The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-30 00:00:00

08

Yii'.l.

1.,

V

7.11 lITJTL,

4 t) 0 i

74 tl P

~`l ~ r ~~

~ .
• _
, .
..
• . -
~ ....; .----..t,t(.-.., ,- .., ,-, 1-41 r e.
,
, .
. .... • - 7:...1, r',• `' 7' .• : "1 , ' •
„, ~ ( 1....0,114. , ;-:-1--4.,'3 ' 4,41
. . ' ~ •
'sf-.: ~ -i,4*,- " ' 4',
, • . . -z.s.:,
'' W' ~- '''' . . _ • •...- ~ --.-x:,-,-....•;,.
,
,-, . ' i.' 0) s• ,c, 7.:, -• . i1,,,,,,..---Eviijk... ..,t.,, , , , , ,_ ,
...
7° 1 - E
'.‘,...,;:' .^ . , - -•e: , ~.“. i 4
( . ANI." 214. ' ''‘,. • -..;,' - , . irk' -'.' - '' •*•t'.•'.',,,'"'• 401'. w•A''''....-ter...ii, .' VI It idelt
~......,
Q," 3i.....,...rui.,, , ~._ at
11 - -..w...,, ,
~„,,„ f.7,i,,.‘„, g•;,' 1 :17 li. ,
.74. 71 ..,,:,4;-.. ". ', , , ,ilk . ~ '1 .may. 3, `. •'.• ?, -, .- '‘' .1r ~'', . .•:: . ' . ••:-•:'"4.Za. !A.,' \'; . •
-- . ~
___. f,, /
,-. ~E .;....,..,.. ''
...."'' I . .
.._:
\ 1,,, . 'i," , • t .4
.—",-- •t . •x, ~7' ", -7"" .1......,,. .. ok, .411 r .% - - i,„_, - •,. -4601,. ,i,„. ~.......,11,.414fr ,3 • •,:., ,' • '•:` . 1 Vt7.1..._ "A
'-.‘
V-
~...• r ~-,..-... --,,„ : -.,..;••. • 4 ),1., ...„, ...• 41r: , .-,, „.-,... ~..., , - •. • ....„, 1, , ,-- * •.. ,e, • -...,:"..,.. •
' "

I
er,~~.

_._. _-

"LONDON, SATURDAY*

THE _BIGHTING AT QAWNPoRE.

The following interesting letter is from an officer
commanding a Sikh regiment to his.wifti
" Camp Bithoor, Dec. 12, 1857.
" I sent you a letter from Cawnpore on the 28th
Oct., which I hope you have received ere this. On
the 30th we marched across the Ganges on our way
to relieve the Lucknow garrison. My regiment was
brigaded with the .93d. 'Highlanders and 75th, we
had a nice force of about 5,000 men of all amp—
sailors under Peel included: On the 2d Dec., at a
place called Marigunge, as we were marching on,
they fired on the advanced guafd, whereupon the
infautty were brought up to the front, and after
a few rounds of. artillery-we
,were.ortlered to stbrm
the village, which was done ; about 200 men.of the
enemy were killed and the seat bolted.. We
_took
two guns. Ttienty-six ruffians were killed in one
spot. Our force had only a few meeyrounded and
one of the 93d killed. We then halted until the 9th
for the Commander-in-Chief.: I'did not enjoy the
picket duty, as we had so mats), pickets to give
away from camp, and only three officers for the
duty ; but lam in good health and can stand it.
" On the 12th, after reiufercements had come of
the/3d, 82d, and sth Fusiliers, detachments of 90th,
and some guns, total 7,000 men, we went on to the
Alumbagh, where some of Outram's force were in-
trenched, and the enemy kept continually firing
round shot into them, but did not kill many. They
gave us a few rounds, but all fell short, so we did
not, mind them much. On the 13th I was sent
back-. 10 miles with 100 men to see the telegraph
wire put up, and was out all day and came back to
'camp at/olit 12 --p:m:;`-and' ire a:OW*O 4k
ianoyktowards LucknowßeisidenrojC About. 141
we came on the enemy in a beautiful deer park and'
house of the King's, and they favoured us with no
end of rotted shot and shell and grape, and we
'oat some men. My horse and self were nearly
caught by an 18.-pounder shot. Luckily, it,glanced
Off a tree and passed on lam happy to say. We all
advanced-steadily on, covered by the heavy guns.
Five guns were captured, and we took possession of
a beautiful place called La IVlartiniere. It was a "
schOol foi-Etirc:ran and half-caste children in Oude,
' and an alnialieuse for the poor, built by a general
of that name. - They were driven across the canal,
and Our-pickets were posted, and we lay down on;
the ground until morning. No end of firing going,
On between the pickets. Our loss did not exceed 50
men and 2 officers. Wheatcroft, 6th aarbineers (a
volunteer), Land Mayne, Of the Aitillery, killed. {
Many knew poor Wheatcroft ; he was shot in the
chest. On the 15th I was sent down to the canal about
9 o'clock, on picket, with 100 men, and we were on
one side and the enemy on the other, and the
amount of ball they fired at us all day was marvel-
lous ; they were whizzing by all round. As we
were on the grass, I luckily had only 3 men severely
wounded, and was ordered to come in at night,
and we were to advance the next morning on the,
town, which I did, and we left so quietly that
,the
enemy never knew we had left, but still continued.
the firing. The '2d Punjaub Infantry are first rate°
fellows, in fact there are no better soldiers than
these Sikhs of all arms. As Sir Colin Campbell
says, it is their dash he so admires.
"On the lOt'a of November, a day I ever shall'
'remember, we advanced on the town and stormed;
the Secunderabagh, and after a tremendous fight;
nearly every man in the place was killed. I never;
saw such a fight. Over 1,800 of the ruffians lay in,
heaps—Some on fire from the shots being so near,
and were grilling away. I buried 400 in a hole next'
day, 750 were put in another and as many more,
were left in the place. 'Opr foss was 24 officers!
killed-and wounded, aird-216 men. The Sikhs and,
-Highlanders were in first. The 93d area splendid'
regiment. The 2cl•lstnijaub Infantry. had two offi-i
'cers killed out of five, and the 4th Punjaub Rifles'
had three officers killed out. of four," and only a'
young chap left. The Commander-in-Chief sent for
an officer. from the 2d Punjaub Infantry to take
the command of the 4th •, and --- said to me,'
You go --,'---so off I went, and held it all
through the Luoknow affair, which. lasted, until the
22d, when we covered the retreat of the garrisoni
and ladies to the Dilkoosba Bagh ; and it vat ceri
tainly beautifully done. The enemy were so taken!
in. Our loss during the six dap !as 53 officers
killed and .wounded, and 498 Men.
"We were under' arms from 7 p.m., drawituri
in line with the 9:3a, reaay Lu wove on any plies or
picket attacked, until 3 a.m. on the 23d ; the ladies,
women, and children, and Sir J. Outram's force
came to the Residency with 230,000/., and all the
King's jewellery and silver, worth about 20 lam, or
200,000/. (which a grateful nation ought to give us
as prize money), and after they had passed we
silently withdrew all pickets and marched away
through lanes by brigades, and reached the Dilkoo-
sha Bagh and Martiniere about 5 a.m., and the
enemy kept at a respectful distance from us. On
the passing on of the ladies I found out Mrs. Harris
and her husband, and gave her a few biscuits, some
brandy, and two bottles of beer—all I could give.
"On the 24th, I, with my regiment, and
93d, and 53d, under Brigadier the Honourable
A. Hope, were sent out on picket, so I saw no more
of them. On the 24th we marched to the Alumba7k
again, and reached it quietly, and all ladies safe.
On the 25th and 26th we halted, as Sir J. Outram,
with the Ist Madras Fusiliers, 90th Foot, 75th and
78th, sth Fusiliers, Maude's troop, and some ca-
valry and artillery, were to remain behind until we
came back with 20,000 men to retake Oude ; they
have a good position, with commissariat and guns.
I saw old Scot at Lucknow looking very well. He
went in with the 90th Foot as interpreter, and be-
haved most gallantly ; he was afterwards made an
assistant field engineer, but he don't like the work.
I am sorry we left him behind with Sir J. Outram's
force at Alumbagh, as I think the enemy will bully
them much ; but they may remember what our
force gave them in Lucknow, and may keep quiet.
I hear that Sir James has fallen back on Bunnee-
bridge, within 25 miles of Cawnpore, hearing what
bad happened there. Scot dined with me one night.
Franks and Remington are somewhere about Alla-
habad, marching up with some Queen's regiments.
On the 17th we heard heavy firing in the direction
of Cawnpore, it was incessant, and on the 28th we
marched at 7 a.m., having only come in at 12
o'clock at night, went along all day, the can-
nonade still going on, and came up within a mile
of the river about 10 p.m., when Sir Colin or-
dered us to encamp until morning, when we
found that the Gwalior Contingent had besieged
Cawnpore, taken the stores, and all our places,
and driven in the pickets and force of about
2,500 men of the 88th, 34th, 64th, and Rifle Bri-
gade under Windham. The Sepoys took their camp,
baggage, and cooking pots, and everything they
had, but I not being there at the time cannot say
whose fault it was ; but Sir Colin was in a great
rage, and it gave us some hard work. They were
about 12,000 men with 42 guns. About 1 a.m.
our brigade, the 93d, 53d, and my regiment, were
ordered to march again at 2, which was afterwards
countermanded, as they at first feared the enemy
would tryand break the bridge of boats, which they
luckily did not do, so I lay down and slept until
daylight, and at 8 a.m. on the 29th we marched
and crossed the bridge, and found all the troops
like bees in the entrenchments; but our brigade
with six guns was ordered to go out and take up a
position on the cavalry parade ground, and as we
passed the entrenchments, and were obliged to
halt sometimes and go out with a small front, they
peppered us like fun, but they firedrather too high.
I was at the head of the regiment, and as we were
all riding the bullets came hissing and whizzing
past us, but none touched us, thank God ; a few
men were wounded. We advanced ' all serene' in
spite of all, and took the position we were ordered,
but they opened on us with grape and round
shot, which our artillery soon silenced, and we
remained on the ground all night, and on the 30th
wepitched our tents; but the ruffians, whom we had
driven back over the canal, got up some guns and
sent round shot and shell into us, so we were 'all
turned out and got near some houses or old lines.
I saw one shell burst over some of the 93d next us,
and it knocked over one officer and four men, and
they occasionally sent a shot in all day ; we were
not allowed to attack them, but the picets kept
them in check, so we had our dinner--chupatties
and some salt beef, and made ourselves jolly under
the circumstances, as we bad some brandy, made
, some punch, and gave to all we could. The 93d
are first-rate fellows, and we always are alongside.
On the Ist their colonel (Ewart) had his left arm
taken off by a round shot.
" On the 21 and 3d my regiment was sent on
picket to relieve another in the bazaar along the
canal, and we had uo end of blazing away until the
4th, when we were relieved ; luckily we lost only a
few men. At the attack on the Secunierbagh, near
Luckuow,
my regiment lost 71 men killed and
wounded and three officers, out of less than 400
men ; they
swears by the Sikhs, Men and officers of the
always put us leading, and every one
Queen's. On the sth the enemy made an attack
on our left, so I was ordered out in support of some
artillery about 2 o'clock, and after a few rounds the
blackguards were driven back by the 2d Punjaub
Infautry pickets, and I came back to dinner to the