The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-29 00:00:00

LONDON, SArURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 29, 1857.

THE MASSACRES AT CA IVI V PORE AND

A GRA.

(From the Times of this day.)
Major-General Hugh Massy Wheeler, K.C.8., whose
melancholy death at Cawnpore has followed so closely
upon the losses which we have sustained in the persons
of Sir H. M. Lawrence and General Barnard, was one
of the most distinguished officers in the Indian service,
as he proved in the Sikh war. He was the son of Capt•
Hugh Wheeler, of the Indian army, and grandson of
Mr. Frank Wheeler, of Ballywire, county of Limerick,
by Margaret, eldest daughter of the Right Hon. Hugh,
first Lord Massy in the Irish Peerage. He was himself
born at Ballywire in 1789, so that at the time of his
death be had reached his 68th year. He received his
early education at Richmond, Surrey, and at the Gram-
mar School, Bath. He entered the military service of
the East India Company in 1803, when he received his
first commission in the Bengal Infantry. In the next
year he marched with his regiment, under Lord Lake,
against Delhi. Having risen steadily through the inter-
mediate ranks, he became colonel of the 98th Bengal
Native Infantry in 1846, and in the same year was ap-
pointed first-class brigadier, in command of field forces ;
in 1 he attained the rank of Major-General.
In Dec., 1845, previous to the hard-fought battles of
Moodkee and FerezAiah, the gallant (then Brigadier)
Wheeler, with a force of 4,500 men and 21 guns, covered
the vil apil of Buesean, where the large depot of
stores had been collected for the army under Sir Henry
Efardinge, Lord Gough, and Sir H. Smith, and thus
rendered important services which contributed in their
measure to the gaining cf those victories. He received
the order of the Doranee empire in 1848, and was
honoured a few years since for his distinguished merits
by being appointed one of the aides-de-caeop-t4-her Ma-
jesty. Having been repeated thanked by the Governor-
General and Commander-in-Chief for his valuable ser-
vices in the Sikh campaigns and in the conquest of the
Punjab, he was created a Knight Commander of the
Bath in 1850, and since that time has held command of
the district of Cawnpore.

The Indian despatches during the war in the Punjab show
that these honours were by no means cheaply earned
by General Wheeler. In October, 1848, he effected the
reduction of the strong fortress of Rungur Nuggul with
the loss of only a single man, and by his conduct on this
occasion earned the warmest approval of Lord Gough,
then Commander-in-Chief, who formally congratulated
the Brigadier on the result, which, in his opinion, was
"entirely to be ascribed to the soldier-like and judicious
arrangements of that gallant officer." In the following
month of November, in a despatch addressed to the
Governor General, Lord Gough states that he " has di-
ected the Adjutant-General to convey to Brigadier
General Wheeler his hearty congratulations and thanks
for the important services which he and the brave troops
under his command have rendered in the reduction of
the fortress of Kullalwalha," again with the loss of only
•no man killed and five wounded. Again, in a despatch
from the Adjutant-General to the Governor-General,
dated "Camp before Cinlian wallah, January 30, 1841,"
it is steted that Brigadier Wheeler, in command of the
Puejeb Division and of the Jullundur field force, sup-
ported by Major Butler and Lieut. Hudson assaulted
and cap' tired the heights of Dulls in the course of his
operations against the rebel Ram Singh, in spite of the
difficulties presented by rivers almost unfordable and
mountains deemed impregnable. And, finally, in the
general order issued by him on the receipt of the de-
epatch of Sir W. Gilbert, K.C.8., announcing the ter.
ruination of hostilities in the Papilla, the Governor.
Gr neral thus expresses himself :—" Brigadier-General
Wheeler, C. 8., has executed the several duties which
have been committed to him with great skill and suc-
cess, toil the Governor General has been happy in being
able to convey to him his thanks thus publicly."
It only remains to be added that, uoiike Sir Henry
Lawrence, Sir James Outram, and most other disting-
guished Indian officers, the services and reputation of
General Wheeler were almost wholly of a military cha-
racter, and that he does not appear to have been em
p!oyed in political or diplomatic situations. But even
if this be so, the military reputation which he has left
behind him is of the highest order.
Brigadier General A. Jack entered the Company's
service in 1823, and was appointed Colonel of the 42d
Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry in 1851. At the
time of his death he was in command of the military
station at Cawnpore.
Colonel Williams, whose name is mentioned in the
list of victims who fell at Cawnpore, we presume must
be Colonel S. Williams, of the 56th Bengal Native In-
fantry, which was stationed at that city. He entered the
army is 1820, and served with distinction till his ap-
pointment as lieutenant-colonel of his regiment in 1856.
Captain Sir George Parker, Bart , entered the military
service of the East India Company in 1831, and was ap-
pointed captain of the 74th Bengal Native Infantry in
1845. He was joint magistrate at Meerut, and in charge
of Abkaree in 1847. He appears to have been in the
civil employ of the Company at the time of his death
at Csiwnporo.
We fear we can do nothing to relieve the anxiety which
must exist until it is known definitely who is the Colanel
Lindsay returned as killed. The list is evidently quite
incorrect with regard to both names and military ranks;
and as in the Bengal service there are several of the
name of Lindsay, the most painful uncertainty must be
endured until the arrival of details. The same remarks
will apply to the officers named Quin and Smith.
Colonel Prout we fear must mean Major W. R. Prout,
of the 56th Native Infantry, which was stationed at
Cawnpore. He entered the East India Company's service
in 1839, and received his majority in 1854.
The officer named Redman, who is also returned as
killed, seems evidently to be Lieutenant F. Redman of
the Ist Regiment of Native Infantry. His regiment
was stationed at Cawnpore.
The officer mentioned as Colonel Supple appears on
reference to the Bengal Army Lis* to be Ensign in the let
Native Infantry, which was stationed at Cawnpore. He
entered the Company's service in 1856.
Captain W. L. Halliday entered the Bengal service in
1842, and was made Captain of the 56th Bengal Native
Infantry in 1853, The regiment was stationed at
Caw spore.
The Colonel Reynolds in the list appears to he a Cap-
tain J. H. Reynolds, of the 531 Regiment of Bengal
Native Infantry, who was also stationed at Cawnpore.
He entered the service in 1838, and became captain in
his regiment in 1850.
Colonel Prole is W. J. Prole, a lieutenant of the 531
Bengal Y:ti ve Infantry, which regiment was stationed at
Cawnpore. He entered the Company's service in 1854.
Colonel &Mord, C 8., was colonel of the 56th Regi-
ment of Bengal Native Infantry. He entered the service
in 1804, and obtained his regiment in 1848.
The Colonel Dempster, mentioned in the list seems to
be Dr. Dempster, a superintendent-sureon of the Ben-
gal army, who was stationed at Cawnpore, The date of
his appointment to that station is 1854.
The Colonel Jervis of the list, we fear, refers to Capt.
F. V. R. Jervis, of the 56th Bengal Native Infantry.
He entered the company's service in 1842.
The Colonel Cballwin is no doubt the veterinary sur-
geon attached to the Ist brigade of artillery stationed at
Cawnporo, as there is none other of that name in the
Bengal service,
Iu the fearful struggle which appears to have taken
place before Agra betweeen the garrison of that place
and the Neewuch mutineers many gallant officers are
reported to have fallen. Major Thomas is evidently
Captain G. T. Thomas, of the 31 European regiment,
which was stationed at Agra. Of the two names which
immediately follow that of Captain Thomas—Captain
D'Oyly and Lieut. Lambe—there are several of the same
designation and rank in the Bengal service, and which
of them had been advanced to Agra at the time of the
engagement it is impossible to say. Lieut. A. Bond
was of the 3d European Regiment now stationed at
Agra, as was also Lieut. C. M. N. Fellows.
The company's civil service list affords no clue as to
who was the gentleman named " O'Connor," who is re-
ported to have fallen. There is a deputy-collector at
Bareilly named C. Horn, but none at Agra, while we
find no mention of any one of the name of P. Horn or
" Carlton." The gentleman named " Smith" seems to be
Mr. A. Smith, Assistant Under-Commissioner of Revenue
at the Meerut station, but there is also a gentleman,
named A. C. Smith, who holds a similar appointment at
Rohilcund.

It is impossible to conjecture who is the gentleman
named " Jordan" in the return, as his name does not
appear in ',he civil service list of any of the three presi-
dencies. There is also no gentleman named " Prender,
least" in th,, Bengal civil service, though there are two
in that of Madras. The sfme observation Rill apply to
the name of " Whiterary." There is a B. W. Black,
who ranks as Assistant-Adjutant-General in the Artil-
lery staff of the Madras service. There are no such
names as " Burdbrank " or " Freeze " in the civil ser-
vice list of any of the Presidencies. The " Outram
evidently refers to Francis Boyd Outratn, Assistant
Unaer-Commissioner of Revenue, Delhi Division.
The " Oldfield " is doubtless Richard C. Oldfield,
Assistant-Secretary to Government and Assistant-Ac-
countant North-Western Provinces.
There is no such name as " Deedes " in the civil ser-
vice of any presidency.
Captain Bishop was of the 46th Native Infantry, and
stationed at Sealcote. He was appointed in 1833, and
obtained his captaincy in 1853.
Dr. J. C. Graham was medical stcrekeeper at Seal
cote.

There is no mention made in any East India Direc-
tory of the Rev. Mr. Hunter being stationed at Seal.
c )te, neither do we find the name i❑ the list of the chap-
lains in the service of the East India Company. Lieut.-
Colonel Brind, C. 8., who is mentioned as wounded, en-
tered the East India Company's service in 1820, and was
appointed to the oommand at Sealcote with the acting
rank of brigadier in 1853.
With regard to the reported massacre at Seetapore,
there are such a number of officers of all ranks named
Bird in the Bengal service, not one of whom appears in
the company's list as stationed at Seetapore, that it is
impossibleNto hazard a conjecture as to who is the officer
referred to in the telegraphic despatch.
There is, or was unfortunately, a Lieut. G. Snell, of
the 10th Infantry, stationed at Seetapore, who seems to
be the officer referred to above. A Rev. Mr. Govin also
appears in the company's list of chaplains stationed at
Saugur.
There are two lielittentintS, nam44 BA;in the Bengal

Army, but one of them is reported on furlough, and the
other, G.. 3". Bar, of the 48th Native Infantry, isstationed
at Allahabad. There is also Lieut. H. H. Christian, of
the 68th Native Infantry, stationed at Bareilly.
It will be seen from these numerous errors which exist
as to the names and ranks of the officers and civilians
mentioned in the tflegraphic despatch that its details
cannot be entirely depended upon. It is, however, much
to be feared that in the main it wi 1 prove but too correct.