The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-22 00:00:00

rti_N SUN, LONDOA, WEDITES6AY:

ticals equally positive " it `would all be *wrong,"
ani.' the military and sorne chilians convinced that
it was a mistake to have anything to do with
ticals su.ehmatters at all. The Rajah's messen-,
gers were in the fort, but 4ill` no . news came from
theme The Rajah himself was in camp with Major
Barrow, but could ~av nothing, except that he knew
nothing. What the epoys would do he knew not,
but he was of opinion they would not fight.- At
last it was announced that if the Rajah's servants
had not returned at 9 o'clock the assault on the
placc would be ordered forthwith. Long before that

our arrived, perhaps half. past 7 or so, a -Sikh trooper
rode into our camp with the intelligence 'that the
place was evacuated, and that not a soul Was to
be found but some old men and: servants within
the Walls of Amethie. It turned' out that the
trooper formed one of picket outside the place,
and that early in the', morning they observed 'a
man near the ditch whose appearance attracted
their attention. On his approach they challenged
him*, and, in 'reply to their queStions; he said he was
not afraid of going near the batteries, because till'
the sarrisbn ha& marched off' through the jungles
during the' night. :The picket tested the truth of
the man's story ; they made him lead the way, saw
that the place was abandoned, and returned to Sir
Hope Grant with the news. He sent off the trooper
to head-quarters, and the news was soon diffused
that there was to be "no fight," and some appre-
hensions were expressed that the Rajah was play-
ing us false, and that he knew well the Sepoys and
his matchlock men were escaping. Before this
news reached us it became known that 600 Sepoys
had actually got into the jungles in the course of
the night, but it was believed that the others would
fight to the last, as they declared they would, and
that the matchlock men, mostly dependents of the
Rajah, would sneak quietly away to their villages.
Orders were at once issued for the occupation of
Amethie. Col. Harness, Royal Engineers, with a
company of Royal Sappers and Miners (Major Len-
nox), Lieut. Beaumont, Royal Engineers; Colonel
Riddle, Royal Artillery ; Major Turner, Royal Ar-
tillery ; a detachment of Royal Artillery, a party
of H.M.'s 54th Regt., and a troop of the 6th Dra-
goon Guards (Carabineers), under Capt. Betty,
Capt. Bradford, Capt.:Russell (Commissary of Ord-
nance), and Capt. Thompson (Civil officer), preceded
by a guide and the Vakeel of. the Rajah, set out
from camp before 9 o'clock for that purpose. The
plain is nearly a clear level, intersected here and
there by irrigation cuts, dotted with pools, where
the surface sinks below the general level, degene-
rating at some places into marshy soft soil, covered
with rank vegetation. Crops of dall and various
cereals surround the villages, which consist of only
six or seven houses, low crowned, and hidden
under groves of trees. Having marched a mile or
so, the trace of an earthen bank became visible in
our front and on our left, but the gaps in the low
jungle before it and in the trees which covered it
only permitted occasional glimpses of the outer
works of Amethie. Above the trees the high walls
of a flat-roofed house shone brightly in the sun, and
the cupola of a small temple was visible in another
direction inside the fort. With the exception of a
red flag Waving above the trees, and the bare patches
of earthen parapet; nothing else could be seen. As
we jogged.on, however, and inclined more to the
right, making a sweep to avoid some marshy ground,
two bastions of considerable command, artfully con-
structed among the trees which grew out of the
parapet of the outer defences, could be discerned,
and on getting nearer it could be ascertained that
there were embrasures in the rampart itself, nearly
flush with the level of the plain. As this was the
first of those famous jungle fortresses we had seen,
its outward aspect was examined with eager interest.
I confess my impression was that there was very
little to see. The parapet in front of us did not rise
more than four feet at the outside above the level of
the ground; beyond it there was nothing but stunted
bushes, and it was very difficult to make out the
actual line of the defences at all, only three bas-
tions or elevated earthen platforms with embrasures
being discoverable along the front. As we got nearer
there was nothing more to be seen. We passed a
deserted village, which had been plundered by the
followers of the Rajah, so it was said, and then,
taking a half turn to the left, advanced directly
towards the Fort. It is not more than two miles
and a half from the front of our camp. When we
had come within about 150 yards of the principal
bastion we perceived that at its base was a pond, or
piece of dirty water, about 30 yards across at its
broadest, and on our left narrowing into the dimen-
sions of a ditch. On our right, where it narrowed
in the same way, a ramp of earth crossed it to the
top of the ramparts. A flimsy gateway of rough
wood guarded the passage of the ramp, which was
about six yards broad and as many long. The top
of the rampart was about the same breadth. We
now observed that there was a very deep ditch in
places filled with water between the rampart and
the plain—in fact, a regular ditch, with scarp and
counterscarp. It varied in depth from 15 to 25 feet,
and seemed to be about 20 feet wide at the top.
At the inner face of the rampart (which was formed
by the earth thrown up to make the ditch) there
was nothing visible but jungle. This inner face
was about five feet deep to the terreplein, and there
was a regular banquette formusketry. A space of
10 or 12 feet had been cleared away between the
base of the rampart and the jungle, in which,
shaded by the overhanging trees, lay the bedsteads
of the Sepoys who had recently garrisoned the
place. Their cooking places had recently been
used. Some articles of their clothing still lay on
the ground, and in one place their chupatties, or
wheaten cakes, remained half-baked by the open
hearth. Turning along the rampart to the left,
the top led us to a gateway in a strong -mud wall
pierced for musketry, near which rose the bastion,
one side of which swept the ramp and the top of
the rampart for a couple of hundred yards with its
fire. There were no guns to be seen in the embra-
sures. Sentries were placed on the gate with orders
to let no one out, and a party of the 54th marched
into the Fort, while the Carabineers were ordered
to keep watch and ward outside the exterior wicket.
Dismounting, the party of officer's proceeded to walk
round the rampart towards their right, placing
sentries as they advanced. The line of rampart
was very irregular ; there was no flanking fire
whatever. The principal damage to be feared
would be from the fire of musketry on assailants at
the other side of the ditch, whose heads would be
about on a:level with th 6 43f-jhe ildfenders of
the rampartas they aimed through „their loopholes,
T batteries; such as they'were; eonsisted-ot 'small
mud works a few feet inside the rampart, and just
high .enough to carry the fire from the embrasures
6i-el. it. From:these veiy harrow'-'patll4 led through
the jungle. The first battery we came en contained
a verY 'feeble •cohorn mortar in:: an -early'stage of
infancy, mounted on a primitive and very. hilly-
eile carriage.
,This piece of ordnance did not
exceed; Oiould s,ay, two inches in diameter ;
close "to it Wa,s an old 'iron "9-Peunder, the frail '
scoured with rope. It had been, reCently- discharged,
and Was, no doubt, the gun frOm Which the scpOys
had fired six or
_fseven round shot :on Sir Hope
Grant's recoitit'azssailec,"tiO dai=s.before, for the
cheeks of the chibraSUre were all blackened with
pOWder. We continued our FiroMenade on the top
of the low rampart—the ditch and the open country
on Our right,' the interior, of the fort and the jungle
on our, left—tilf struck us that it *as rather a
'fbelish thing to leave our horseS outside such a fine ,
sunshiny: d hyt--and that 'We might as well have Ode.
ilbw and then we came :uPon zigzags 'cut in the
jungle:7 ith great `labour, trenches intended Car rifle •
pits and Wells. At , last-s sir bastion seemed to
close up our researches, and We we're glad, to. clinib •
up through-Ahe ,erahrasure,,,where,,Art eight-inch.;
short brass howitzer; laden to: the muzzle and with
fresh•prifiiing laid, was waiting to receive; us'. But
there was no one to fire it. Descending into the ,
battery by means of this gun, we took a path
which led through the jungle, precedqd by our •
ggi&C, and' made towards the inner line'ef the fort. •
Thejungle. was silent and saVage as need be. If
one of those brutal little
.tusheS but caught a hold,
of you, how he tore and seratehed and. bled
' ;W:e wallcetd pn and on 04 Ois;. winding here and
:there :thiouih the walls of sharp verdure—leaves
of broken bottles and stems of fishhooks—till at last
we came to a high mud wall with a battery sweep-
ing the flank of a zigzag approach to a large gate.
way of wood. The guide knocked and shouted, so
did the Vakeel. Some one approached from inside,
the wicket was thrown open, and, in we marched to
the inner fort of Amethie. But with the exception
of the defences I have mentioned, and the natural
strength of the jungle, there was really and truly
nothing to give one the idea that an assault of in-
fantry, provided with ladders to cross the ditch, and
covered by artillery fire would not carry the place
in ton minutes. The wall round this part of the
place was very bad, only one weak -bastion was
visible. Inside it lay the village or dependencies of
Am.sthie, the palace itself surrounded by another
mud wall; being close at hand before us. The
houses of the village were of the usual Indian type
—rather worse, perhaps than usual. The guide
pointed out to us a large building with the ground
story open and raised on pillars, which was, he said;
the mansion provided by the Rajah for strangeri..
There were some fine bullocks wandering al)out,
looking uneasily for their gun carriages, no doubt.
Others were in large cow-yards on our right. Two
( greyhounds, hearing our voices, leaped out and
' bayed at us, but presently the:clink of sword• and
spur brought out a few men—the Rajah's retainers
—to watch the unaccustomed intruders. They were
sullen, sulky, gloomy, and upcommunicative, and
the presence of their master's Vakeel scarcely made
them respectful. Colonel Harness and most of the
party halted to take angles and directions and
indulge in scientific -abstractions, while 'two or
three, with less of duty and more curiosity on hand

advanced straight on to the gateway of the mud wall
around the palace and Zenana itself. The sepoy
on duty scowled 'as we entered and .passed him.
Before us, in one enclosure,,about 60- or 70. yards
square, stood the Rajah' palace, filling one
side of the square. On the right was the.bare,
wall; on the left an arched building. of - brick,
not yet finished of cementedrand behind, US.WAS
the continuation of the bare wall, the gateway, and
some storehouses': A tank and well lay, in front of
us. A kind of dry well served: an the
.chief maga-
' zine, but it was empty. The house itself presented;
a fair facade, divided into three parts, the Royal
fish, of Lucknow over the entrance, and ,fish and

'cocks ornamenting, the - battlements.... It. ,was
covered with white chug= or, cement, ,and shone.
like marble. In one angle of the court was a child's
plaything—a half-pounder brass gun on a carriage,
all the arms we saw. Some servants came out,. and.
oneled us up by a tall-stepped staircase,te,the first
floor. The divan was,, ..carpeted-a' large
'viol: bandoline stood in the corner, and at the
end were some cushions. All the valuable fur-
niture had been secreted or removed. The other
rooms were plainer still. We mounted to the
flat roof and looked out on the jungle, spread-
ing away like a dark green sea, and on the
defences of the place. Was this really the fort
before which three columns of English soldiers had
been assembled for siege and assault ? As we were
examining the features of the landscape and de-
termining the localities of our camps, the tramp
of men in the courtyard below , announced the
arrival of our party. The Engineers at once set
to take some angles and make some observations ;
the Artillery to hunt for stores and munitions of
war. Their orders were, " Break open doors, if
locked, and cases—take hrms, ammunition, and no-
thing else." The doors—for all were locked—soon
went merrily—and the arms began to be collected
in the open yard in the centre of the house. Tul-
wars, old flint pistols, two antique fowling pieces,
a few shields, half a dozen matchlocks, constituted
the arms, but now and then one of our men bowled
out a brass shell- recently cast and, filed—some of
eight or nine inches, others of three or four inches
diameter, rn all parts the artillery continued
their search with avidity and care. Boxes of
matches for matchlocks were discovered, earthen
pitchers filled with bullets, cartridges in no great
quantity, and numbers of our Mime and Enfield
bullets, which had been flattened and put out of
shape from having been fired; and were afterwards
picked- up by the rebels. While these works were
being prosecuted, Lord Clyde, attended by the
Rajah and Major Barrow, Sir W. Mansfield, and a
number of Staff officers, rode into the courtyard.
His lordship was evidently much displeased. He
had heard that oily nine guns of all sorts could be
found in the fort and works, and he had seen the
nature of the latter with his 'own eyes. The im-
pression was natural that the Rajah had been
duping him, or was trying to do so. " Tell the
Rajah," exclaimed Lord Clyde with great energy,
" that he must, produce his guns. Tell hint I
know he never would have dared to dream of re-
sisting me, aware, as he was, that I had 80 pieces
at artillery, ,if -he had net the guns_ .of which
we have heard." Major Barrow .. explained
to the Rajah what the• Chief had said, and sternly
accused him of saying that which was not. The.
Rajah seemed uneasy, but affected to believe we
had all the guns he ever had. " Tell him, Major
Barrow," said Lord Clyde, " that I will keep him
prisoner till he produces the guns ; I will stand no
nonsense." In fact, the Chief had seen that the
place could not have stood against us for one hour,
and he was naturally irritated at the presumption
of the Rajah, who had treated his earlier offers
with something amounting to insolence. He had
a shrewd suspicion, too, that the strict seclusion of
the fort of the previous day had been a device to
prevent our knowing what was being done inside
while the guns were in the course of removal, and
he felt that his forbearance had been met with
ingratitude and deceit. Major Barrow could, of
course, exculpate himself from any charge on that
head, but no doubt the General, as Generals in
India often have had cause to do, chafed against
the restraints imposed on him, and felt that the
surrender of the walls of Amethie without guns or
garrison was but a poor conquest for the com-
mander of such an army. Still thecivilians might
have been deceived. They might have erred when
they fixed the number of guns in Amethie at 22,
and finally increased them to 30. As to the se-
poys, there could be no mistake. The Rajab him-
self confessed that 1,500 of them, belonging to
30 or 40 different regiments of our old native
army, had been in his service. They had run,
he said, because they could not believe in
a day or two that we were going to undo all the
rope we had twisted in a year. As to his match.
lockmen, they were his own villagers, and he pro-
mised to make them bring in their matchlocks.
Still Lord Clyde was much dissatisfied. He went
into the house and had the Rajah called before him,
and there, by the mouth of Colonel Metcalfe, head
interpreter and commandant of head-quarters, he
administered a verbal castigation to the chief,
which made the wily Asiatic turn almost pale with
fear and anger. Meantime more stores of war had
been found in the Palace out-offices,—thousands of
cannon shot of all sorts and sizes, some shell, and
very few arms. The chief offered to show with his
own hands where the magazines were, and led
Major Barrow and Major Turner to most artfully
constructed powder magazines in the depths of the
jungle. While the Rajah on horseback was de-
fending himself as well as he could against the ac-
cusations preferred with too much show of justice
against his good faith, his eye caught the figures
of our soldiers wandering through his rooms ; he
heard the crashing of his doors, the creaking of his
hinges, the bursting of hiastorehouses, and saw his
shot and shell, hurled by invisible hands, hopping
and clinking from cellars and dark rooms out into
the open day in his court-yard. A man stepped
out with a velvet cramoisie saddle and holsters, but
the glance of General Mansfield detected the act,
and ho ordered the soldier to take it back, and
leave it where he had found it. No wonder the
Rajpoot, within whose halls no alien had ever set
foot, felt bitterly. Externally, however, he showed
little emotion, but once as a pile of firelocks fell
with a crash behind him he gave a little nervous
turn on his horse, and-I could see he was making
reat efforts to conquer his feelings of apprehen-
on and indignation. -'Again; ,he was. preese* on
si
the subject of his guns: With the"coarseness
t which characteri§Ps' Asiatic films's-0 'now -and thin
he overdid his part. 'He protested, -n
'pon honour'
he did not know ;:and.- theli;.:.with sublime impu-
dence, calling for hikr head' man, requested that,
he would be'priod enimigh to try and recollect how
many _guns sere inside the fort. -The, Vakeel
said there ifel'a 'nine-.-the 'orthodox- . number.
" Major Barrow,.hbweVerc persisted: Lord Clyde de-
. dared he stl6tlld keep him prisoner. Here scented
ft pretty beginning for our treaty, and anuiesties,
and proclatnations---foreed ter break faith, by: the
perfidy of our friend,:orrather forced to appear as
if we had done so by the 'neglect .of this man to pe..-
.ferm his promises. ;By-degrees the.' Rajah dis-
• 'Covered what we, were:, driving_ at, poor. innocent
man ! He had-,only nine guns i abut there were
other guns in-the fort. .Forinstance, one neighbeur
of his—some Ram, or Singh,.or Buxt-hadneposited
. three guns-in the fort;Which didnot helm gto him!
- M Did we want those? .sph,really. !, Well, then,we
could have them ;" and so on. By the evening,
.between the. admissions;- of,„ t4e, ~Rajah and the
researches -of the artillery, we had screwed 16,gunS
more out of the place. ,The„.eieilians hare been
greatly in -.error if there,were-not Tr theY
were right, what haa .become of those Wins ? ••:ThO
chief returned. to camp,.pd,. as. there.wal,Potaing
.but jungle to be seen in. the fort, .):Il9st .us ,fol-
lowed his example. The.,RAjah ;rode backa quasi
free, but a pledge. for, guns, beside Major 13a7pyi:,
lie stays in a,. lielglll,4opring TWage with his friend
and our friend, , Ajeet Singh. , He is melaneholy
and sad, and, though he' does not think much of
,telling a lie, is very tender with ,respect to his de-
parted honour. His house hai been entered by
strangers, his fort will be dismantled, his guns
destroyed. And yet this man has had the address
to save his garrison, to open a shower of round
shot against an English general, and to see gather-
ing against his fort the armies of England, led .by
the Commander-in-Chief and two other Generals !
Nov. 13 AND 14.
The fort of Amethie, thus fOr the time in our
possession, will be made the head-quarters of the
Sultanpore force, under Brigadier Pinckney, the
garrison being composed of two guns of Gordon's
Battery, three Companies of her Majesty's 54th
Regiment, a wing of the 9th Punjab Native In-
fantry, and the Pathan Horse. When the premises
are returned to the Rajah he will find them very
much altered. His ramparts will fill up his ditch,
his bastions will form agreeable mounds from which
to survey the place where the jungle once offered
an impenetrable barrier to man and beast. But at
present the Rajah has no desire to return. He
is humiliated, or pretends to be so. He prays to
be permitted to live in some city far away from his
estates, and that we will manage them for him, and
he has got a month to consider whether he wishes
to make a formal application to thisleffect or not.
The -pontoon train, no longer required, returned to
Pertabghur on the morning of the 12th, and Sir
Hope Grant's force had. broken up camp, and were
in full march to the westward before' 3-o'clock- on'
the afternoon of the 11th. Our next step will be to
reduce Beni Madho to submission, and it is pre-
bable that the terms which the clemency of the
Government may enable the Commander-in-Chief
to offer to that notorious rebel chief will at .nee
dissuade him from hopeless resistance, and make
him only too happy to ,accept-such pardon and
generous forgiveness. Gtr the 12th Sir Hope