The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-24 00:00:00

was most gallantly performed, though in broad
daylight. The explosion party consisted of Lieuts.
Home and Salkeld of our corps, a few sappers and
a bugl,r of H.M.'s 52d. On their nearing the gate
they found it slightly open, with a number of mus-
kets protruding at the opening. They were received
with a volley, which killed and wounded a number.
Still, however, they advanced, and fixed their
powder bags on to the•gate. Sergeant Carmichael,
of the Sappers, tried to light the port-fire attached
to the b tgs, but was shot dead in the attempt.
After him Sergeant Burness, of the Sappers; tried,
telt fell, pierced with three bullets. After Sergeant
Burness, Salkeld tried, but fell into the ditch, shot
in the leg, which is broken, and in the arm, which
has been amputated. Sergeant Smith, of the Sap-
pers, tried next, and he and Home between them
happily succeeded without a wound. Seeing the
portfire well a-light the whole party jumped into
the ditch, and the enemy, liitle dreaming of what
had been done, continued firing till the explosion
took place, so you may fanny what effect it took.
20 of the mutineers strewed the road- inside the
gate, not one of whom would it have been possible
to recognise, and this was the first sight that met my
eyes at the gate. Little wonder that Donald re-
fused to move ; however, finally he did, and got as.
far as the centre of the main guard, beyond which •
nothing would urge him. It was perfect agony
keeping my seat, and I would have given worlds to
dismount—but walking was out of the question ;
it was anything but an agteeable fix to be in. I
felt how perfectly useless I was, and being the
only mounted man there in the open space, fully
accounted for the number of bullets whistling past
my ears. There was no help for it, so I had to
make my way back to camp as I best could,
fully convinced of my own folly. Y•u may
imagine I ha i done neither leg nor ankle much
good by the trip, and I had not many oppor-
tunities of seeing the remainder of the operations.
We progressed slowly after this for two days,
but having obtained possession of the magazine con-
taining about 130 guns there could uo longer be
much doubt as to the result. The enemy, who had
hitherto so stoutly resisted us, was losing heart,
though he had succeeded in beating us back with
loss and kept us at bay at two or three points.
Daily and nightly large numbers continued to leave
the city till the 20th, when we found ourselves in
perfect possession, and the entire city evacuated.
Immediately on receiving news of the evacuation I
started fur the palace. You can have no conception
of the scene of confusion—Riflemen, Goorkhas,
Sikhs, and Punjabees quarrelling over their plunder
—and such plunder to quarrel about ! Old counter-
panes, dirty blankets, tin and copper pots and pans,
sepoys' red coats, baskets, papers, packets of tinsel,
bottles of rose water and otto of roses lying here,
there, and everywhere, and the whole place in a
state of squalor and wretchedness passing all de
scription. On turning into the gardens in front of
Douglas's stables I found myself alone. I einoot
tell you what a scene of desolation presented itself
to my eyes. The garden had been an encamping
ground of the sepoys, and everything bore witness
to its having been deserted in hot haste. The tents
were still st aiding, but it seemed as if everybody
had taken his armful out of the boxes, arid wiliout
caring for what might drop, had made the best of
his way out of the place. Lie stillness, too, after the
noise and riot I had just quitted, was really appal-
ling, and I stood at the foot of the stairs stupefied
as with a heated atmosphere and unable to move.
I was roused by hearing three cheers from the apart-
ments above me. . . . We have captured the
King, his two sons and grandson—the three last
(among whom was Mirza Mogul Bey) wera most
deservedly shot before they were brought. into the
city, where their bodies were exposed in the
Chandney Chou,k."

The following letter has been addressed to the
Editor of the Times :

" Sir,—l send you a copy of an extract of a re-
port, dated September 17, from Colonel Baird
Smith to Major-General Wilson, which has
not yet, I believe, appeared in any of the
papers, and its publication will be not only most
aratifying to the parents and friends of the gallant
men mentioned therein, but will bring to the notice
of the public the real facts of that desperate duty
of blowing up the Cashmere-gwe.
You have already prominently mentioned Lieu'.
Salkekl's name, and I am sure Lieut. Home's gal-
lant and cool conduct on tthat memorable event
equally deserves the encomiums of his countrymen;
indeed, all of that party proved and showed them-
selves noble and gallant fellows. But Lieutenant
Home's name appears evidently to have been in-
advertently omitted in the Brigad er's report ; how-
ever, Col. B. Smith on questioning one of the sur-
vivors learnt that Lieut. Home was of the party,
whereupon Col. B. Smith ordered Lieut. Home to
make a report on the subject, when, of course, the
whole came out ; and the following is a copy of the
13th paragraph of the Chief Engineer's report,
which will speak for itself how ably and efficien ly
that duty was performed by Lieut. Home and Sal-
keld's party on the 14th of Sept. last :
"Par. 13. The galantry with which the explosion
party, under Lieute. Home and Salkeld, performed the
desperate duty- of bluing up the Cashmere-gate, in
bro&1 daylight, will, I feel sure, be hell to justify me in
making special mention of it. The party was comp owed,
in addition to the two offil,rs named, of the following:
—Sergeants J Smith and A. B. Carmichael, and Cor-
poral Burgess, Sippers and Miners ; Bugler Hawthorne.
ner Mak,sty's 52J, 14 native tappers and miners, 10
L'uniat) ditto, musters covered by the fire of her Ma-
jesty's 60th Rifles. The nary advar,c-d at the double
owards the Cashmere-gate. Litur,. Home, with Ser-
Aeauts Smith ant Carmichael, and Havildar ell
the sappers leading and carrying the powder bags, fol-
' towed by Lieut-pant Salkild, Corporal Burgess, and a
portion of the remainder of the party. The a Ivance
Marty reached the gateway unhurt, and found that
part of the drakbridge hal been destroyed ; but
passing across Le to eca.rinui footway supplied
powder bags against the gate. The wicket was open, and
by the remaining beani,, they proceeded to lodge their
powder Imo against the gate. The wicket was ~pen, and
through it the enemy kept up a heavy fire upon
them. Sergeant Carmichael was killed while 1-iy-
iog his powder bag, Eavild.ir Mahor being at the
same time wounded. The powder bring laid, the
advanced party slipped down into the ditch to allow
the firing party, under Lieut. Salkeld, to perform
its duty. While eadeavouring to fire th.,) c arge
Lieut. Salkeld was shot through the arm and leg,
and handed over the slow match to Corporal Bur-
gess, just as he hal successfully accomplished the
nerous duty. Havildir Tilluh Sing, of the Sikhs,
was wounded, and Ramloll Sepoy of the came corps
was killed during this part of the operation. The
demolition being most successful, Lieut. Home,
happily not wounded, caused the bugler to sound
the regimental call of the 52d, as the signsl for the
advancing columns. Fearing that amid the noise
of the assault the sounds might not be heard, he had
tie call repeated three times, when the troops ad-
vanced and carried the gateway w th complete suc-
cess. I feel certain that a simple statement of this
d-voted and glorious de-d will suffice to stamp it as
one of the noblest on record in military history.
The perfect success contributed most materially to
the brilliant result of the day, and L•eutenants
Home and Salkeld, with their gallant subordinate
Europeans and natives, w,ll, 1 doubt not, receive
the rewards which valour before the enemy so dis-
tinguished as theirs has entitled them to.
Trusting the &nor,. will be worthy of insertion in
your valuable and widely circulated paper,
I remain, yours obediently,
INSAF.

NARROW ESCAPE OF A GERMAN EDITOR.—The Treves
Oazette says :—" M. Gail, editor of the Telegraph pub-
-1 shed here, bad been arrested at Stuttgart, at the de-
mand of Bavaria, for language used again,t the Bavarian
auministratoon. Being taken to his lodging at Stuttgart
to get his effects, he managed to lock the door on the
po ice-officer, and then get away in a carriage, which
was obtained for him by a friend. He bas now arrived
at Travel, where, by the federal law, he cannot be ar-
rested."

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