The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-04 00:00:00

THE INDIAN CORRESPONDENCE OF

THE " NORD'

The Nord of Brussels publishes the following
letter from " its special correspondent in India."
The last letter from " its special correspondent"
was dated Madras. The "letter" gives a fair
summary of recent events in India, but we need
not add that every line of it was written much
nearer home. We need not fear to be anticipated
by our Northern contemporary. We trust only
that he will copy discreetly
" Calcutta, July 20.
cc On my return to Calcutta I found that the
situation of affairs in Bengal was not in the least
ameliorated, as we had hoped it would be. On the
contrary, many more serious events have happened
to render it still more complicated.
Lucknow, the capital of the ex-kingdom of
Oude, keeps its ground still against the insurgents,
who ;rave besieged it; bat Sir Harry Lawrence,
one of the bravest and ablest men of the Anglo-
Indian army, died on the 4th of July, in conse-
quence of the wounds which he received two days
before, on the occasion of a brilliant sortie.
" At Cawnpore the little garrison under the com-
mand of Sir Hugh Wheeler, after having de-
fended itself for a long time and with great
valour against 15,000 of the rebels commanded
by the Rajah of Bithoor, received overtures from
this chief, who knew that they ware a prey
to famine, that Sir Hugh Wheeler had been
mortally wounded, and that they were encumbered
with many women and children whose safety they
were most anxious to secure. The garrison ulti-
mately submitted to Nena S thib, after having re-
ceived the solemn promise that they would be al-
lowed to withdraw safely and soundly with the
whole of the European population to Allahabad.
But they had scarcely laid down their arms when
Sir IL Wheeler and his companions were all mas-
sac-ed. Upon the parade ground of Cawnpore,
not only were sacrificed 132 women and children
who had fled from Futt3hgurb, but also the hand-
ful of soldiers that composed the garrison of the
fonner place, and 240 women and children who
were found within th© garrison.
" The hordes of demons who fought under the
banner of the treacherous and sanguinary Nena
Sahib showed no pity for either sex or age, nor re-
spect for the heroism of the brave. That the wo-
men had been exposed to the most revolting treat-
ment before they were slaughtered the scenes which
have taken at Delhi and at other places gives us
every reason to fear. However that may be, it is
undoubted that Cawnpore has since been recaptured
On the 30th June Major Renaud bore down upon
Cawnpore from Allahabad with 500 Europeans,
359 Sikhs, and two cannon ; Brigadier-General
Havelock followed on the 7th of July with detach-
ments of the' 64th and 78th Regiments of Royal
In2antry, and six cannons. On the 12th the two
forces counting in all 1,300 men, encountered, be-
fore Futtehpore, about 49 miles from Allahabad,
the rebels, which comprised 3 regiments of infantry,
2 regiments of cavalry, and 11 pieces of cannon.
Havelock attacked them strongly, and after four
hours' hard fighting he put them to flight and can-
tueed their 11 pieces of cannon. From our side
we did not lose a single man.
"In his official aeport, addressed to Calcutta,
General Havelock attributed this result, as extra° c-
dinary as it was satisfactory, to the superiority of
our artillery (Royal), to our Enfield rifles, and to
the courage and solidity of the English soldiers ;
but the brave general forgot to say that his own
ch tracteristic ability contributed powerfully to this
magnificent success. The army of Nena Sahib
wes more than 15,000 strong, and had taken up
an excellent position before Futtehpore. His
cannon had been admirably placed to act
upon our troops, who occupied a position within
evsy range of them. But General Havelock
cared ve•y little of approaching so close to the
enemy, being only desirous of placing his men at a
convenient distance, and in a good position for bat-
tic. Detachments of the G4th and 78th first opened
fire, and every shot that came from their ranks told
upon some one man of the inimical forces, and
taught them the value of those cartridges which
they had affected to diso.ain. In vain did they re-
ply to the deadly precision of the Euglish rifles by
a cont;nuous fire of their musketry. In vain did
they play off all their artillery against the msrks-
men of Gen. Havelock. Their balls fell innocuously
around the European ranks, while the Enfield rifles
male terrible ravages among the gunners of the
enemy. In the meantime the battery of Royal Ar-
tillery, under the command of Captain Maude did.
not remain inactive. It swept away the rebels on
eech opportune occasion; and in less than four
h arts this army of 15,000 men was completely dis-
persed by a handful of English and some Sikhs
The flying column of Gen. Havelock pursued the
enemy to the utmost in the direction of Cawnpore.
On the 15th and 17th they attacked the foe again
at d again, and beat him each time, taking rom
him the remainder of his cannon to the number of
15. After the affair of the 17th our troops entered
Cawnpore, which they found wholly deserted and
in ruins. STena Sahib had fled to Bithoor, about 14
niles from Cawnpore, where we hope he will be
soon followed and hunted down.
" Tha position of Lucknow appears to be most
critical ; but as Gen. Havelock is receiving fresh
troops from Allahabad, at which place they are ar-
ri /Mg daily from Benares and from Calcutta, there
is every reason to hope that the place will be res-
cued, notwithstanding the death of its illustrious
ch:ef.
"On the sth July Agra was menaced by about
8,000 SepT,ys. Strange fact! the chief portion of
that army had marched from Neemuch, a place si-
treate more than 300 miles from Agra ; but it was

augmented during, its progress across the Jeypoor
by the junction of native troops stAtionel along its
rcute and in its neighbourhood. However that ra ty
be, at their approach all the European and Chris-
tian inhabitants took refuge within the fort of Ara.
The garrison there, formed of the 3d European
Regiment of the Company and of a corps of volul-
tears, counted altogether 550 men,with six cann-m.
This gallant little band proceeded out to confront
the enemy, whom it found occupying a position iu
a village some miles from the station, and whom
it immediately attacked. After an obstinate battle
t' e enemy was di-dodged from its station ; hut, by
a:i unexplained forgetfulness, the Barris m found
itself deficient of cartridges at the very moment of
victory, and was consequently obliged to retraat
aL; Lin into the fort without being able to complete
tl eir triumph, purchased by the loss, in killed and
wounded, of at least one-fourth of their strength.
The rebels, who were joined by the populace of the i
city, burned and destroyed a great portion of the
emitt nments and of the European habitations. The
fott, guarded by the 3d European Regiment, and
b • the volunteers of Agra, was maintained against
t' e insurgents ; but it is not the less to be desired
that it should be immediately reinforced, for Ear
that the little garrison should be subjected to the
fete of Gen. Wheeler and his ill-fated companions
DI arms.

"The principal event reported here from Delhi
is the death of Gen. Barnard, He died of cholera
o 1 the sth of the month, and was succeeded by
Major-Gen. Reed. Our last news from that place
is up to the date of the 13th. The besieged hal
Dade some sorties on the 30th June and 4th and
9 July, in al/ of which they were repulsed by the
Eaglish army outside. The affair of the 9th July
NN as a very brilliant one, there having been left dead
n or than 1,000 of the enemy. It appears that the
r( bels have not since then made as frequent sorties
as they had done before.
"If we can believe two of the natives who had
effected their escape from Delhi, their repeated de-
feats and numerous losses are beginning to discou-
r•ge them, and their munitions of war are sensibly
diminishing. They have, however, been reinforced
the regiments of Rohilcund, those of Nusseer-
Shad. and probably by some others ; but we may be
permitted to doubt that these reinforcements w.ll
1 rove any advantage to the besieged, considering
flat
their mueifong are failing them. It cannot
I.,erove their condition to have more months to
ed. It is true that these same two nail, .s assure
s that the besieged are in open communicatbn
Nith the
'OVIS; o fillornrYiof Oude, and that they receive
i but, it I ant well informed, it
the intention Of linrc,rud authorities t 3 sweep
Nay from the ex.
t they
Len before oru of Oude all the instil-
, ooed seriously to attack Delhi,
a eel then to suoject thatplaeeto all the horrors ot
It is, besides, Probable
desert rs
t Fluil in number trio reitit.rce s W hich D lhi
r ceicee, as it is said they quit tine yin crowds,
p
aa. I often under the fire of the Place.
" By the report of the last courier from the cam
1 •iforee Delhi the besieging army is composed
000
leen. There aro two squadrons of the 6thDra'roou
Guards, the 9th Queen's Laners, two squadrenaof
1.,,e 9th Irregular Cavalry, two divisions of the Bth
Loyal Infantry, two divisons of the 60th Royal
11q10,, ttvo divisanis of tho 61,t Royal Infantry,
110 75th Regiment of Royal Infantry, the Ist d.
tf.l Regiment ot European Fusileers, and one Sir-
-I.loor batta'ion—the Guides formed by Sir Henry
Lawrence atid the Tirailleurs de Golre.'
But if I am to believe ces t (in inf rmation of per-
sons well acquainted with those matters, it has b,-en
sand necessary to withdraw from the besieging
..my, or rather from the corps of observation before
J telhi, 4,000 men, in order to place them upon
;venal menacing points; among others, Loodianalt,
julinder, ICussowlee, Subathoo, Meerut, Phillour,
and Urn balls.
" It is believed that General Chamberlain has
t fleeted a junction with the c-srps of. Delhi ; but
tide news, although very probable, is not yet au-
ti:enticated.
" The cholera seems to rage with fury at Delhi s