The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-29 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF BUSHIRE.

The following is from the Bombay correspond-
ent of the Times :
BOMBAY, Jan. 2.—On the morning of Sunday,
the 9th, the force commenced its advance upon
Bushire, distant about 12 miles. I should men-
tion, by the way, as it may occur to you to won-
der that a nearer point was not selected for the
disembarkation, that the coast from Bushire to
Halilla Bay presents an unbroken line of cliff, of
no great height indeed, yet quite insurmountable
for artillery, while in the bight of the bay the
land slopes gently upwards from a fine broad
beach. The first brigade, commanded by Co-
lonel Stopford, was on the right ; the second,
under Colonel Honner, on the left. The steam
frigates moved on the left flank of the army in
support. Gradually drawing ahead, Sir Henry
Leeke, in the Assaye, found himself about noon
abreast of the old Portuguese (in the despatches
called Dutch) Fort of Rushire, four and a half
miles below Bushire. This and the neighbouring
ruins he observed to be occupied in force by the
enemy. The position is described as a strong
ore, the fcrt having the cliff on one side, and a
wall and ditch, deep though dry, on the others.
The Assaye, at 1,700 yards distance, immediately
opened with shot and shell from her eight-inch
guns. The effects were shortly seen in the preci-
pitate flight from the fort of a large portion of its
garrison, of which the whole force is estimated
at from 1,500 to 2,000 men. Some 800, as
it is supposed, remained, however, to stand
the attack of the army, which was now rapidly
approaching in line. As the troops came up with
the enemy the Assaye necessarily ceased firing,
and General Stalker finding the balls dropping
among his men gave the word for the assault.
Brigadier Stopford had dismounted to lead his
brigade in the rush at the works. With a wave
of his sword he was just calling to the men of
his own regiment, the 64th, to come on, when a
matchlock ball struck him on the breast, and he
dropped dead upon the spot, shot through the
heart. Furious at the fall of their colonel, his
corps dashed at the enemy's position, and in
honourable rivalry with the Europeans was the
other regiment of the brigade, the 20th Native
Infantry, through whose ranks went the cry that
the corps had never been in action before,
and that now was the time to show what it
could do. The 2d Europeans and the rest of the
second brigade were also well up. For a while
the fighting was sharp, and the bayonet bloodily
at work as the assailants forced the enemy back
from the ruined houses and garden walls, and
closed upon the fort. That entered, the survi.
♦ors among its defenders broke out and endea-
voured to effect their escape. Many slipped
down the low cliff, and were making off unper-
ceived, till the 4th Rifles, who were on the
extreme left of the advance resting upon the sea,
caught sight of them and brought their fire to
bear upon them with fatal effect. Others got
out upon the plain and were then charged
by the Poonah horse and the squadron of the 3d
Cavalry. In command of the latter was Colonel
Malet. This officer in the melee saved the life of a
man whom a trooper was about to cut down. The
Colonel turned away, and the scoundrel catching
up his matchlock, which he had dropped in im-
ploring quarter, shot his benefactor dead. Two
other officers fell in the affair, both Lieutenants
in the 20th, Utterson and Warren, and yet—
most strange disproportion—one only was returned
as wounded. Among the native and non-
commissioned officers and men, the loss amounted

to six killed and 35 wounded. Our opponents
in this smart skirmish were not regular Persian
troops, but Arab mercenaries belonging to two
of the most powerful among the sea coast tribes
—the Dashti and the Tungestooni—and 13st, it
is believed, throe chiefs of note, besides great
numbers of lower degree.