The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-04 00:00:00

JUNE 4, 1.858.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

By the arrival of the Bombay mail we have
received our private correspondence and files of
papers from Bombay to the Bth of May.

" BOMBAY, MAY 8.
" The news which during the past fortnight has reached
us from the various localities in which British troops are
combining with the enemy and with the intense and male-
ficent heat of the weather is, on the whole, of a checquered
aspect. During the latter days of April two reverses were
experienced by our arms— one in Oude, the other in Behar.
In each case the loss of prestige was greater than the loss of
officers and men, yet that was far from inconsiderable.
THE DISASTER AT AREAL
"You may, perhaps, have heard of the disaster at Arrah
by the last Calcutta mail, but details of the event can
hardly have reached the capital in time to be forwarded
by that opportunity ; so I will sat down what we know of
an affair that made the neighbourhood of Arrah notable
for the repulse of a British detachment. You will re-
member that I mentioned in my last the relief of Azimehur
by Sir Edward Lugard, who dissipated the besieging force
commanded by the well-known rebel Kooer Singh. This
active enemy, beaten upon his new ground, bethought
himself of retiring to his old haunts across the Ganges in
the neighbourhood of Arrah, the scene of his former
temporary success and subsequent defeat by Vincent Eyre,
with the handful of Artillery and the sth Fusiliers. Ac-
. .

cordingly, with such of his men as remained with him
2,000 sepoys, it is said, and a swarm of rabble —he moved
downwards towards the Ganges. He was vigorously pur-
sued, and it was hoped that he would be caught in the
angle formed by the confluence of the Gogra and the
Ganges. Brigadier Douglas pressed him cn the east,
Colonel Cumberlege, with his two Madras regiments of
cavalry and Cossienabad, on the west. The former officers
brought him to action at a place caged Bausdeb, and drove
him from the field severely wounded. Still his craft and
skill did net desert him. Turning Colonel Cumberlege'e
line of march, he struck the Ganges in his sear at the
Bullaah Gbat, previously guarded by the Colonel, but now
abandoned for the onward movement which was to
complete the cordon round the rebel leader. Thence
Kooer Singh crossed in boats to the southern side of the
river, just, am sping steamers sent with troops from Diva-
pare and Ghazeedore directly it was known that he had
eluded his pursuers. Once across the river he made for
Jugdespore, near Arrab, an old lair of his, lying in thick
jungle, but blown'oup last year by Eyre. The neighbouring
garrisons were at once on the alert, and to strengthen
them the 6th Foot was sent up from Calcutta by rail to
Raneegunge, and the Naval Brigade on its way down was
halted at Sasseram. Arrah was held by some three com-
panies of the 35th and some Sikhs. It was on the 20th or
21st of April that Kooer Singh's force reached the jungles
of Jugdespore. On the night of the 22d part of the Arrah
garrison moved out to seek and attack him. Captain Le
Grand,of the 35th, commanded, having with him 150 of his
own men, 52 sailors, and 100 of Rattray's Sikhs, with two
12-pounder howitzers. His expedition was unsuccessful.
Overpowered by numbers, and attacked in the thick jungle,
the party was repulsed, losing their two howitzers, Le
Grand himself, Lieut. Massey, and Dr. Clarke killed, and
abaut 130 men and officers wounded. This was on the 23d.
Meanwhile Brigadier Douglas was preparing to pursue them.
He began to cross the Ganges on the 25th. On the 29th two
companies of the 84th and tw,o Horse Artillery guns reached
Arrah, and on the Ist of this month came in the rest of the
Blth, aid 100 Sikh Cavalry. Sir E. Lugard, with the rest
of his division, was to commence the passage of the
river on the 3d. The enemy were by this time estimated
at 7,000 men, and were entrenching themselves and
getting in supplies. Most of them, however, were vil-
lagers, and they had but one small gun in addition to the
two howitzers taken from Le Grand, and, more encourag-
ing still, NA ser Singh is no more. So, at least, we are as-
sured by telegrams from Allahabad and Calcutta—' there
is no doubt that Kooer Singh is dead.' lie was badly
wounded, as I have said, in his engagement with Douglas,
and probably succumbed during his hasty flight. More
fortunate than others of his kind, and than his treason, if
not his capacity, deserved, he has died the death of a sol-
dier. A formidable opponent is thus removed. 25,000
rupees had been set upon his head. Nuttee Singh, his
brother, commands in his stead.
"Colonel Rowcroft, when last heard of was still in the
Omorah District, where he repelled another rebel attack
on the 17th of last month, as you have doubtless heard
from Calcutta. This was before Kooer Siugh recrossed the
Ganges.