The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-01 00:00:00

of defence, &c., but Brigadier Inglk.s's report will
give a very good idea of what was going on 'before
we arrived, and I fancy you will find Geueral Out-
ram's report very interesting ; the most of us had

have a capital appetite, good health, and I say my
prayers every night that I may be allowed to see
you again, and I am very happy and comfortable,
so do not worry about me, darling."

good shelter except when en actual duty, but no

man was certain of his life when moving about the
intrenchrueut. I used to stroll about a good deal,
but it was very dangerous. I have from necessity
delayed finishing this letter from time to time, and
this is the last day of the mail. Matters
continued in this style until letters were
received from Sir Colin Campbell, saying he
was coming on, and would be with us on the 10th of
November. He was at Alumbagh on that date,
and then the excitement commenced ; you cannot
imagine the joyful state of mind we were all in, to
think that we were once again to he free and enjoy
the fresh air of heaven undisturbed. Sir Colin took
a long route outside the skirts of the city, taking
several days to do it in, while we made arrange-

SIR COLIN CAMPBELL'S OPERATIONS.

(From, the Daily News.)
Certainly the operations of Sir Colin Campbell,
in snatching the women and children of Lucknow
from death, in rescuing General Windham from
defeat, and at the same tune in destroying the
Gwalior Contingent, are most masterly. The des-
patches published on Saturday admirably describe
the General's plan, and the mode in which it was
executed. It may be well, however, to set forth
the salient points in the description, that the public
may recognise the infinite importance of a know-
ledge of military principles, and of skill in their

ments for meeting his force by undermining the
buildings opposite our advanced post. At last he
came near. Our mines blew up, our brave fellows
rushed on, turned the scoundrels out, took up posts,
and met their gallant reliever. The road was open
to the camp, and a few privileged ones went to and
fro. We were all forced to stick close to our pos ts,
while those who visited the camp made our raou'hs
water with tales of how they had been fed on bread
and butter and wholesome fresh grub. My bearer
and khitmutgar came in from Alumbagh like good
fellows, and I was once more jolly. In the mean-
time the Gwalior troops were approaching Cawn-
pole, and it was resolved by Sir Cotn to give up
the Residency, and, holding Alumbagh, march
back to Cawnpore and crush the vermin. The
Sikhs, ladies and children, and families, left one
evening, and the whole garrison evacuated the in-
trenchment the next. What an anxious night that
was ! We left at 12 o'clock, having withdrawn all
our guns from position, so that if the scoundrels had
only come on we should have had to fight every
inch of our way while retiring ; but the hand of
Providence, which had watched the little garrison
for so long a time, never left it at the last, and
the eye of the wicked was blinded while we marched
breathlessly with beating hearts from our post,
and, forming into line, walked through -Us

application.
We pass by for the present the exploits of Gene-
ral Windham. It is sufficient to say, that having
deemed it necesary to retreat after his victory of
the 26th, he found himself on the 27th attacked by
the enemy with an overwhelming force of artillery.
He was threatened, as
he declares, on all sides—
very seriously attaked in front and flank, and the
same night retreated into the fort, losing a great
part of his baggage. Cn the 28th the battle was
renewed, but with no better success. General
Windham wag more closely pressed. His last line
of entrenchments was attacked, and the bridge of
boats, by which the Lucknow women and children
were to escape, was seriously threatened. That
same night, however, Sir Colin Campbell arrived.
Preceding his own column some two or three hours,
he reached the entrenchments of General Windham
at dusk, "where," he says, "I learnt the true
state of affairs. The retreat of the previous day
had been effected with the loss of acertain amount
of camp equipage, and shortly after my arrival it
was reported to me that Brigadier Carthew had re-
treated from a very important post. All this ap-
peared disastrous enough, and the next day (che
29th) the city of Cawnpore was found in possession
lof the enemy at all points." To this pass had mat-
ters been brought by General Windham.

narrow defiles and trenches leading from the ever- Before proceeding further, let us describe the
memorable ' Bailey Guard.' Out we went while the scene of action. The town of Cawnpore lies on the
enemy's guns still pounded the old wall, and while right or west bank of the Ganges, about 130 miles
the bullets still whistled over the beildings, and, north-west of Allehabad. The town does not conic
after a six miles' walk iu ankle-deep sand, we were quite down to the river. In order to reach the
halted in a field and told to make ourselves com- Gauges, a sandy plain of some two miles, covered
fortable for the night. Here we were in a pretty with officers' bungalows with their compounds, or
plight. Nothing to cover ourselves, while the inclosures, must be traversed. These are the can-
cold was intense, so we lay down like so many sheep tons cents, and stretch several miles along the
huddled together to keep ourselves warm, and so water-side. The river itself is crossed by a bridge
lay to the morning, when we rose stiff and cold, of boats ; and over it is the only road to Lucknow.
with a pretty prospect of the chance of finding our In this plain of the cantonments there were en-
servants in a camp of 9,000 men. It was useless, trenchments and a fortfor the purpose of protecting
and Colonel M—, W—, and F--) who the bridge. It was in order to occupy these and t
chummed together, found some good friends in the "preserve this bridge and the communications with
officers of the military train, who put us up and Sir Colin Campbell" that General Windham was
made us most comfortable till we got our traps the posted at Cawnpore. His post was, therefore, of
next day. We then commenced our march, ar- vital importance. How he maintained it we need
riving in Cawnpore on the third day, when we found not now inquire. Through the cantonments there is
the Gwalior devils in possession of the city, firing a road. Some few miles south-east of Cawnpore
round shot and shell into the intrenchment. We this road joins the Grand Trunk Road—which,
passed over the river without hurt, and in three passing through that city, unites Delhi, Allahabad,
days commenced our march to Allahabad—i.e., and Calcutta—and northward of this junction, but
the families, sick and wounded, and Oude civilians. before reaching Cawnpore, is the entrenchment
We marched 24 miles each night—ladies and where the late Sir Hugh Wheeler was besieged.
children and wounded in hackeries, and the officers This Grand Trunk Road, it should be observed,
ou foot or horse. It was miserable and so cold, was the line of retreat for the rescued garrison of
going at the rate of two miles per hour. We at Lncknow, and for Sir Colin Campbell himself. Its
last arrived, and I again found myself safe and safety was therefore vital.
sound, without a scratch, though not quite so fat
Now, at dusk on the 28th November, Sir Colin
and sleek as I was on leaving. I have not used a
crossed the river, and took the command of General
razor since June, and many people did not know Windham's troops. On the 29th effectual means
me at first. lam a little browned by exposure, were taken to protect the bridge. The same even-
but now (Dec. 18) am as jolly and fat as ever." ing the crossing began ; but it was not till the even-
The following is an extract of a letter from an ing of the 30th that the last cart had passed. The
officer of her Majesty's ship Shannon, attached to
whole British force being now on the Cawnpore
the Naval Brigade, dated Cawnpore, Dec. 3 :
side of the Ganges, its position was this :—The
"I am at this moment in bed, having been
wounded five days ago by a spent grapeshot in my British camp was in the form of a half circle. It
stretched from some old Dragoon lines lying some-
stomach. I was also hit three times in the leg by
where near the Ganges and the Fort southwestward,
bullets, but they only grazed it, taking away a little across the Grand Trunk Road, and round the pcei-
skin. The Gwalior force attacked us last Friday, tion occupied by Sir Hugh Wheeler. In short,
and I was sent out with two guns, which I was or-
Sir Colin's right rested on the right, his front and
dared to take a-head of our skirmishers, so we got
left covered the Grand Trunk Road, which, as has
very well pitched into. My guns were heavy 24-
been observed, was his only line of retreat. So he
pounder siege guns, and when our army retired they
stood the 2d of December. On the 3d, " the con-
left me in solitary grandeur, getting pitched into by
voy, which had given me," says the noble-hearted
everything. The guns had been dragged into posi-
old soldier, "so much anxiety, including the fami-
tion by bullocks, who, when we tried to get them up lies and half the wounded, was finally despatched,"
to the guns again to drag them back, galloped off
and on the evening of the sth every arrangement
to Cawnpore. After I had fired off all my ammuni-
had been made for a general attack on the enemy
tion, and the sepoys had got within 20 yards of us,
the next morning.
I gave the orders to spikr - '‘4) guns, and retired,
Now it should be observed that the city of Cawn-
having had one man kills' ' Wady all the men
hit. I had been hit three ti %treated to our Pore lay in front of the British camp. There is a
skirmishers, who were 1000. 'te rear, and I canal which runs east and west towards the Ganges,
the larger portion of the city beoinwg_otnhietsmnuotritnheeerrns
got some volunteers to come ous. _Se ) t obring the
side, the smaller portion being units southern side,
part of the city
guns back. When I got up to the guns I was hit,
As early as the 28th
ob—umtthe
fuvteekhraynt evening on which
as the d
and brought in by a rifleman."
The following letter is from a boy of 19 to his
mother :
lay nearest the British entrenchments. And
" Intrencbed Camp, Cawnpore, Dec. 2, 1857.
R 'gadier Greathed had about the •
"My eliding Mother,—Thank God lam safe and —no same time ()c-
-lay the canal in front of the leienPeatoe
extent, which,.
- 'ed the General Gung, an old b
whichSh aird Ce
beenhin ardrriivveecirt
bazaar of very
well, and through God's mercy I hope to remain so. copied
We have had terrible hard work here fighting considerable
camp." Thus it
sepoys ;we have been at it five days together. The ‘-
s ' along
the ,
chcuepayiesil
first day I was on my legs from 4 o'clock in the by the British appears that the
on the north side of
morning until 6in the evening. We paraded at 4 enemy were the canal ; whilst
t o'clock, and after standing on parade for an hour or the British lay on the south side of the canal, hav-
two we marched off 1,500 strong. Nobody knew ing at the same time one advanced
post, the Gene-
where we were going to, but I had a dim idea that ral Gung, on the canal itself.
we should see service that day, and sure enough we On the 6th December, the morning of the attack,
did. We marched on cheerily enough for two or three the enemy amounted to 25,000 men, and 36 guns.
miles, the binds playing now and then in front. There is no estimate of the British force, but it
Presently there was a halt, the baud came to the could not in all probability exceed 7,000 or 8,000
rear, and the fighting 88th (Connaught Rangers) men. Of the British artillery it is impossible to
came to the front. Whereat there were sundry form any calculation. Those 25,000 had assembled
murmurings among the officers of ' ours,' be- from various quarters. The Gwalior men had come
cause our right—by seniority—of fighting first was I westward from Calpee, en the Jumeta—a distance
thus taken from us. The word is given to ' Ad- of 51 miles—by the road which joining that from
vance !' Bang ! goes a heavy gung, and whiz comes Delhi enters the city of Cawnpore on the north.
the immense mass of iron over our heads, and lam Nana Sahib's people had come southward from
afraid I must plead guilty to feeling an extraardi- Bithoor down the Ganges. The rebel can,p was
nary sort of sinking in my stomach. On we go, some about two miles from Cawnpore on the Calpee
command is given, and the left wing wing of our road. And on the morning of the 6th the mutineers
regiment goes away somewhere (I am in the right were thus posted :
wing). Bang! again. This time they have the right Tho rebels' right —Bing
the British left
range, and the grapeshot tears through the column. stretched some way beyond the angle formed by the
The word is given, ' Extend into skirmishing order Grand Trunk Road and the Canal. We have already
to the left.' Away we go, rushing on all the time ; said that the canal runs thethrough '
we jump over a bank of earth, and a man falls at west towards the Ganges, whilst the Grand Trunk
my side. I think, 'Oh, he only tripped up.' I turn, Road runs north-west and parallel to that river.
and see the red blood gushing out on to the earth. The canal and the road would therefore form an
And now the bullets come round us fast and thick. angle. The British might advance along the road,
My spirit flask has the top grazed by a bullet. lam but would be obliged to cross the canal before
lost in astonishment that lam not hit. I see thou- closing with the enemy. There were only two
sands of red-coated sepoys firing at us, and I get bridges for this Purpose. Such was the enemy's
into a rage, and shoat 'Come along, my boys, remem- right.—His centre was in the city of Cawnpore.
ber Cawnpore I' but in a feeble voice, trying to fancy He occupied the li
-ouses and bazaars which over
myself brave, but fail totally in the attempt. We hung the canal. The city is full of narrow lanes—
come to a stop at length, and thank goodness for so narrow that in one of them we nearly lost one of
it, for I am terribly blown. Here they rally our guns—and the principal streets were carefully
the men, and get them together preparatory to tak- barricaded. This centre of the enemy was exactly
ing three guns in front. A cheer, a long long heave opposite to the bazaar called the General Gung—
of my breath, a clenching of my hands and teeth, the advanced Position occupied by Brigadier Great-
and away Igo once more into the bullets. ' The lied. This position of the centre, strong as it seems,
guns are ours, hurrah!' proved his weakness, for it app ears that between
"Three days more something like this ; I will his centre and his right there was the wall of the
not' bother you with the fourth day. The last part town, which separated one portion of his position
we bad been skirmishing all day, and towards six from the ether so completely that in case of
o'clock the blackguards made a rush, some 4.000 or emergency he had no means of -transferring troops
5,000 of them, to the bridge, which I was defend- fromehis left to his right. Such., then, was his con-
ing. Then came a fight between 1,500 tired Eng- tre.—His left occupied what is .called the old can-
lishmen and 5,000 or more of fresh Sepoys, for tonment. This is, no doubt, that portion of the
these were the reserve. There are some 20,000 of ground which lies between the city and the Ganges.
them here. Please Gooduess, I hope never to see In its rear, about one mile and a half in a direct
such a hailstorm of bullets again. I saw men fall line from the British intrenchments, was the Suba-
on every side of me ; splinters hit me, pieces of dar's Tank. This formed the strength of this part
earth from bullets, &0., and there we were obliged of his position. In front of this the Baptist chapel
to stay. Our orders were 'to keep the bridge as stood ; and here it was where Brigadier Wik on lost
long as possible ;' the ' keeping' consisted in his life in a gallant but too daring
charge. Such
standing still while a hurricane of balls passed was his left.—Thus the whole line of the enemy
ex-
through us. I must own here that I lost my pre- tended from the Ganges through the city of
anges
of the city wall,
Cawn-
sence of mind ; I said the Lord's Prayer, and thought pore and along the canal westward
I should never see you, darling, and all my dear which is perpendicular to the canal. It should be
friends again ; but God (thanks to him for it) has observed, moreover, that the camp of the enemy
4 hitherto preserved. We after some time relocated lay two miles in rear of his right, and covered the
into the fort, and defended It until relieved by Sir Calpee road ; above all, it is to be remarked that
Colin Campbell. the Calpee road was the line of retreat of the re-
tt
-`.Sleep on the ground every night. I have bels. In short, as Sir Colin 03.mpbell says, the
hard biivnt aem 's centre
1 and rum to live on. I never am able , canal, along which were placed the el. Y
to sleep more than three hours at a stretch, but I 1 and right, was the main feature of iti, Position ;