrcugh the heart, Lieutenant-Colonel Havelock
dangerously wour.ded, and Captain Holmes severely;
and it was with some difficulty that the men were extri-
cated from the trap into which they had been inten-
tionally drawn by the enemy. Having, as represented
in our letter, effected their purpose, though we do not
exactly see how, the cavalry returned, but in the mean-
time the Seikhs had come across, and taking the
6-pounder Horse Artillery gun (which had, however,
been previously spiked by the gunners) off the carriage,
bore it in triumph to their own side the river. At about
1 P.m. the troops who had up to that time continued
under arms, received orders to move to their new en-
camping ground, forming line facing the enemy about
a mile and a half distant, with Ramnuggur in their rear,
and there they remained during the 23d. The enemy's
fire was, however, renewed at irregular intervals until
the afternoon. They also fired in the same manner dur-
ing the 23d. The following is, we have every reason to
believe, a nearly correct list of the casualties, of which
no official return has been published:—
Brigadier General Cureton, C. 8., killed (shot through
the heart).
Her Majesty's 14th Light Dragoons—Colonel Have-
lock, killed; or at least his body had not been found up
to the Ist inst.

Captain Fitzgerald, wounded in five places by sword
cuts, chiefly about the bead and neck (since dead).
Captain Gall, wounded.
Captain 11‘Mahon, wounded in the neck.
Captain Bcudamore, wounded.
Twenty-seven men killed or missing.
Twenty-two men wounded.
Her Majesty's 3d Dragoons—Capt. Cautley wcunded.
Seven me❑ wounded.

sth Light Cavalry—Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander,
right arm so much injured as to render amputation ne-
cessary. Was saved by the gallantry of Sergeant-Major
Drink water.

Capt. Ryley wounded; hit by a spent ball in the leg.
27 rank and file kilted and wounded.
Bth Light Cavalry-35 men killed and wounded.
Her Majesty's 61st Foot—One man killed.
Artillery—Two men killed, and several wounded.
45th Native Infantry—Ensign Harding°, A.D.C.,
wounded severely; shot through the shoulder.
12th Irregular Cavalry—Captain Holmes wounded
thaat„ thatas
while tryinc, to carry off the body of General Cureton,
shot through the chest.
Our latest intelligence from the camp at Ramnuggur
is to the 26th of November. We
far as we can learn from the varying
Havelock, her
Co
have resched us, both Lieutenant-Colonel
and Captain Fitzgerald,
n
Majesty's 14th Lightprr
t
d d °
of the same corps, bad ofn :sot esmaye nt
the wounds they received regret
s
i of the
- , when he
was doing well up to h
worse, and expired during the night. became suddenly from wounds said to be doing
during the action of thtee2e2vdenutg
95th The last-named officer
are
The other sufferers
mentioned as wounded, but whose
appeared, have not previously are Brigadier J.
names 'n .Barnes 3d 1)
Captain ragoons; Captain New-
bolt,
Commissariat; and
bolt, . Chetwynd.
,ns onet
reportth e occasiono of
the
skirmisho f receiving
of
The following Is a copy of the General Order issued
cOhni ORDER, Ea,
has
"The
dN eErit-
tßbh"yleeigt2lhla.2liCerGNeonnvagenesrmtdaetlbhreo.CrislieeLmepllbCieeolfrl
from Brigadier-General Campbell, C. 8., detailing the
particulars of the affair of the 22d inst.
Nnoowv.re2ceived a report
" The Brigadier-General expresses his cordial appro-
bation of the conduct of all the troops engaged on the oc-
casion, and dwells in terms of high admiration on the
brilliant charge on the enemy's cavalry, in number be-
tween 3,000 and 4,000, of her Majesty's 14th and 3d
Light Dragoons, let, sth, and Bth Light Cavalry. In
one of these chanYes a handsome standard was captured,
and the standard-bearer slain by Trooper Alif Khan, Ist
Troop sth Light Cavalry.
..._

" the claim"of this brave young soldier to admission
to the Order of Merit will be investigated by a duly
constituted committee, NN hen the officer commanding the
cavalry division will be so good as to order it to be
assembled. ,

" The Commander-in- Chief was himself an eye-wit-
ness of the brilliant conduct of these several corps, and
of the intrepid manner in which they were led by their
officers. The enemy were signally overthrown on every
ruag
e on
oa
nn
st-
;
t
occasion, and only saved from utter annihilation by their
flight to the cover of their guns on the opposite bank of
the river.
LoifghtLDie
" In the death of Brigadier General Cureton, Cal,
commanding the cavalry division;
Colonel Havelock, K.H. of the 14th
and of Captain Fitzgerald, of the same noble regiment,
the service has sustained a loss which the Commander-
in-Chief is sure the whole cavalry will unite with him in
lamenting..
" The officers and men wounded on the occasion are
doing well, the Commander-in-Chief is happy to think;
and though the very severe injuries sustained by Brevet
....

Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander, sth Light Cavalry, and
Brevet Captain Ryley, of the same corps; Captain Gal►
and Lieutenant Nl'Mahon, of the 14th Li-ht Dragoons;
Lieutenant Holmes, Commanding, 12th I. C., and Ensign
Hardinge, Extra Aid•de-Camp to the Commander-in-
Chief, must for a long time render these gallant officers
unfit for duty, his Excellency trusts that they will even-
tually be restored to the service whose honour and re-
putation they have so nobly upheld."

THE RETREAT OF THE SEIKHS.
NOTIFICATION•

Foreign Department, Camp Umballah, Dec. 8, 1848.
The Right Hon. the Governor-General has much
ple•Ssure in publishing, for general information, the fol-
lowing dispatch from his Excellency the Commander-
in-Chief :

Head-quarters, Flying Camp, Ilillah, Dec. 5, 1848.
My Lord,—lt has pleased Almighty God to vouch-
safe to the British arms the most successful issue to the
extensive combinations rendered necessary for the pur-
pose of effecting the passage of the ',Chenab, the defeat
and dispersion of the Seikh force under the insurgent
Rajah Shere Singh, and the numerous Seikh Sirdars
who had the temerity to set at defiance the British
power. This force, from all my information, amounted
to from 30,000 to 40,000 men, with 28 guns, and were
strongly intrenched on the right bank of the Chenab at
the principal ford about two miles from the town of
Ramnuggur.
My dispatch of the 23d of November will have made
your Lordship acquainted with the motives which in-
duced me to penetrate thus far into the Punjaub, and the
occurrences of the previous day, when the enemy was
ejected from the loft bank of the Chenab. My daily pri-
vate communications will have placed your Lordship in
possession of the difficulties I had to encounter in a
country so little known, and in the passage of a river
the fords of which were most strictly watched by a nu-
merous and vigilant enemy, and presenting more diffi-
culties than most rivers, while I was surrounded by a
hostile peasantry.
Finding that to force the passage at the ford in my
front must have been attended with considerable loss,
from the very strong intrencliments and well selected
batteries which protected the passage, I instructed the
Field-Engineer, Major Tremenheere, in co-operation
with the Quartermaster-General's Department, to ascer-
tain (under' the difficulties before noticed) the practica-
bility of the several fords reported to exist on both my
flanks, while I had batteries erected and made demon-
strations so as to draw the attention of the enemy to the
main ford in my front, and with the view, if my bat-
teries could silence their guns, to act simultaneously
with the force I proposed to detach under an officer of
much experience in India—Major-General Sir Joseph
Thackwell.

On the night of the 30th of November this officer, in
command of the following force, and more particularly
detailed in the accompanying memorandum:—
European. Native. Total.
Three troops Horse Artillery 3 0 3
Two Light Field Batteries 2 0 2
One brigade of Cavalry 1 4 5
_ _

Three biigadea of Infantry 2 6 8
Two 18-pounders with elephant draught and detail artil-
lery. Pontoon train with two companies of Sappers
moved up the river in light marching order, without
tents and with three days' provisions, upon a ford which
I had every reason to consider very practicable (and I
have since ascertained was so), but which the Major-
General deemed so difficult and dangerous that he pro-
ceeded (aa he was instructed should such turn out to be
the case) to Wuzeerabad, a town 22 miles up the river,
where Lieutenant Nicholson, a most energetic assistant
to the Reaident at Lahore, had secured 16 boats, with
the aid of which this force effected the passage on the
evening of the Ist and morning of the 2d inst.
Upon learning by an aide-de-camp sent for the par •
pose, that the Major-General's force had crossed and
was in movement, f directed a heavy cannonade to com-
mence upon the enemy's batteries and encampment at
Bamnuggur, which was returned by only a few guns,
which guarded effectually the ford, but so buried that
-although the practice of our artillery was admirable
under Major Slovvatt and Captain Sir Richard Shiikes-
pear, we could not, from the width of the river, silence
them. This cannonade, however, inflicted very severe
loss to the enemy in thtir camp and batteries, and forced
him to fall back with his c !mp about two miles, which
enabled me, without the loss of a man, to push my bat-
teries and brees•works, on the night of the 2d, to the
bank of the river, the principal ford of which I then
commanded. By this I was enabled to detach another
brigade of infantry. wider Brigadier Godby, at day-.
light on the 31, which effected the passage with the aid
of the pontoon train six miles up the river, ,and got
into communication with Major-General Sir Joseph
Thackvvell.
The cannonade and demonstration to cross at Ram-
nuggur was kept up on the 2d and 3d, so as to fix a
large portion of the enemy there to defend that point.
Having communicated to Sir Joseph my views and in-
tentions, and although giving discretionary powers to
attack any portion of the Seikh force sent to oppose him,
I expressed a wish that when he covered the crossing of
Brigadier Godby's brigade, he should await their junc-
tion, except the enemy attempted to retreat. This in-
duced him to halt within about three or four miles of
the left of their position.
About two o'clock on the 3d the principal part of the
enemy's force, Encouraged by the halt, moved to attack
the detached column, wl:en a smart cannonade on the
part of the enemy took place, and an attempt to turn
both Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell's flanks by
numerous bodies of cavalry was made. At ter about one
hour's distant cannonade on the part of the Seikhs, the
British Artillery never.returning a shot, the enemy took
courage and advanced, when our artillery, commanded
by that excellent officer Lieutenant-Colonel C. Grant,
poured in upon them a most destructive fire, which soon
silenced all uheir guns and frustrated all their operations,
with very severe loss upon their side; but the exhausted
state both of man and horse induced the Major-General
to postpone the attack upon their flank and rear, as he
was d:reeted, until the following morning, the day
having nearly closed when the cannonade ceased.
I regret to say that during the night of the 3d the
whole of the Seikh force precipitately fled, concealing or
carrying with them their artillery, and exploding their
magazines. I immediately pushed across the river the
9th Lancers and 14th Light Dragoons in pursuit, under
that most energetic officer, Major-General Sir Walter
Gilbert. The Seikhs, it appears, retreated in the
greatest disorder, leaving in the villages numerous
wounded men. They have subdivided into three divi-
sions, which have become more a flight than a retreat,
and I understand a great portion of these not beloneirg
to the revolted I(halsa army have dispersed and :re-
turned to their homes, thus, I trust, effectually frustret-
ing the views of the rebel Shere Singh and hat rebel as-
sociates. _ _

I hare not received Major-General Sir J,sepli
Thackwell's report, nor the returns of his loss, but I
am most thankful to say that our whole loss, subse-
quent to the 221 of November, does not much exceed 40
men. No officers have been killed, and but three
wounr!ed. Captain Austin, of the artillery, only appears
severely so.
I have to congratulate your Lordship upon evants so
fraught with importance, and which will, I have no
doubt, with God's blessing, tend to most momentous re-
sults. It is, as I anticipated, mod gratifying to me to
assure rur Lordship that the noble army under my
command has, in these operations, upheld the well
established fame of the arras of India, both European
and native, each vying who should best perform his
duty; every officer from the General of Division to the
youngest Subaltern well supported their Commander-in-
Chief, and cheerfully carried out his views, which, at a
future period, and w hen we shall have effected the views
of the Government, I shall feel proud in bringing to
your Lordship's notice. ,

I have, &c.,
(Signed) G ouarr.
Return of the strength of the force sent under the
command of Major-General Sir J. Thackwell, K.C.B.
Camp Ramnoggur, Dec. 5.
Proceeded with Major-General Sir J. Thackwell, 3
troops of Ilor.e Artillery, 2 Light Field Butteries, 1
But opean Dragoon regiment, 2 Light Cavalry regi-
ments, 1 Irregular Cavalry regiment, 2 regiments of
European Infantry, 5 regiments and 2 companies of Na-
tive Infantry, and 1 company of Pioneers. Rein-
forcement sent-1 regiment and 2 companies of Native
:ufan try.
N.B.—Two 18-pounders, two 9-pounders, pontoon
train and detachment oflrregular Cavalry, returned from
Wuzeerabad.
European regiments employed-3d Light Dragoons,
24th, 61st, 2d European Infantry. Gouca.
By order of the Right Hon. the Governor• General of
India.
11. M. ELLIOT,
Secretary to the Government of India, with
the Governor-General.

(From the Bombay Telegraph and Courier Extra,
of Dec. 16.)
An express arrived last night, containing the im-
portant intelligence of Shere Singh having been driven
from his position on the right bank of the Chenab,
and a portion of his guns captured by our force.
Our correspondent with Lord Gough's camp
writes under date the 3d instant :

• " Camp, Ramnuggur, Dec. 3,184 S.
64 We are firing away, and General Gilbert's division
is close on the bank of the river, intending tc cross. Our
battery is now close to the bank, playing on the enemy
over the water, with a view of driving them away a little,
and thus enabling us to effect our object. General
.Thackwell ba; dc-stroyed the walls of Vizierabad, to
which place a small force of the enemy had come. On
hearing of his approach the rebels took to their heels.
Thackwell was expected to arrive in the enemy's rear
about two o'clock this afternoon ; and as it is about
this hour now, and the clnnonading is going on, I
presume he must have arrived. I went this
morning to the furthermost breastwork, con-
structed of bags of tnud, only a quarter of a mile from
the river; and wo could doqinetly see the enemy on the
other side. We had at i h's battery two IS-pounders,
three mortars, and two 8-inch howitzss. Lord Gough
was a little in the rear. I litlieve the tio)ps are cross-

ing now.-
Further lettevs of the 4'h and .sth inst. respectively
have likewise reached U 3. The latter gives the luteet
news from Camp, received in Bombay.
" Camp Itamuggur. Dec. 4, 1843.
"You will see by to-day's news that, just as I had
anticipated, we have gained a complete victory over
Shore Singh. The success to which I allude was achieved
on the 3d instant.
" General Thzckwell, afterhaving crossed the Chenab
at Vizierabad, marched down come 19 miles and met the
enemy, to whom he gave battle. The engagement com-
menced at two ?.31. and lasted, I hear, till nine, when
Mere Singh was beaten and took to his heels. How
could it be otherwise, when he allowed us to outflank