The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-21 00:00:00

IRE 'SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 21, 1857.

ing us from Seeing their movements. We were all
astoniThed and disgusted at the backwardness of
the Sikhs and Ghoorkas, whom we had thought not
deficient iu pluck. They were hiding in all possible
places, and it seams that only about 50 irs all fol-
lowed their officers, who got into the town, drove
back their opponents, and took two guns. Every
one outside exerted themselves to the utmost to
get supports to go in, but not a man would go. As
soon as they were collected for this purpose they
melted away ; added to this, that from the smoke
and crackling of the burning thatch we could neither
see our assaulting party nor bear their bugles ; and
after about 20 minutes, finding it impossible to get
men to follow any of us in, it vas necessary to re-
call them, and as I rode to do so I met them coming
out, having been driven back by the enemy, who
rallied when they saw how few there were, and that
they were unsupported. They had lost about 25
men killed and wounded, including Capt. Smith,
who was badly shot in the arm, a native officer
killed, another mortally wounded ; altogether, our
loss had amounted to 15 killed and 20 wounded.
There was then nothing f:)r it but to retire, which
was done after a short halt on the other side of the
nullah in good order, the baggage being sent first.

"About four miles from—fliana Ethawun, we
came opposite a large village called Lohane, a great
number of armed men issued from that place and
came down upon our left flank, probably seeing the
baggage and thinking that the whole column was
in disorder, but we speedily undeceived them, the
Irregular and Affghan levies charging them in
three separate parties under Low, Melville, and
myself. We cut up about 60 or 70 of them in about
ten minutes, and dispersed the rest, but unfortu-
nately Low, with more spirit than caution, followed
them into the village and got into a scrape, having
his reins cut and himself severely wounded in three
places. After this we continued our march un-
molested to the river Hindun, which we crossed and
bivouacked for a couple of hours, and then wont on
to Mozuffurnuggur, which we reached at 12 o'clock
p.m., having thus marched 36 miles, besides a hard
day's fighting. Our total loss was 15 killed and 23
wounded, including three English and two native
officers. Our force consisted of 160 cavalry, 200
infantry, two Horse Artillery guns, and my two
guns. " Sept. 23.

" This day a force, consisting of English cavalry
and riflemen, 300 Sikhs two 9-pounders and two
6-pounder guns, and four small mortars, have
arrived from Meerut to enable us to smash Thana
Bhawna. The force will march this night, and, I
doubt not, do the work well. The Ghoorkas are to
stay and garrison this place (Mozuffurnuggur), and
my two little guns, which are worked by their com-
rades likewise. I shall, however, accompany the
force in my civil capacity alone. We have received
at last the news of the complete occupation of Delhi
by our trolps, and last night fired a salute in con-
sequence ; but I fear our people have suffered very
severely.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SIEGE OF DELHI.

The following particulars are extracted from an
interesting letter forwarded to his father at York,
by a young man who wa3 engaged with the 6th
Carabineers in the assault upon Delhi :
" Delhi, Sept. 27.
. _

ce Delhi at last is in our possession . . . My
last letter was dated the 114th of Aug., and since
then we have had arrive 16 18-pounders and 6 24-
pounders, with six 10-inch morters, to augment our
batteries, which were advanced from nearly a mile
to under 200 yards from the walls, an I, with the
guns we took from them, numbered about 60 play-
ing upon the city at one time. We lost several
men in the erection of the batteries, from the miss-
ketry from off the walls. The fittest artillery officer,
Capt. Fagan, a genileman who never left the bat-
teries since our first arrival, was shot deli at his
gun. On account of the want of artillery we had
to assist at the batteries. We had a sergeant shot
dead, and a private wounded severely. I may
mention that the Rajah of Bareilly, with about
10,000 infentry, 1,000 cavalry, and 14 guns, took
up a strong position in our rear, his object being to
attack us in that quarter when they attacked us in
front from the city ; but as soon as we were made
acquainted with it a force was despatched to engage
him. We came upon him about 3in the morning,
.and, after a most obstinate fight till 9, they were
routed with tremendous lose. All their guns, camp,
elephants, camel=, three hos of rupees, &c., were
captured. Three of the guns were of the most
beautiful make—all brass, and the King of Delhi's
private property.
" And now for the siege. For three days our
batteries played incessantly upon the walls, where
a slight breach was made. It was the opinion of
a great many that the siege would on on until the
walls were levelled with the ground ; but on the
fourth morning every soldier was ordered to the
front. The Rifles and 75th were to enter at the
Cashmere-gate ; Sih and Gist by the b7cich ;
Ghoorkas, Coke's Rifles, and Ist and 2d Europeans
to scale the walls. The Sepoys, seeing the Killes
and Sapp-re marching on the gate, inste Ld of allo w-
ing us to blow up the gatss, saved us trouble by
doing it themselves, and immediately crossed bay-
onets with our Rifles, and owing to their immense
numbers kept their ground until the arrival of the
75th, who poured three deadly volleys into them,
and then gave a cheer, when the Sepoys turned
and ran under cover of two 24-pounders, loaded
with grape, in the centre of the street. Our fellows,
seeing the flash, dropped on their faces, and won-
derful to state, only four were wounded. That day
we held one side of Delhi, the Sepoys the other.
Our loss was very severe, but nothing compared
with that of the enemy.
" Geo. Nicholson (the Lion of the Punjaub')
was wounded while scaling the walls, and has since
died of his wounds. Capt. Rosser, of my troop,
was shot in the hsad. The ball re:naius there, and
he lies in a very precarious condition. A great
many officers wore kn: need over. During the day
we took 114 gunsand the remaining two magazines.
One of them had as much shot and shell as would
last an army of 50,000 for three years, and guns of
enormous calibre-68-pounders, but all without
limbers. After the Sepoys were beaten hack, street
after street, tee greater part wont into tie fort,
where the King's Palace is. For three days we
bombarded it, throwing as many as nine shells a
minute ; but so prodigious is its strength that very
little mischief was done, our fellows not venturing
in at the gate, on account of it being mined, and
four 10-inch guns staring them in tile face. At last
a breach was m de, and in a short time the fuse-,
Palace, and the wh de of Delhi was its our posses-
sion, after seven dap' hard fighting, and, I sat
sorry to add, a severe loss on our side. There are
several officers and soldiers here who have served
in the Crimea, and declare that Sebastopol suffer-
ings were below their sufferings h re • and when
the Indian sumtne: monsoons and the repeated
attacks from the Sepoys in thousands are con-
sidered, it is not to be wondered at. Before Sir
H. Bernard's death our average less was from 100
to 300 each attack. Since General Wilson took
command (our Meerut brigadier), which is about six
weeks ago, we have not lost 500 up to the assault.
. . . As for a description of Delhi, if I except
London, England, Ireland, or Scotland cannot pro-
duce its equal."
The writer refers to the Palace, and says :
" The old King is iu it, a prisoner. Two of his
sons are shot. The one who assumed the cove-
' reignty of India has gone with the rebels towards
Lucknow. Although their loss was tremendous, it
is supposed their force gone away was 12,000, in-
fantry, 4,000 cavalry, with a few guns, and an onor-
mous treasury. General Havelock will talk to them,
no doubt. We have seat a moveable column of the
Lancers, 75tb, Bth, 61st, and the 2d Regiment of
Sikhs, with two troops of horse artillery, iu pur-
suit.
" For a description of the riches of Delhi my
pen is inadequate. Cashmere shawls, inlaid with
gold, bodices covered with gold lace, skirts of
dresses, watches, bars of gold, beds of silk and
down, such as no uoblemau's house in England'
could produce—you would see Sikhs carrying out of
Delhi the first day as if they were almost nothing.
A shawl which in England would fetch 1001. they
were selling for four rupees, and you may depend
our fellows were not behind them. . . . It is
supposed the Rifles will go to England with up-
wards of 1,0001. each, though General Wilson has
issued an order that the prizes shall be all put toge-
ther and divided. Most of our men are worth up-
wards of 100 rupees."

The following is a translation of a Persian letter :
"Jubbulpore, Oct. 10.
" Last week we received the welcome news of the
capture of Delhi and relief of Lucknow in suoh a
manner as it does no leave the least shadow of
doubt. The whole city was illuminated, fireworks
were let off, nautches were given, and the bankers
and other respectable classes of the city waited upon
the authorities, offered their unfeigned congratula-
tions and nuzranahs. The unfor,unate 52d Regt.
Bengal Native Infaniry received an effectual
blow from the Madras Artillery and Infantry ;
they were shot down like sparrows ; the loss
on our side was very trifling. The enemy, no
doubt, world have done a great harm if we had
no artillery. Upwards of 100 were killed and 09
remainder flew like shots ; some were hui.g in the
field of battle, several have been apprehended and
executed, to the great joy of the inhabitants, who
assembled to see them suffer the last penalty of the
law. By the indefatigable exertions of Majors Ers-
kine, Sleeman, Pinkney, and other officials, every
order and security of life and property have been
maintained withiun the city up to this moment, but
the neighbouring districts trans and cis Nerbudda
are in a diattubeii. state. Kuttung-gee, Mujholee,
Seehosa, Loharea, Bgteala,Patun, and other towns