The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-16 00:00:00

skelter, all came tumbling back into the fort. One
of the 24-pounders got upset in the town and left
behind, and the chaos of the intrenchment at night-
fall was beyond parallel. Colonel Adye and Capt.
Austin crept out at midnight with 100 men into
the heart of the city, and succeeded in recbvering
the 24 pounder, and brought it back, or it would
now be in the enemy's hands. The followipg day
an advance of skirmishers took place, and extended
over an immense radius. The Rifles succededi in
capturing two 18-pounders, but the right dvance
was not so fortunate. Wilson, the Brigadier, was
shot at the head of his regiment, the Brigade-Major
fell with him ; also the Quartermaster-General, as
well as Major Stirling, commanding the 64th ; and
this force was forced to retire, leaving its dead and
wounded behind, with the exception of the Briga-
dier, who just lived half-an-hour after reaching his
tent. The following day the troops were eo fagged
as to be forced to confine themselves in the intrench-
ment, the enemy dosing in upon us, and opening
fire on the works. Fortunately, the chief onhis way
back from Bunnee heard the firing and pushed on
with all speed, crossing himself that evening and
his force the following morning, the fourth day.
Owing to the ladies and wounded, we have been
inactive for now four days. The rebels are some
500 yards oitside the works, and fire at us as it
suitstheir pleasure, selecting the hospital principaly,
which they have hit several times. Musketry goes
on all night, and artillery at times. As I write an
occasional round shot goes over, or into, the camp.
" You will hear how some regiments behaved.
All the camp fell into the enemy's hands, and the
tents burnt, and we have now only 100 to issue for
all corners ! All the Gwalior Contingent is here,
some 12,000 men.
" What Sir Colin intends to do is a mystery ; but
we wait from hour to hour, from day to day, for
some move. All are anxious, as you may suppose,
and the loss will be heavy, no doubt. I can add no
more at present, save that I am well."
The following is from another officer :
" Cavrnpore, Dec. 2.
" We have had awful work here, the Gwalior
Contingent having come down. The 64th charged
some guns in the most gallant manner, but 'being
entirely unsupported' were almost cut up. Col.
Wilson, Major Stirling, Captains Morphy and
M'Crea, and Lieut. M‘Kinnon, have all fallen.
M'Crea, who was acting quartermaster-genera],
led the charge, and was to have got a Victoria
Cross had ho succeeded (? survived.) Stirling
spiked a gun and was cut down. The poor old
colonel, who was brigadier here, was brought in in
a dying state, and his last words were, Tell the
general that I died leading on my regiment to
glory 1' We are besieged here in the intrenched
camp by these Gwalior fellows, who pitch shot and
shell into us. Sir Colin with his camp is about a
mile from here, so they occasionally get stirred up
by an occasional shot to rouse them. Shute and
the remainder of the Lucknow party are here all.
right."

THE RETREAT FROM LUCKNOW.
OFFICIAL DESPATCH.
Head-quarters, Camp, Alumbagh, Nov. 25.
My Lord—ln continuation of my report on the
18th, I have the honour to apprise your lordship
that the left rear of my position was finally secured
on the night of the 17th inst, by the building called
Banks' House having been seized by a party of the
2d Punjaub Infantry (Sikhs) specially employed
for that purpose.
Brigadier Russell and Lieutenant-Colonel Hale
distinguished themselves much in completing the
chain of posts on the 17th and 18th in that direc-
tion ; the enemy having been very vigilant on that
point, and kept up an unceasing fire on all the
buildings occupied by Brigadier Russell, and on
the barrack occupied by 300 of the Highlanders
under Lieut.-Col. Ewart.
Brigadier Russell having been unfortunately se-
verely wounded on the afternoon of the 18th inst.,
I placed the lamented Col. Biddulph in command
of his line of posts. He was killed almost imme-
diatly afterwards, when making his dispositions
for the attack of the hospital.
Captain Bourchier, of the Bengal Artillery, dis-
tinguished himself by the intelligent and able sup-
port he afforded Lieut. -Colonel Hale, her Majesty's
82d Foot, on that officer succeeding Colonel
Biddulph.
These very difficult and tedious operations, con-
ducted as they were under a moat galling fire, in
cramped suburbs, reflect much credit on all the
officers and men concerned, and secured the
position.
The same afternoon the enemy made a smart
attack on the pickets covering the centre of the
line.
I supported him with a company of her Majesty's
23d and another of her Majesty's 53d Foot, not
' having any more infantry at my disposal.
I Captain Itemmington's troop of Horse Artillery
was brought up and dashed right into the jungle
with the leading skirmishers, and opened fire with
ex,raordinary rapidity and precision.
Captain Remmington distinguished himself very
much.
I superintended this affair myself, and I have
particular pleasure in drawing your lordship's at-
tention to the conduct of this troop on this occasion,
as an instance of the never failing readiness and
quickness of the Horse Artillery of the Bengal
service.

___
During the next three days I continued to hold
the whole of the country from the Dilkoosha to the
gates of the Residency, the left flank have been
secured in the manner above mentioned, with a
view to extricating the garrison without exposing
it to the chance of even a stray musket shot.
From the first, all the arrangements have been
conducted towards this end. The whole of the
force under my immediate command being one
outlying picket, every man remained on duty, and
was constantly subject to annoyance from the
enemy's fire ; but such were the vigilance and in-
telligence of the force, and so heartily did all ranks
co-operate to support me, that I was enabled to
conduct this affair to a happy issue, exactly in the
manner originally proposed.
Upon the 20th fire was opened ou the Kaiser-
bagh, which gradually increased in importance till
it assumed the character of regular breaching and
bombardment.
The Kai,ierbagh was breached in three placds by
Captain Peel, R.N., and I have been told that the
enemy suffered much loss within its precincts.
Having thus led the enemy to believe that imme-
diate assault was contemplated, orders wore issued
for the retreat of the garrison through the lines of
our pickets at midnight on the 22d.
The ladies and families, the wounded, the trea-
sure, the guns it was thought worth while to keep,
the ordnance stores, the grain still possessed by toe
commissariat of the garrison, and the state pri-
soners, had all been previously removed.
Sir James Outram had received orders to burst
the guns which it was thought undesirable to take
away, and he was finally directed silently to evacu-
ate the residency of Lucknow at the hour indi-
cated.
.. .

The dispositions to cover their retreat and to
resist the enemy, should he pursue, were ably car-
ried out by Brigadier Hon. Adrian Hope ; but I
am happy to say the enemy was completely de-
ceived, and he did not attempt to follow. On the
contrary, he began firing on our old positions many
hours after we had. left them. The movement of
retreat was admirably executed, and was a perfect
lesson in such combinations.
Each exterior line came gradually retiring
through its supports, till at length nothing re-
mained but the last line of infantry and guns, with
which I was myself to crush the enemy if he dared
to follow up the pickets.
The only line of retreat lay through a long and
tortuous lane, and all these precautions were abso-
lutely necessary to ensure the safety of the force.
The extreme posts on the left, under Lieutenant-
Colonel Hale, her Majesty's 82d ; Lieut.-Colonel
Wells, her Majesty's 23d Foot ; and Lieut.-Colonel
Ewarr, her Majesty's 93d Highlanders, made their
way by a road which had been explored for them,
after I considered that the time had arrived, with
due regard to the security of the whole, that their
posts should be evacuated.
It was my endeavour that nothing should be left
to chance, and the conduct of the officers in exactly
carrying out their instructions was beyond all
praise.
During all these operations, from the 16th inst.,
Brigadier Greathed's brigade closed in the rear, and
now again formed the rear guard as we retired to
Dilkoosha.
Dilkoosha was reached at four a.m. on the 23d
inst. by the whole force.
I must not forget to mention the exertions of the
cavalry during all the operations which have been
described.
The exertions of Brigadier Little and Major
Ouvry, respectively of the Cavalry Brigade and the
9th Lancers, were unceasing in keeping up our
long line of communications, and preserving our
extreme rear beyond the Dilkoosha, whi3h was
constantly threatened.
On the 22d the enemy attacked at Dilkooslia,
but was speedily driven off under Brigadier Little's
orders.
The officers commanding the Irregular Cavalry,
Lieutenants Watson, Younghusband, Probyn, arid
Gough, as well as all the officers of the 9th Lan-
cers, were never out of the saddle during all this
time, and well maint tined the character they have
wr,n throughout the war.
I moved with Gentrod Grant's division to Alum-
liagh on the afternoon of the 24th, leaving Sir
James Outranecdivision in position at Dilkoosha,
to prevent the molestation of the immense convoy
4 of the women and wounded, which it was necessary