The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-30 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF BUSHIRE.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES FRONI THE
PERSIAN GULF.
NOTIFICATION—POLITICAL DEPARTMENT.
The Right Hon. the Governor in Council has the
highest grattficationinpublishing for general information
the following despatches received from Major-General
Stalker, C 8., commanding the expedition to the Persian
Galt, from Rear-Admiral Sir H. Leeke, K.H., R.N.,
and from Commander Jones, N. 1., political agent witb
the fi-ld force, announcing the. surrender of Bushire on
the 10,11 inst.
The Island of Karrack was occupied by the British
forces on the 4th instant, without opposition.
Toe Right Hon. the Governor in Council will feel
most sincere pleasure in drawing the attention of the
H .n. the Governor-General of India in Council
to the gallantry displayed by Major-General S7alker,
C. 8., and Rear-Admiral Sir 11. Leeke, K.H., and by
t ,e officers a,,d men under their conatuand during these
imnortan ..perations.
The Right Hon. the Governor in Council is pleased
to direct that a r.yal salute be fires at noon this day in
h flour of the capture of Bushire a.:d the occup •tiou of
Karrack.
By order of the Right Hon. the Governor in .Council,
H. L. ANDERSON, Sec. to Govt..
Bombay Castle, Dec. 27. 1856.

FROM MAJOR-GENERAL P STALKER, 0.8., COMMANDING
EXPEDITIONARY FIELD FORCE, TO H. L. ANDERSON,
ESQ , SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, POLITICAL DEPART-
MENT, BOMBAY.
Head-quarters, Field Force, Bushire, Dec. 12, 1856.
Sir,—l have the satisfaction of reporting to you, for
,c le information of the R!ght Hon. the Governor in
Council, that the British flag has been hoisted on the
walls of Bushire, which, as well as the island of Barrack
is garri-o..ed by our troops.
I have the honour at the same time to forward a copy
of my letter of this day's date to the Adjutant-Genera►,
and I trust that the amount of duty of all kinds with
which I am overwhelmed will plead my excuse for any
deficiency of detail.—l have the honour to be, &c.
(iigoed) FOSTER STALKER, Major-General
Commanding Expeditionary Field Force.

MILITARY OPERATIONS.

FROM MAJOR-GENERAL F. STALKER, 0 8., COMMANDING

EXPEDITIONARY FIELD FORCE,- TO THE ADJUTANT-GEN.
OF THE ARMY, BOMBAY.
Head-quarters, Field Force, Bushire, Dim 12, 1856.
Sir,—l have the honour to report, for the information
of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, the complete
:iucce.m which, under the protection of Almighty God,
has attended our arms. The British flag waves over the
walls of Bushire. The place, infinitely stronger than I
had any reason to believe from the information I bad

received', surrendered on the appearance of our troops
before it on the 10th instant. The previous day we
had a smart affair in dislodging the enemy from a

'ening poltron they occupied-in the old Du eh Fort
of Reihire. The casualties on this occasion, though
numerically small, were principaly among the officers,
and, I regret to say, included Brigadier Stopford and
_ .

Lieutenant-ColonelHalal, 3d Light Cavalry,killed

Captain Wood, Lieutenants UAerson and Warren,
30th Regiment, wounded, the two latter since dead
(Captain Wood, though severely wound d,is doing well).
The lesson the enemy received on this occasion, together

with the bombarthug of the works, the imposing appear
ance of the troops in line, and of the fleet, was doubtless
the cause of their want of spirit in surrendering the
strongly forrified town 'of •Bushire, in which we have
found 59 guns (six others have since been discovered),
with large quantities of ammunition and warlike stores.
The governor of the place and the commander of the
troop+ came out and gave up their swords. They and
one of the principal officials are now in my camp, and
be sent to Bombay, The garrison to the number
of 1,500 to 2,000 men (a large number having previously
effected their escape, and very many others having been
drowned in attempting to do so), grounded their areas in
front of our line, and were next morning escorted by the
cavalry some distance into the country and set free.
Every assistance and cooperation has been rendered by
he fleet. A heavy fire was opened in ,be early morn-
ing, and kept. uo spiritedly for some hours till the place
surrendered. At Reshire also, the previous day, all
the eo-epera,. ion possible was rendered by the fleet. And
ms very best thanks are due ti Sir Henry Leeke, the
officers and seamen, for their unwearied exertions in land-
iog mops, which, owing to the absence of any other boats
than those of the fleet, was a work of much labour, occu
pyii.g the greater part of three days and two nights. The
,ores landed at Hallila Bay, about 12 or 13 miles south of
Bushire, without, any serious opp sition, a body of 300 or
400 men who appeared beiog scattereo by the- fire of the
gunboats Torre b Ing no carriage cattle, the troops were
land d without tents or baggage of any description, three
days' rations being carried in the haversacks. The hard
ship, which the men have b en called upon to undergo
have been endured most cheerfully, and I cannot say too
much in their praise. Being still without our baggage, I
have been unable as yet to obtain the reports called for
from the several officers commanding brigades, regiments
and detachments, but I shall do myself the honour to en-
close them for the information of his Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief.
I ought to have mentioned thaton appreaching Bushire
the enemy were observed to occupy in some force an en-
trenched position, with a strong redoubt about a mile
and a half from the walls, and commanding the wells
from which the main supply of water for the town is de-
rived. This position was precipitately abandoned on
my line being formed. It also had sustained a bombard-
went from the fleet.
I would beg especially to mention the unwearied exer-
tions end valuable aid rendered to me, from the landing
at Hallila Bay to the taking of Bushire, by my assistant
Adjutant-General Lieutenant-Colonel Younghusband ;
CaittabiensuWperariyn,tetnhdnti
eiAsssiustragneton. Quartermaster-General ;
Major Hill, Commanding Engineers ; Captain Minster-
yille, Assistant Commissary-General• and Dr. Macken-
zie,Brigadier Stopford and Lieutenant-Color el Malet died
leading on their men in the most gallant style. Brigadier
former, commanding the 2d Infantry Brigade ;
Colonel Shepheard, who succeeded to the command
of the let Infantry Brigade ,• Lieutenant-Colonel Treve-
lyan, commanding the Artillery rigade ; and Lieut.-
Colonelt thanks commandingf
otrh
teh
eCavalrymanner
C earnedol o ne I
my Tapp,warne
ra Brigade,
which.
theirhav e
arduous duties
Commandingb ecarriedstllt al ; r
es a
Pottinger, Brigade Major of Artillery, we haolsseo
64thare equally exertions Captain
tldue
conspicuous ; a
ta were
Major
Sterling,to Captain Macleod, who succeeded to the command of
;
of
the 20th Regiment ; to Lieutenant Colonel Ramsay,
0 commanding 2d European L. I. to Major Diausoa,