The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-01 00:00:00

lIAIBALLA.

The following are extracts from the letter of a
lieutenant of the 60th Native Infantry :

" Umballa, July 15.
"One day I was hastily summoned to a council of
war, and learnt that the troops at Jullundur had muti-
nied, consisting of three regiments, a cavalry corps, and
two guns, and that they were marching on US ; so, with
my 100 men, I was ordered to defend the left flank of
cantonments—not a pleasant duty, as I should be a mile
away from the rest of the Europeans in the fort, and my
men had been whispering ominously among themselves.
The next afternoon some troops were perceived ad van
cing ; the duet was so great that their numbers could
not be ascertained. Directly the alarm was sounded
every man took refuge in the church, while I rode away
to my lines. However, I put on a good face, and
,
being mounted on a good horse of Colonel Seaton 's
I soon reached the lines and turned the men
out. They were very eager, and talked amazingly
of what they would do, but I thought very dif-
ferently, and determined to fight on horseback.
However, it turned out a false alarm, the troops
bring friends ; but as they filed under the guns of the
fort a European artilleryman requested leave to give
them some grape,' saying 'Sure they are niggers.' All
that night I patrolled by myself, being more afraid of my
own sentrles than any enemy; however, like all nights,
it at last came to an end, and I felt another man
when da3light came and no enemy, for I do not think I
am maligning my men when I say that had an enemy
appeared they would have shot me and joined,the rebels.
Teat morning information was received that Gen. John-
etoue. from Jullundur, was pursuing them, and that the
61 t N. I. had separated and was sneaking along the foot
of the hills by by-roade, and thus trying to get to
Taro companies of Europa is were immediately ordered
in`carts to intercept them in the Malka road, and I vol-
unteered to go with them, and was appointed aide-de-
camp and quartermaster to the force. I previously volun-
teered for Di for a volunteer troop of cavalry and a
volunteer troop of infantry, and bad been invarial- ly re-
faced. We did not start till 1 p.m., a wind blowing as hot
as the breath from a furnace. There were no carts for no,
and we had to rile. The officer commanding got struck
by the sun and twa others fell sick, to at last I was loft
by Eny.;elf. We did not halt all day, and about 11 p.m.,
any pony having outsteppe i the carts, I was about a mile
ahead, pa-sing thr iugh brushwood, an-1 thinking what a
IA tee it would be for a surprise, when a volley of moo-
,ketry came on one side. I pulled up, clutched that in
valuable weapon Colt,' and listened. Tile night Wa.
as dark as ink and all quiet and still again. I Ist'ir
for the carts but could not Lear them, and a as su-pri,e,
to find how I bad unconsciously wandered away from
ba
e&
them.a Just then I faintly
Wird the bugle sounding tLe
i
,112,Ve 'double' ' • putting spurs to
easy s s
tatm followedbly,'
flew
found that the enemy were
close by and we were going to foot it atter them. A
party was put on some elephants and sent all, a I but
those on foot declared they would get on first, an 'l
set
ofl at about five miles an hour. I got off easy elephant
and fell in with them, and we had a hottiala wallebeat-
ing the elephants hollow. I was afterwards called out
and sent on ahead to where the Commissioner woe to
give orders ; so I gallopetloff and found the said gentle-
man in an unpleasant state of fear, and so disordered in
.mind that he could give ne orders, except that Mr.
Forsyth (civilian) bad come upon the rebels, and that his
men had all bolted and Forsyth had taken refuge in a ;
walled town. I took the liberty of ordering dinner fot
six, sharp,antl carried back this intelligence, and strongly
advised pushing on eight miles more to relieve Forsyth.
We all arrived at the bungalow, and then the Commis.'