The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-01 00:00:00

MO ULTAN.

The intelligence from Moultan given in our last over-
' land summary came down to the 24th of August. At
this time the columns from Lahore by the Ravee and
Chenaub, and from Forozepore by the Sutlej, had joined
lose to the, scene of future operations. The battering
train was about to proceed from opposite Bahawulpore,
where it had landed on the 18th, and remained till the
Bth preparing for the march; two companies of her
Majesty:A 32d, for which boats could not at first he
procured; were on their way down the river. Escorts
from the 11th Irregular H0N41.1%149th Native Infantry
waited upon both detrchments tiPisrotact their baggage.
The 32a had 90 sick en their iirriral in camp, and had
lost 18 men on the way. On their arrival they speedily
r•cgan to recover, and are now, like the other troops
tround Moultan, in the highest health and spirits. The
Insurgents continued indefatigable in their exertions,
and were every now and then able to seduce a few
Seikhs from our side, and to capture considerable
numbers of baggage, camels, and bullocks. The Dewan
Moolraj tried to corrupt our Sepoys by an offer of a
shilling a day of pay to them, with leave of absence
once every three years, and a suitable pension ; and a
couple of deserters did on one occasion cross over to
him, and were seen next day and recognised by their
accoutrements. On the 29th, the whole force moved
forward a few hundred yards nearer the fort, and en-
camped in a line. Meanwhile the party engaged in cut-
ting off the supplies of the water-courses from the Che-
naub were actively engaged some seventeen miles from
Moulton, protected by the steamers in the river, and by
1,000 Seikhs under Malec Singh, who were defended
by heavy guns and entrenchments. The river rapidly
rose, and twice were bunds of wood, stone, and mud
they had thrown up, burst through, when, the waters
once more subsiding, everything was gotcomplete. These
works were placed under the charge of Malice Singh,
with a powerful detachment of Seikhs ; they were de-
fended by strong entrenchments and heavy guns. The
working party was next directed to cut down jungle
and brushwood for faseines and gabions, ten boat loads
of which were ordered to be sent down for the use
of the besiegers. On the Ist of September the General
and Staff, with a body of engineer officers, reconnoitred
the fort, and Lieutenant Edwardes, with Lieutenant
Lake, Colonel Cortlandt, and Emam-ood-deen, with
nearly the whole of the original attacking force, were
sent round to the opposite side to make a feigned attack,
and distract the attention of the enemy. They pro-
ceeded to take possession of a garden, where a picket of
the enemy, which fired on them and then retired, was
stationed. The troops now drew up in line. The Dewan
hearing the firing, made immediate arrangements to re-
inforce the outposts, and sent orders to them to maintain
their ground as long as possible. Some sharp skirmish-
ing appears to have ensued, when the Moultanees were
driven back at all points, and obliged to seek shelter in
a ravine close to the town. Daudpootras were at one
time hardly pressed, but, being reinforced, rapidly re-
covered their ground. The artillery force for a short
time occupied the position they had forced, when, as
evening drew on, the object of their mission having
been accomplished, they returned to camp unmo-
l. sted. The reconnoitring officers consisted of Gene-
ral Whish, commanding the forces; Colonel Franks,
her Majesty's 10th; Colonel Markham, her Majesty's
32d; Major Napier, Engineers, with a number of ama-
teurs. The escorting party was a strong one; it con-
sisted of her Majesty's 10th, two companies of her Ma-
jesty's 32d, wings of the Bth and 52d Native Infantry,
six guns, a troop of the 11th cavalry, and 18 troopers of
l
Wheeler's Horse. They made their way to the temple j
where Mr. Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson were mur-
dered, at about 800 yards from the ramparts. So ef-
fectually had the garrison been occupied by the skirmish
on the opposite side, that it was some time before the
reconnoitring party were observed. So soon as they
were perceived a number of guns were brought to bear
on them; the practice was beautiful, and the shot fell
close beside them, One struck the temple, another
struck the wall under the feet of Dr. Thorp, of the Irre-
gular Horse, and passed just over the head of the Ge-
neral; another fell amongst the Sappers, but
luckily did no harm. Major Napier ascended
the minaret, and had a fine view of all the
works and of the ground immediately around.
The fire becoming disagreeable, the party returned by
a detour some 1,100 yards from the ramparts, the guns
firing on them all the Way, the distance being such that
the shot nearly all fell short. It was now apparent that
the place was much stronger than has been imagined.
The fort is about a mile, the city two miles in circum-
ference. The former is surrounded by a ditch twenty
feet wide at bottom, and tile defences are regularly con-
structed. The wall of the town joins that of the fort.
The approaches are difficult in consequence
of large trees, the enclosed gardens, andmouofndthse groves
formed
latter old
brick
positions
sbefurer
tahbeogunnnds.
0.
fTthhe
defenders, and will probably require to e
furnishedbrick-kilns,
excellentilns'which
tail. The number of watercourses cutting
be ttahkeeenelenndtrey-
in all directions was incredible—scarcely could a rider
stir without falling in with some of them, indicating the
extreme care bestowed on cultivation and the great capa-
bilities of the country. It was free
Amtartshhis, adnadtemhoesattfly_
well adapted for e
wu pore troops,
fortress; Edwardes, Lake, and quarters were abounteatwaloPimnllgesrdftritohme tßhaeheaast
icorner of the
about three-quarters of a mile south-east of
to the
o f the town,
and the Seikhs under Shere Singh immediately
west. The besieging force, as may be remembered, now
stood pretty nearly as follows :—Her Kijesty's 10th
from Lahore, and 32d from Ferozepore, or in all about
Irregularin aHllorse. The
2,000*; the Bth, 49th, 51st, 52d, and 72d N; the
ativelln-
fantry,
C;lr, and 7th
3a7aooyNatived Infantry-5,70011th
artillery portion of the force consisted of the siege
engineer
anda
amountingfull eno gf
nearly to
guns, two
ittlhvosatpropoerpss
aonfdhomrisneteioarsn; a company
oa
fr
t3i14l egr
ythe whole British por
corps—

* The royal regiments in India are generally kept
up at about
1,100 strong. We have assumed her Ma-
iesty's 10th and 32d at nearly 1,000 bayonets each. The
'Native Infantry regiments at present are about 750; and
on this we have grounded our estimate.