The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-16 00:00:00

" FIELD FORCE ORDER.

"Cawnpore, Aug. 17.
"The Brigadier-General commanding congratulates
the troops on the result of their exertions in the combat
of yesterday. The enemy were driven, with the lose of
250 killed and wounded, from one of the strongest posi-
tions in India, which they obdurately defended. They
were the flower of the mutinous soldiery, flushed with the
successful defection at Saugor and Fyzabad ; yet they
stood only one short hour against a handful of soldiers of
the State whose ranks had been thinned by sickness and
the sword. May the hopes of treachery and rebellion be
ever thus blasted ; and if conquest can now be achieved
under the most trying circumstances, what will be the
triumph and retribution of the time when the armies
from China, from the Cape, and from England,
shall sweep through the land ? Soldiers ! in that mo-
ment your labours, your privations, your sufferings, and
your valour will not be forgotten by a grateful country.
You will be acknowledged to have been the stay and
prop of British India in the time of her severest trial."
The following letter from a non-commissioned
officer of her Majesty's 78th Highlanders to a friend
ix Bombay has been kindly placed at our disposal :
Allahabad, Aug. 21.
"The news received from Cawnpore yesterday was
anything but cheering. Our brave little force at that
place had just fought their ninth battle, and the state of
the troops was frightful ; nearly all were sick, and a
great many were dying from Cholera. They can
scarcely number 800 men, but even this small force,
weak as they were, marched out 12 miles from Cawn-
pore to dislodge the enemy, beat them, and captured
two guns ; but poor fellows, after this achievement they
were so done up that they could not march back to
Cawnpore, but had to halt till evening era they could
accomplish it, and even then a number died on the way.
They are now, poor fellows, looking at each other,
wondering who is to be the next victim of disease, They
are waiting in Lucknow for reinforcements, and I think
they will have to wait some time, for, though the troops
are arriving in Calcutta daily, still, as they are sent up
country, magistrates and others delay theta for the
better protection of the stations on the river ; but unless
General Havelock gets more troops to his assistance, I
fear it will be a second Cawnpore business.
" You are of course aware that Havelock's column was
fighting its way to as,i4t the garrison at Lucknow.
Havelock, however, could not manage it, owing to the
frightful sickness and mortality, arising from fatigue
and exposure, that prevailed among the men, and he was
obliged to retire on Cawnpore. When the enemy heard
of their roar ng t tey followed them, but to show them
that our troops were not dispirited Havelock again met
them, and gave them another beating. In this affair the
78th Highlanders, about 150 strong, were in advance,
the Ist Madras Fusiliers having been sent to the right.
Oar men were under a most galling fire, every shot
carrying off some of them ; they got the word to charge,
and on they went like tiZere, putting 7,000 to flight and
capturing two guns. The General galloped up and paid
them a well-merited compliment ; they then gave the
General three cheers, but he roared out, ' Highlanders,
don't cheer me, you have done it all yourselves ; I bad
nothing to do with it.' He then gave an order, that if
any person knew who was the first man of the 78th in
the enemy's batteries to tell him, and he would recom-
mend him for the Victoria Cross."