The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING-, MAY 16, 1857.

THE PERSIAN WAR..

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.
(Front the London Gazette of last evening.)

INDIA BOARD, MAY 13, 1857•
The following de3patches have been received this
day :

• *LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR JAMES OUTRAM, H.C.8., COMMAND-
ING EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN PERSIA, TO HIS EX-
CELLENCY LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR H. SOMERSET. H.C.8.,
AND ICH., COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, BOMBAY.
Camp near Mohumra, March 27, 1857.
Sir,—l have the honour to report, for your Excellency's
infOrmation, the successful result of the operations against
Alohurnra. The Persian army evacuated their entrenched
position and camp yesterday, about mid-day, leaving be-
hind all their tents standing, with nearly the whole of
their -property, public and private, all their ammunition,
and *seventeen guns. As far as I am able to learn, only
five guns and a portion of the personal effects of the Shah-
zada. have been carried away.
2. It was my intention to have proceeded against this
plane immediately upon my return from the Borazjoon
expedition last month, but owing to the non-arrival of the
requisite reinforcements, caused by the tempestuous
weather in the Gulf, together with unforeseen causes of
delay, I was not able to leave Bushiro until the 18th inst.
In the meantime, however, I had despatched the trans-
ports into the Shat-001-Arab, from Bushire, as the troops
wore embarked, so that, upon my arrival in the steamer
Fe rooz, no further delay occurred beyond what was neces-
sarily caused by the tides, and by towing so many large
reessels up the river.
3 For some months past the Persians had been etrength-
enifig their position at Mohumra. Batteries had been
erected of great strength, of solid earth, 20 feet thick, 18
feet high, with casemated embrasures, on the northern and
southern points of the banks ofthe Kamen and-Shat-001-Arii6,
-Arii6, where the two rivers join. These, with other earth-
works armed with heavy ordnance, commanded the entire
passage of the latter river, and were so skilfully and judi-
ciously placed, and so scientifically formed, as to sweep the
whole stream, to the extent of the range of the guns, up
and down the river, and across the opposite shore ; indeed,
everything that science could suggest, and labour accom-
plish in the time, appeared to have been done by the
enemy to effectually prevent any vessel passing up the
river above their position; the batiks for many miles wore
covered by dense date groves, affording the most perfect
cover for riflemen ; and the opposite shore being neutral
territory (Turkish), .was not available for the erection of
counter batteries.

4. The accompanying rough sketch will, I fear, give
your Excellency but a faint idea of the great strength of
the Persian position, and the difficulty of successfully at-
taking them in it without considerable loss, I coull have
landed my troops on the island of Abadan, which was
strongly occupied by the Persians ; and there is no doubt
that, after defeating them, the southern battery eventually
would have fallen to us. But the several batteries on the
northern bank of the Karoon commanded the entire sou-
thern bank, as well as the stream of the Shat-001-Arab;
and it world have been a serious, and an extremely diffi-
cult, operation to have crossed the rapid current of the
Karoon in the face of the enemy, had the means existed of
doing so. But, until our small steamers and boats could
round the southern point, and join us, we should have
been helpless.
5. After mature deliberation, I resolved to attack the
enemy's batteries with the armed steamers and sloops of
war, and, so soon as the fire was nearly silenced, to pass
up rapidly with the troops in small steamers towing boats,
land the force two miles above the northern point and im-
mediately advance and attack the entrenched camp.
6. I have now the very great satisfaction of announcing
to your excellency the complete success of the first two
operations ; the third, to the regret of the army, being
frustrated by the precipitate flight of the enemy.
7. The Persian army, ascertained from credible rap€rt to
amount to 13 000± men of all arms, with 30 guns, was
commanded by the Shahz pia, Prince Khauler Mirza, in
person. The British force, under my command, composed
as follows 4: was the utmost I deemed it prudent to with-
draw from Bushire ; but, with the aid of four armed
steamers and two sloops of war to effect my landing, I felt
confident of success, althongu I anticipated some loss, from
what I learnt of the determination expressed by the enemy
to oppose our further advance to the utmost of their power,
and their extreme confidence of succeeding, a 3 evinced by
the fact of their having sent away their baggage cattle.
8. On the 24th instant, the steamers, with transport
ship; in tow, moved up the river to within three miles of
the southern battery, opposite the Arab village of Hurtch ;
but, as some of the large ships shoaled on the way, and did
not reach the rendezvous until after dark, I was obliged to
defer the attack for another day. During the night a re-
connoissance was made in a boat to ascertain the nature of
the soil of an island west of, and immediately opposite, the
Northern Battery, where I wished to erect a mortar bat-
tery ; but, as it was found to be deep mud, I determined to
place the mot tars upon a raft : this was constructed the fol-
lowing day, under the superintendence of Captain Rennie,
Indian navy, and being armed with two 8-in.and two 54-in.
mortars, with a party under Captain Worgan, was towed
by the steamer Comet, and moored in position close to the
island during the night, unobserved by the enemy, who,
from our preparations at the rendezvous, and their confi-
dence as to the impossibility of any vessel being able to pass
above their batteries, apparently expected we should land
on the southern island (Abadan). The horses and guns of
the artillery, a portion of the cavalry, and the infantry,
were transhipped into boats and small steamers during the
day, in readiness for landing the following mording.
9. At break of day, on the 26th, the mortars opened
their fire both upon the Northern and the Southern Bat-
teries. The range of the sj-inch proved too short, but the
8 inch shells were very efficient, bursting immediately over
and inside of the enemy's works ; whilst, from the position
of the raft, but few of the Persian guns could be brought
to bear upon the mortars. At 7 o'clock the several vessels
Of war moved up into the positions allotted to them by
Commodore Young, and, by 9 o'clock, the fire of the heavy
batteries was so reduced that the small steamers, withboats
in tow, and one large steamer, the Pottinger;towing the
transport Golden Era, were able to pass up and land the
troops above the Nor th ern Battery without a single casualty
amongst the troops, although they had to run the gaunt-
let of both guns and musket firs ; two or three native fol-
lowers only were killed, in consequence of their unneces-
sarily exposing themselves.
10. By half-past 1 o'clock the troops were landed and
formed, and advanced without delay through the data
groves and across the plain, upon the entrenched camp of the
enemy, who, without waiting for our approach, fled preci-
pitately,
after exploding their largest magazine, leaving, as
I have before stated, their tents and baggage, public and
private stores, with several magazines of ammunition and
17 guns behind. The want of cavalryll prevented my pur-
suing them as I could have wished, but I dispatched a party
of ecinde Irregular Horse, under Captain Malcolm Green,
to follow them up for some distance. This officer reported
that he came upon their rear guard, retiring in good order,
but that the road in many places was strewed with pro-
perty and equipments. The loss of the Persians has been
estimated at 200 killed, among whom was an officer of rank
and estimation, Brigadier Agha Jan Khan, who fell in the I
Northern Battery.
11. I beg to annex a report received from Commodore
Young, with a copy of a letter I had previously caused to
be addressed to that officer, expressing my entire satisfac-
tion with the naval operations ; indeed it was impossible
for iny instructions to have been more ably or more success.
fully carried out, and the commodore and every officer and
man under his command have nobly earned my warmest
thanks. From Commodore Young, ably seconded by Capt.
Rennie and the officers of the fleet and masters of transports
I have throughout received every possible assistance.

12. With exception of the artillery, with the mortar
battery, under Captain Worgan, no portion of the military
force was actively engaged with the enemy, beyond some
European riflemen sent on the war vessels; but I am not
the less indebted to all for their exertions and zeal, and
especially for the great order and despatch with which the
landing of the troops was effected under Brigadier-General
Havelock, C.B. ; the highest spirit prevailed, and had the
large Persian army only waited our approach, out of the
range of the ship's guns, I feel confident that it would have
received a lasting lesson.
13. From recent information, I learn that the Persian
force, in a very disorganised state, is still in full retreat ;
and I propose to despatch immediately, up the Karoon to
Ahwaz, three small armed steamers, with 100 European
infantryin each, for the purpose of making a reconnoisance,
and, if practicable, effecting the destruction of the maga-
zines at that place.
14. I take this opportunity of recommending to your Ex 7
cellency's notice Colonel Lugard, C. 8., the chief, and the
several officers of my general and personal staff, the bri-
gadier general, the brigadiers, and their respective staff, as
also the officers commanding the several regiments, bat-
teries, and detachments of cavalry, and heads of depart-
ments, composing this force, upon whom much responsibi-
lity has devolved, and whose zeal and exertions through-
out this expedition have been most praiseworthy.
15. To Captain Kemball, Bombay Artillery, Consul-
General at Bagdad, I am much indebted for his very valu-
able assistance; also to Major Taylor, as well as to Lords
Dunkellin, Seymour, and Schomberg Kerr, who volun-
teered their services on my staff.—l have, &c.,
J. OUTRAM, Lieutenant-General,
Commanding Expeditionary Force.

ACTING COMMODORE J. W. YOUNG, 1.N., COMMANDING TIIE PERSIAN

GULF SQUADRON, TO LIEUT.GENERAL SIR JAS. OUTRAM,
H.C.S.F. Ferooz, off Mehumra, March 27, 1857.
Sir,—ln continuation of my letter No. 5, of the 25th
inst., I have the honour to inform you that, having ob-
served the mortars placed on the raft constructed under the
superintendence of Commander Rennie, of the Ferooz,
and anchored on the evening el the 25th inst., in the chan-
nel to the westward of the Dubber Island, had opened fire,
the Indian naval squadron under my command got under
weigh and ran up the river until opposite the forts defend-
ing the channel leading to Mohumre, in the following or-
der : - The Semiramis, with the Clive in tow, followed by
the Ajdaha, proceeded up the western channel to support
the mortar battery, the Ferooz, Assaye, and Victoria, the
latter with the Falkland in tow, remaining in reserve un-
til the fire of the forts was deranged.
This was soon accomplished, on which the vessels in re-
serve entered the Pastern channel, the Ferooz opening her
fire on the South Fort. at less than point blank range, as
she passed to take up her position against the North Fort,
and sufficiently in advance to receive support from the
Assaye, immediately astern of her. The division of the
ships in the western channel was then recalled and joined
in close attack; the Semiramis and Victoria, the latter
with the Falkland in tow, engaging the South Fort, as well