The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-20 00:00:00

THE SUN,

or perhaps more, he retired—to eat is dinner I fancy,
for he has lett us alone from that time to the present."'
An:.here rrespondent writes:—" We remained tolerably
quiet in our new camp until the 23d, when it having
been previously arranged that we should etran..'e ground
again, a demonstration was made by General Whish in
the form of a r.eannoitring party. At da_ break of the
abova date the right wings of regiments rn vcd out with
some hone artillery and squadrons of cavalry, and ad-
vanced a few hundred yards in front of tO piquets un-
molested. They had hardly returned to camp when the
enemy appeared in great fore., with apparently the
whole of his troops drawn out in array. Edwardes soon
proceeded with a large body of cavalry and some guns, to
check their movements. Some long balls were fired by
the parties, without more harm on our side than a sepoy
(of the 51st) and a camp follower killed. Some of the shot
tumbled into the European piquets and cavalry vi.dettes,
without doing any mischief, however. After keeping the
sepoys and other troops under arms for some hours
(whereby the former lost their dinners), we slowly dis-
persed to enjoy the shado of our tents. All due pre-
cautions were taken in case of a nocturnal visit, but
we were permitted to enjoy unbroken rest on that night."
On the 24th the park and heavy guns were moved hick
a couple of miles into a better position, and on the
morning of the 25th the force followed. The European
corps moved off the ground first—the Bth and 52d Na-
tive Infantry, with two guns and a squadron of Skinner's
horse, being left as a rear guard to see everything into
camp, which they reached about ten o'clock. They had
been but a short while in their tents when they were
again called to arms by the arrival of General Cortlandt
with the intelligence that the enemy were advancing in
force. Their approach was indicated by columns of
dust in front and on the left. When within a mile and a
half of our camp they halted in a date grove to recon-
crib
cavalry,
vei tanrl er
fy.
aeEnmddosat r wadeina
ne s ,tnhoen whoaf
dr
aeo
yn,
was
snl t
ko
out
ucp att s i
uoo
pnms
ebs
re ea
artillerymn s
ht oouh
andra voer
two, wh,n. the enemy sheered off and returned to the
fort. They were on coming out determined to annihilate
the Feringhees, but, west probably, distrusted one
another, and so contented themselves with showing their
teeth.

The -26th and 27th were passed in quietness, the
troops being employed clearing away the brushwood
around the camp, and planting guns and howitzers in
the batteries erected on the right and in front of the left
column. A party of the enemy endeavoured, on the first
named day, to carry off a. number of camels, hut were
punished for their temerity by a troop of the 7th Irre-
gular Horse. On the latter-mentioned date, Lieutenant
G. R. Taylor joined from Dhera Lmael Khan, from
whence he had been recalled shortly before; and Colonel
Drummond, quartermaster general, left on a recon-
noitring expedition—it was supposed his destination was
the fort of Soojaabad, twenty-five miles off, whither a
party of officers had proceeded on the 24th to report on
its eligibility as a depot for the siege guns, engineers'
park, stores, sick, &c. They returned to camp the same
day. The 20,0001. from Lahore, to intercept which a
portion of Shere Singh's force had quitted Moultan, fell
into the hands of General Whish, who was at the time
so much in want of cash for the troops that he had
requested a lean of like amount from our ally of Saha-
wialpore. Meanwhile the jealousy and mistrust betwixt
the Moolraj and Raja Shere Singh were daily becoming
stronger—could they but have put faith in each other,
our troops would have been harassed much more than
they were in their movements. On the 27th, the men
of the latter demanded a month's pay from the former,
but he very coolly told them that as they had not yet
fought with the Feringhees, they were not entitled to any
wages from him. A letter is said to have been written,
as if from General Whish, by Edwardes to Share Singh,
congratulating him on the approaching completion of
the plot, and thanking him for his " successful schemes."
Of course good care was taken that this should fall into
the hands of Moolraj, who forthwith summoned a dur-
bar, and taxed the beikh chief with treachery. Shere
Singh was of course amased beyond measure, and to
prove his innocence of the charge brought againt him,
resolved to annihilate every one of our force he fell in
with! The Dewan appeared satisfied with this, but the
spirit of mistrust, before strong, was doubtless increased
tenfold, which may in a great measure account for their
backwardness in attacking us, after three times coming
almost within shot of us for that purpose. On the
28th a party of officers with a few cavalry
rode to within a few hundred yards of the
walls of the city, but were neither molested nor did they
see any of the enemy. This was probably a lure to en-
tice them further on, when they would no doubt have
seen rather too many of them. Four hundred camels
laden with grain fell into the hands of Edwardes, which
proved a godsend to us. A large quantity of ammuni-
tion on its way to the insurgents was seized on the river
by the steamers. Two regiments and four guns joined
the Moolraj this day from Chuttur Singh's force. Our
force was all the 28th and 29th engaged, as on the two
days previous, clearing away jangle: many of the
sepoys are, however, said to have refused to do so.
This is improbable, as they have all along shown them-
selves willing to work in any way they were desired.
The 30th passed away nearly as quietly as the three
preceding days. A party of the enemy's horse having
got scent of a sum of about 4,0001. being on its way
trom Bahawulpor to Edwardes's camp, went out on the
night of the 29th to intercept it. The convoy, however,
e;uded them. Determined not to return empty-handed,
they pounced on a drove of about 200 of our camels,
which were guarded by about 70 of Lumsden's Guide
Corps. The alarm was given in camp, when Capt. Plow-
den with the squadron of Skinner's horse were sent out to
the rescue. he enemy had, however, gained a consi-
derable distance before their pursuers were on their
track, and escaped with their booty. A few of them
were fell in with and cut down, our cavalry suffering an
equal loss. On the night of the 29th the commander of )

the steamer Conqueror received intimation that his ves-
sel was to be attacked. The steamer was immediately
pushed into the middle of the stream, and every prepara-
tion made to receive her intended captors, who, however,
did not make their appearance. The grain depot at
Sirdarpoor had been pillaged by Mallee Singh's troops,
and those of Bhoor Singh had maltreated the steamer's
men, and prevented the friendly natives from supplying
her with fuel or supplies. The steamer Meanee reached
Shere-Shah-ke-puttun from Ferozopore on the 30th,
with 50,0001. and a large supply of ammunition. A de-
tachment of a wing of the 51st Native Infantry and a
squadron of cavalry was sent on the Ist October to es-
cort the precious cargo into camp; and the steamer was
ordered up to Sirdarpoor to the assistance of the Con-
queror. The story ot the two European soldiers taken
prisoners on the 9th September by Moolraj having been
first tortured and then hung, turns out to be false. One
died of his wounds; the other, together with a rifleman,
of the 72d, both wounded, were hospitably treated. Our
troops fully expected a grand attack would be made on
*them by Moolraj on the day of the great festival of the
Dusserah (7th October). He was being daily reinforced
from the Alanjah, and would by that time, probably, have
about 24,000 men collected, with about 50 guns. He
was said to be determined; at-all events, to see what
could be done before reinforcements :reached our camp.
Shere Singh was still looked upon with distrust by
Moolraj, and the men of the former were said to be
greatly discontented at not having received their
pay. Should the enemy give General Whish a
fair fight in the open field their defeat will be certain,
as his force, with the troops of Edwardes and the
Bhwisul Khan, must be at least 20,000 men, with
about forty pieces of field artillery. Our troops
continued i t the highest health and spirits, longing for
an opportunity to avenge the death of their comrades who
had fallen during the siege. The wounded- were gene-
rally doing well, notwithstanding-the great heat of the
weather. Preparations were made at Bomb iy for their
reception a fortnight since, but on the Ist October they
were still in camp. Lieut. Richardson, 49th Native In-
fantry, who had received ten desperate sabre wounds,
was doing well. Lieut. Herbert, 10th Foot, had been
pronounced out of danger. Lieut. Irwin, 49th, was still
in a precarious condition. It was feared that lockjaw
would supervene in Lieut. Hollinsworth, 10th Foot,
whose knee had been smashed. Lieut. ChristOpher,
Indian navy, was delirious" his leg had been amputated
below the knee, but from some cause it had been found
necesary to repeat the operation higher up. All the re-.
mainder of the wounded officers were doing well.
The regiments forming the army ordered to assemble
at Ferozepore are hurrying to their destination with all
possible speed. The force will consist of about 25,000
men of all arms, and is, it is said, to be headed by the
Commander-in-Chief in person. Lord Gough is ex-
pected at Ferozepore on the 2d November. Colonel
Cureton is to command the cavalry division. Sir John
Littler and Sir D. St. Leger Hill have tendered their
services to Government in the coming cumpeign. All
officers on staff employ belonging to regiments ordered
to the frontier have been directed to proce,-cl to Fereze-
pore at the public expense. The order for the.
formation of the army is now daily looked for. Colonel
Eckford's brigade, which had been ordered to leave Fe-
rozepore for MoUltan on the 2d October, has been di-
rected to stand fast till further orders.

THE PUNJ AUB.
(From the Overland Calcutta Star, of October 7.)
The defection of Shere Singh has induced a mutinous
spirit among the Seikh troops beyond the Indus, and
movements towards the central provinces have been re-
Portedeeoeunpthieedir part.. But the fords the mutineers have
in check, till'
been
ande it is expected of the river will be kept
triTathaehave disturbances,
bee s
upepr
rih.a
:1 i Washiet
to
resume
operations. reinforce-
ments as will enable
the liaegra and Noorpoor dis-
tricts leader, Ram Singh was
signally defeated by lassafdr; th.
broken up, and himself j--Q..tillil'ar, his party entirely
welfirree down to the 18th
t a seizure of the
tahnadt
t'hough Sealevilts frUstrated in
ies are hard
pected every instant. ft 'ate whose capture is ex-
inst. all was well; an attempt teo4p
femur
1, fd . Chuttur
ijor Law_
gun 4 of the division at
the contemplation of it,
at work to induce a demonstration ini
Singh, they have not yet been successful.
rence is, however, sensible of the
he stands, and he demanded troops from
La-
hore without loss of time. Captain Abbott is still
in face of Chuttur Singh at Nara. lie yet re-
frains from marching towards Moultan until he can
obtain the co-operation of the Peshawar division.
and there are strong fears that he will obtain it. At
Lahore, it was resolved by a coup de main to garrison
the fortress of Govindghur (which commands Umrasir)
with British troops ; the]atternpt was made with great
skill and crownedwith success, and the Seikhs who
had held possession in the name of the Durbar, were
shown the door with much politeness. Meanwhile
there is a 'general move of our army upon the north-
west frontier. The complement of each regiment has
again been raised to 1,000 men, and the officers of those
corps which are now in the I'unjaub who are on the
staff duty have been ordered to join without delay.
Some of these gentlemen have been twenty years absent
on civil employment, and would have been better disposed
of by being permanently removed to such employment,
their regimental places being otherwise supplied.