The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-04 00:00:00

'I
£

MOULTAN.

Our latest dates from Moulton extend to the 20th of
October, at which time matters stood much as formerly—
with this important difference—that Shere Singh with
his troops had left for the Hazareh country. Our
former narrative extended to the Ist of October, at
which date General Whish lay encampe cl four miles
from Moultan, entrenched and well defended by artil-
lery, and in expectation that some attack would be made
on them, or threatened, at the period of. the l)usserals—
a week afterwards. Taking up the story of the siege
where it broke off, we find that provisions and money
were getting scarce at Moultan, and that ,the jealousies
and mistrust, which had from the beginning existed be-
tween Shere Singh and Moolraj, were on the increase.
About this time the insurgents contrived to obtain pos-
session of a boat load of stores, to the value' of 500/, to
7001., on its way down the Ravee and Chenaub from
Lahore. They were the. property ?aof an Euro-
pean merchant, and were intended for the various messes
in camp. Four companies of sappers and pioneers
under the command of Captain Siddons, proceeded to
Soojabad—one of the posts long held by Lieutenant Ed-
wardes—to prepare fascines and gabions for the coming
siege, brushwood being abundant in the neighbourhood.
The place is about twenty miles from camp, and was at
one time intended as a depot for heavy ordnance stores.
The town was at thii time reported to be nearly deserted
of its inhabitants—shopkeepers, provision-dealers, and
money-changers, almost alone remaining. The great
festival of the Dusserah—the season of the former Seikh
outrages—at length arrived, when an attack had been
threatened, and Moolraj, who was said
_,to: have vowed
that he would bathe in the holy tank of.Soorujkoond, as
had been his wont from his youth upwards. The wa-
tering-place was close to our camp, and under the influ•
once of religious feeling it was hoped the• troops would
show themselves in the plain and give `us an opportunity
of attacking them. Instead of this, the insurgents' went
out in the opposite direction and burned no end of powder
for the honour of the occasion, scarcely within hearing
of our camp. Oomra Singh, one of the Seikhs recog-
nized as having attempted to corrupt our sepoys
at Lahore in April, was at this time caught
bathing ; he was captured and. sent into camp•
where, being, .duly identified, heaves -dispatched -to-
-ILahore to be dealt with by the Durbar according to his
deserts. He had originally belonged to the 42d Native
Infantry, and having taken his discharge was selected
for the service he undertook at the date just named from
his familiarity with the habits of our sepoys. On the
evening of the Bth Lieutenant Christopher, of the Indian
Navy, died of wour ds received by him on the night of the
9th of Svptember, when so many gallant men went
down. Colonel Pattoun, who fell on the occasion, de •
sired more men immediately, and Lieutenant Christo-
pher, serving as a volunteer, undertook to guide two
companies of her Majesty's 10th to the scene of action,
the localities about being unknown to them. This
duty performed, while he lingered near • the scene a
matchlock ball shattered his ankle bone. Amputation
was twice performed, but he died on the Bth of October,
much regretted by all who knew him. One of our
soldiers who had fallen into the hands of the enemy,
and was believed to have been cruelly treated by him, is
said on the contrary to have been provided with a house
and servant, and to receive every attention from his
captors. He is employed as interpreter, and trans-
lates the contents of the letters and newspapers in-
tercepted by the insurgents ; he is an Irish-
man, and is said to enjoy the joke immensely. Trea-
sure to the amount of 18,0001., sent from Lahore for the
pay of the troops of Shere Singh before his treachery
became known, about this time fell into the hands of the
insurgents. On the 9th the Raja Shere Singh slipped
away from the city, the two preceding days having been
occupied in sending off detachments of his troops from
the north and north-east side of the the town—that being
the quarter furthest removed from the position of our
army. His purpose appears to have been to proceed by
forced marches to join his father, then hampered and
shut in by Abbott and Nicolson. General Whish was
anxious to have overtaken him bad he lingered on
_the
way, but his movements were too quick for us • and with
no more than 900 cavalry at our disposal, and Moolraj
ready to pounce on the pursuing party, had pursuit
been given, it was resolved to leave him alone. His
retirement, just as the time approached when his services
were most needed, is a poor proof of the confidence of the
friends of Dewan in the strength of his cause, and the best
evidence we can have of how greatly exaggerated the
extent and dangerousness of the conspiracy organized
against us. His withdrawal seems to have been oeca
stoned entirely by the jealousy and ill-feeling existing
between himself and Moolraj. His first march took him
12 miles from the city; at the end of the second he halted
at Sirdarpore, on the river, close by the place where her
Majesty's 10th disembarked on their way down. His
movements had been so regulated that he could cross the
river so soon as he became aware that we were in motion
to pursue him; and, with the country people
,around in
his favour, such tidings would have reacheeflananivith the
utmost celerity. As it was from these circumstances ap-
parent that it was all but impossible to overtake him—ts
march of 20 or 30 miles in pursuit of him, with the cer-
tainty of being harrassed by the Moultanees in our rear,
would have been as'unwise as futile. In addition to the
quarrel with the Dewan, it is probable that this cunning
chief might consider his chances of success better in the
strong mountain country with his father, where a guerilla
warfare might for some time be maintained, and from
which there was a hope of escape in case of a reverse,
than in a walled city around which an overwhelming
army was preparing to assemble. The Seikh troops at
Bunnoo having at this time murdered their officers,
and taken their departure for the Hszareh country,
the occasion was seized upon by the desponding as a
proof of the perfect organization of the Seikh conspi-
racy, and the skill at once and boldness of their mea-
sures. Moolraj, it was said, would continue to maintain
Moultan with a force of from 10,000 to 12,000, as long
as it was possible, with a view of occupying about an
equal number of troops in the siege; while Shere Singh,
moving on Lahore with 5,000 or 6,000 more, would there
be joined by all the Seikhs in the city, and Chutter
Singh, with the Jamoo and Bunnoo deserters—in all
about 16,000—pressing on the capital as speedily as pos-
sible while the British garrison was at its weakest. So
far are these dismal anticipations from being borne out
by facts, that there seems every reason to believe the
Seikhs are satisfied of the desperateness of their condi-
tion. Gholab Singh has proclaimed his determination
to do all in his power to put down rebellion; and there
has been no disturbance or rising in their favour in any
quarter of the country. The people everywhere and
the Mahomeeedan troops are well affected ; and all
we have to deal with, at the highest computation,
is some 30,000 of the old army of Runjeet
Singh, scattered about without concert or pur-
pose—without any common object or common feel-
ing save hatred of the order of things by which
their power has become extinguished. On the 14th
a strong detachment of troops—consisting of Ander-
son's Horse Artillery, two guns from M'Kenzie's troop,
a wing each of her Majesty's 10th aid 32d Foot, the Bth
and 49th Native Infantry, a squadron of the 7th and the
whole of the 11th Irregular Horse with 40 pioneers—
proceeded as escort to enable the chief engineer to take
the bearings of a bastion on the north-west side of the
fort, which he had not before had the means of examin- •
in. The escort required to be made thus strong from
the remoteness of the point to be examined. They left
camp at three o'clock in the morning, and reached their
destination without interruption, having made a detour
of nearly nine miles. The duty on which they had pro-
ceededbeen performed, they returned to camp
having
in safety two hours before noon. On their way back
Moolrals cavalry were seen hovering on their flanks ;
our horse artillery and cavalry were ordered to charge,
but the enemy were too nimble for them and escaped
them. On the 18th the camp was surprised by the
restoration of some prisoners formerly taken from us.
They stated that the two Europeans in the fort had got
leave to quit; but both were wounded, and one was un-
able, the other unwilling, to move. The troops were
now directed to be restored to full rations—these having
before been reduced in apprehension of scarcity. The
weather had of late undergone a most agreeable change
—the night having become so coolEwdthaardtecslotchamcplothhaeds
were in demand. Desertions to
become not unfrequent-80 Rohill as one
_ day joined him,
and shortly afterwards 500 Seikhs from Bunnoo, who
had remained faithful when the rest had gone over to
the enemy. While in this state of_
tcomparative inac-
tivity the besiegers became aware of he vast prepara-
tions making for their succour. ThpeosSs_hibplree,
n e Govern-
for
B
ment had asked for 5,000 troops from ombay to ren-
dezvous at Roree as speedily as
service
beyond the frontier. It was expected they would be able
to move from the mustering place early in December. In-
stead of 5,000, 8,000 are now assembling. The army will
be considered complete on the Ist November, and will be
ready to march by the 15th. The pontoon train ac.
companies them; the heavy guns are to be left behind,
as a supply of these can be sent down more readily from
Ferezepore. They will move on
up
pathhe awriuvlaprorin oae,bthetis.r
stores and baggage being conveyed
If required, they will be able to reach Moultan by the
first week of December; but it is likely that long before
this the fortress will have fallen. Meanwhile the Su-
preme Government ordered a force to be assembled on
the frontier immediately under' the Commander-in-
Chief. The troops enumerated constitute in all a force
of nearly 30,000 men, exclusive of the Bombay column
now assembling at Roree, which will amount in all to
little short of 8,000. This army includes the troops pre-
sently at Ferozepore and Moultan, but excludes those at
Lahore, amounting to betwixt 8,000 and 10,000
men. The divisional commands have been ar-
ranged as follow :—Brigadier-General Tennant
commands the Artillery; Brigadier Cheape,
l'e the
Engineers, and the greater part of the officers
oi
cnmposing this department of the force appeare
at pre-
sent to bo at Moultan ; Brigadier-
General Cureton coin-
mands the cavalry division; and Majors. General Whish,
it o N
move
Thackwell, and Gilbert, the three infantry
divisions.
ti
direction is given in the general order as to e r
ments of troops on Moultan from Ferezepore, and, so
far as at present appears, the Bombay
column may yet
prove the first reinforcement General Whish will receive.
A strong reserve will probably occupy the line of the
Sutlej, while detachments are employnd hutting down
insurrection in Moultan and the Uazareli count7ry, and
punishing the rebels. Our difficulty after the reduction
of Moultan will be to find a body of insurgents to operate
against. ' At present there are the Mooltanese, 12,000 or
so under arms ; the troops under Chuttur Singh .and.