The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-25 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF DELHI.

To give the public au idea of what the fighting
before Delhi consists of, and to show that the'
" pluck" of the British soldier is as brilliant in the
heat of India as in the biting cold of the Crimea,
we publish the following extract of .a letter from an
officer in high command with our force there. It
should be remembered that the action he describes
is but one of a series that has extended over a
month, and that scarcely a day has been allowed to
pass without the enemy issuing in swarms to harass
our overworked troops :
" The day commenced with firing on the Ghoorka
posts. Jackson, of the 2d Fusiliers, with No. 1
company, very weak, attacked and drove back the
mutineers from Subzee Mundee, but, not biing re-
inforcel, he was obliged to re ire, and in retiring
the gallant fellow was killed.
" Skirmishing went on the hill to the right of
Hindoo Rao's house the whole day. The Ghourkac
and Rifles wereengagod, and drove back the muti-
neers four times. Aftereach attack our men fell back
into their positions ; when, the mutineers, relieved•
by their numbers, again came on, our men became
exhausted by heat and exertion, and supports after
each attack were necessary, until at last all the
available force was engaged. Welchnian, with the
left wing of the Ist Fusiliers, after Jacks() .'s death,
`had advanced and bad taken possession of Subzee
Mundee again, when be was severely wounded and
had to leave the field ; the wing cleared the streets,
but the enemy renewed their attack four times, and
were successively repulsed. Young Owen of the Ist,
highly distinguished himself, charging four times
down the street with his company ; his gallantry
WAS very conspicuous. The right wing in the mean-
time continued their advanca under Dennis, and,
after driving away the mutineers and killing al-rge
number in a semi, they retired exhausted to Hie-
doe Rao's house. The big guns on the right flank
fired occasionally, but owing t) the nature of the
ground the enemy could avoid them. All our
troops had now been engaged, and the greater part
had fallen back exhausted. The General then di-
rected me to the Mosque Battery, where applications
were being constantly sent f)r reinforcements. I
sent every available man. I was then directed to
assume command at Hindoo Rao's. When I arrived
there I found every one exhausted and done up.
There were the Ist Fusiliers and route Rifles all
done up. I went on to the new advanced battery ;
it was crowded with worn-out men ; the artillery-
men, likewise, done up, had ceased firing • another
party of Rifles in a similar state in another posi-
tion ; 120 men of the 2d Fusiliers, who had marched
23 mites that morning, and had had no breakfast,
were lying down exhausted ; three weak companies
of Ghoorkas were out as skirmishers, but they too
were exhausted, and the remainder were resting
under a rock. The heat was terrific. and the tht-r-
-rnometer must have been at least 140 degs., with
a hot wind blowing, and a frightful glare. Well,
the mutineers all this time from behind walls and
rocks, ware keeping up a brisk fire all along our
front—that is, to the right of Hindoo Rao's
house, as far as Subzee Mundee, and a battery of
two guns from Kissengung was firing up-in
us without having it returned. I ordered up,
when at Hindoo Rao's, 100 of the Ist Fusiliers ;
after serving out grog to them ; I threw them for-
ward to the left front of the new battery. 1 got a
reinforcement of 200 of Rothney's Sikhs, who also
had marched 23 miles, and bad as yet nothing to
eat, and shortly afterwards a small party of 30 of the
2tl Fusiliers, under Harris, a very gallant and de-
termined fellow, and- another under ti,e Sergeant-
Major. The latter were sent with the Ist Fusiliers.
They beat back the mutineers at once, and took
possession of a temple on the left front of the batte-
ries, and which commanded it. I directed this to be
held, as it moreover gave us the command of the

• Mrs. G. Lindsay.
t Daughter of Mrs. G. Lindsay:
Son of Mrs. G. Lindsay, Ensign 10th Native Infantry.
§ Major -W. Lindsay.
II Mrs. W, Lindsay. ;