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

THE INDIAN MUTINIES.

THE STORM OF DELHI.
The following is from an Engineer Officer :
" The Camp, Delhi, Sept. 21 to Sept. 27.
" Here we are at last, thank God, having kicked
out those rascals neck and crop after a twelve days'
attack. The 14th was the storming day, as I told
you, and I got knocked over the day before, which
prevented me being present. We lost about 64
officers and 1,100 men out of 3,000 who went in.
Some men say there never was harder fighting, and
when we got inside the brutes disputed every inch,
till yesterday we shelled them out of the palace,
charged, and took it with no loss, and all the villains
in the city bolted ; it is all ours now. Our men have
bcen really most humane ; they would not kill a
single man who was not a Sepoy, and I am glad to
say not a woman or child was touched ; but
when I saw sturdy brutes of men, the very class
who committed all the atrocities, allowed to pass
out I could not help wishing some of the soldiers
would drive their bayonets through them ; but I did
not say so out loud, as they are very apt to take you
at your -word.

large town,"which was one of our police stations,
turned out our police, and occupied it in the name
of the King of Delhi.
" Our force now consists of the following ;--90
men (Goorkhas) of the Nusseeree Battalion, 30
troopers of the 3d Cavalry (native), 90 troopers of
the Ist Punjaub Cavalry, 2 mountain train guns,
or rather one 3-pounder gun and one 12-pounder
howitzer.

" Our party of officers consists of Mr. Edwards,
the magistrate of the district, under whose orders
of course the force acts ' • Mr. Cayler, who com-
mands the detachment of Goorkhas, and whom we
look upon as vittually in military command of the
whole force; Captain Galloway commanding the
3d Light Cavalry ; Mr. Low, a young civilian,
a son of old General Low, formerly the resident at
Lucknow, a very good fellow, who joined us with
50 troopers of the Punjab Cavalry doing duty with
him • and myself, who have charge and command
of the guns. So, you see, my education in this re-
spect, under good old Sergeant-Major Livesey, in
the artillery division attached to the Essex Yeo-
manry, has been most valuable.
" They sent us from Meerut the guns, the trails
fastened to mule shafts, drawn by post horses, with
only 50 rounds, a gun, and no artillerymen. How-
ever, 12 of the Goorkhas were told off to work the
guns ; but with the best will in the world they can-
not learn their work in a day. All the ammuni-
tion was in boxes, laden upon a large Government
store cart, and from the time it took us to get the
cart unpacked and the rusty pins taken out of the
shafs, we calculated that we could not possibly bring
the guns into action under two or throe hours; so
I set to work, and fortunately found two little
swivel guns and limbers belonging to a friendly
Nawab, the limbers of which I found would do for
my little guns, and the day I was at Meerut had
them fitted up with partitioes for shot and shell,
and so now work the guns with bullocks—a pair to
each gun. In the limbers I carry 18 rounds for the
howitzer and 21 rounds for the gun. I have also
arranged that a spare box of ammunition for each
gun is carried on an elephant, with spare rammers,
poles for slinging the guns, &c., the rest following
in the big waggon • so that now, if I had but men,
the little guns would be as effective as they can be.
" The day before yesterday we went out at a big
disaffected village, which was first surrounded by
the cavalry, and then entered by the infantry. A
few shots were fired, which made me unlimber, and
' lay my guns noon an old fort in the centre and light
my slow matches ; it was a falser alarm, but quite
enough to show me how very unsteady and unfit
for artillerymen are my little Goorkhas. We took
a great deal of stolen property, in defence of some
of which a small party which bad lagged in the
rear had a skirmish, and killed two of their assail-
ants. Hardly had we bathed and sat down to
dinner on our return, thoroughly knocked up,
when we received intelligence that our friend,
Kaairatti Khan, was within five miles of us, and
meant to attack us in the night. We were very
tired, and so we went to be 3, having thrown out
pickets and given all necessary orders in case of an
alarm. Surely enough, about 1 o'clock in the
mot ning, my servant seized me by the leg, and
awoke me with the news that they were actually in
the city of Shamlee. In five minutes every
man was at his post. One side of our
camp was protected by a broad piece of
water, and the Goorkhas were thrown out in
skirmishing order along the other three fronts,
supported by detachments of the cavalry. My men
were so very unsteady that I agreed with Culls r
that it would be better not to use the guns—so we
dismounted them, putting the linchpins and ram-
mers away, and sending the gunners with their
comrades as skirmishers. Strong cavalry patrols
had gone out once, and all kinds of rumours came
in to us, but no enemy • at last the cavalry re-
turned, having examined the roads and reported
that no enemy could be discovered. Yesterday we
were to have marched on Boorhanab, the town
from which our police were expelled, but one of
our party was so ill with fever, that we deferred it
tilt to-night. By the delay we gain a material ac-
cesssion to our force-250 Sikhs, new levies, wild
men, capital material, but undril le d badly armed.
We intend to march first upon the town of Boor-
hanah, and, unless the rebels bolt at our approacb, to
take it, and an old fort which they now occupy, this
will givens the command of the Hindun river and a
safe line of retreat, which we have at present upon
either Mozuffernugger, or a place called Kha-
towly, on the Meerut road, and from tience, if
we are strong enough, we shall attack the rebels,
or, if not, wait until additional force is sent from
Meerut to strengthen and co-operate with us. We
daily expect to hear news of the fall of Delhi, &c.
The heavy siege train and last reinforcements from
the north had arrived, and the batteries advanced
between 200 and 300 yards of the place."
" Mozuffernuggur, Sept. 22.
" I wrote to you from a place called Shamlee on
the 13th inst., where our little force then was. I
take an opportunity of a quiet day to give you a
further acciunt of our subsequent movements. On
the night of the 13th of Sept. we marched from
Shamlee upon a town on the Hindun river called
Beorhanah, from which our police had been ex-
pelled. Soon after dawn we came abreast of a vil-
lage called Jo wleh, belonging to the Kina of Delhi,
and before the head of our column hadQ cleared
it large numbers of men, b )th horse and foot,
emerged from the village, and were seen coming
down uponour flank ; they were armed with match-
locks, swords, add spsars, and came on with
drums beating an I with loud shouts in a loeg irre-
gular line. Our cavalry of the advanced and rear
guards went at them forthwith, taking them on
both flanks, cut down and shot a good number,
and drove the rest into the village, into which the
irregular troopers and Affgban levies followed
them. In the meantime the infantry and my gnus
came up as fast as they could, and I was well pleased
to find that my bullocks and little guns could get
along so well. On our arrival the infantry scoured
the village, killing all whom they found, and ulti-
mately (3t fire it. I took up a position outside.
In about an hour, after our wild men had sated
themselves with plunder, and were with difficulty
collected, we returned to our baggage, which had
been left with but a slender guard, and resumed
our march, having given the rascals a thorough
chastisement. When we reached Boorhanah we
were given to understand that the old fort was
still garrisoned by about eighty men. It was
very hot, the mon were much done up, and we
could no good place from which to shell it ; so
the infantry went in at once to the main
gate, which was found shut and firmly secured. I
brought up my little guns by band, and after load-
ing the howitzer with grape, to be ready in case of
a rush upon the guns, I blew in the wicket after
sundry discharges with powder only from the gun,
I and the infantry poured in, but to our surprise
found it empty. The garrison, it seems, bad bated
as soon as they heard of our successful scrimmage
at Jowlah. That night we encamped outside, lew-
ing the Sikhs and Affgbans in the fort as agarrison
and the next thy we were reinforced by 100 Sikbs
and two Horse Artillery guns from Meerut. But
we heard on the same day the melancholy news of
our post at Shamlee (which had been garrisoned by
what was considered by the native officer in charge
an ample number of men), having been attacked
he Muesulmans of a town called Thane Bhawn n,
carried the place burnt, and all our officials and all
their force (amounting to upwards of 100 men) de-
stroyed. The Mussulmane had come in great force
with three little guns. We marched at once on
Shmelee which, as we expected we f quid evacuated
by the enemy, and it was decided by the officer
in command to advance upon and attack Thaw,
Bhawun. We marched at 2 a.m., but on the receipt
of intelligence that our own central station of Moz•
uffurnuggur was threatened by the enemy the ad-
vance was abandoned, and we marched into Moz-
uffurnuggur---21 miles. The next night we marched
at 6 p.m. on Thana Bhawun, the advance guard
being formed of 70 of the st Punjaub Cavalry,
then 120 Goorkhas, the two horse artillery guns,
followed by my guns, then 150 Sikhs and Affghan
levies, and for the rear guard 50 of the Ist Punjaub
Irregular Cavalry. The road was very bad, and we
had to cross the River Hindun again by night, and
We were under arms all night ; in the course of reached Thana Bhawun about 8 a.m.
it I sent out three patrols, but it passed off without "We found the enemy in good numbers outside
theattack threatened, although we had a false alarm the town, in the gardens and on little eminences,
occasioned by a little private fighting in the town. which were cleared by a few shot and shell from
I suppose the Goojers must have heard that I was Fraser's guns. The whole forced advanced, crossing
prepared for them, and thought better of their war- a nulleh a quarter of a mile in front of the town, '
life betent• when they opened upon us, their first shot killing a
4. The next day I got an order calling me to go in- cavalry horse. Our guns were first opened with shot
ssantly with all the force we could muster on this I and shell upon the main gate, over which they
side of the district, where evil of a more seriouskind had a sort of bastion, and. afterwardeadvanced
wan threatened. I'marchedallnightnotwithetanding nearer, firing grape, the suburbs upon either flank
we were up :1'34 night before, reached Mozuffer- being occupied and cleared by the infantry, who
nuggnr abort
.o'clock a.m., and found that we advanced close up to the walls but, as the guns
bad to marchd.adgaitn
9at the same evening which we had no command, very little effect was produced,
accordingly ath
p.m., reaching this place at except the withdrawal of the enemy's two gene ;
half-past 10 a.m.
rie next morning having had to and, as it was soon clear that the musketry fire
of waggons and the taking
cross a rapid river ( le m un), which necessitated from the walls was not being reduced, and we had
the unloading to pieces already bad an officer and one or two men hit, this
guns—a terrible operation in the
Of ourdark, with attack was abandoned. Much about this time I
no one who knew how to do it but myself. If you got my little guns into action further to the left,
of the North-West Provinces
look at a large map clearing a garden in which a number of the enemy
you will see that we
are nearly in the centre of this had assemoled with a round shot and a shell that
between the •
part of the strip of country lying
Jumna and Hindun—the stream we had to cross. Livesoy,
and sent a few more rounds into a big
"At a large town (Thana Chewen) about 12 house on the city walls, which seemed occupied
miles due north of this, the chief man, a bigoted by a. good many of the enemy. Then the Horse
naa artillery
Mahomedan, had raised, the green flag, and si y guns came up and sent some mor©
plundered some ammunition most carelessly gent by shot and shell into the city. Et was now de-
the road passing through it, and has, I just hear, tided that an assault shoal be tried, and ac-
turned out our officials and plundered our treasury. cordingly an assaulting column of Sikhs and
In the south a man called Kairatti Khan, an old Ghoorkas was put together, and advanced,
Pindaree, fired upon and drove away a party of 25 under Captain Smith; end Mr. Cuyler, through
troopers who want with an European officer to col-)the suburbs, lerd: fired, coveringtheir own
led the revenue, and afterwards advanced upon a r advance, but ;time effectually prevent-

"Sept. 23.
6, We have all moved down to a capital house on
the banks of the river in the city ; the breeze is de-
lightful, and we are all 2ettieg as fat and jolly as if
we were at home. We are getting on capitally ;
we have got the King—the great Mogul—prisoner,
and are only waiting for leave from Calcutta to hang
him. His eldest son and heir, Mizza Mogul Bag,
a most infernal scoundrel, who set the example of
murdering the Europeans, was caught and shot like
a dog, and his son, a man of about 20 years old, as
well as the King's second son, Mizza's brother. r
saw all the three bodies exposed in the Kotwallie
this morning. lam happy to say we are not so
lenient as we were. Two of our native Sappers
were murdered in the city, so we went out and
hunted up about 50 or 60 men—thorough rascals,
and our men have been shooting them ever since.
I saw 24 knocked over, all tied together against the
walls ; and when you hear those wretches, when
thep see they have no chance', coolly tell you '
you may shoot me if you like ; I killed three Euro-
peans in the gloriousmassacre,' you lose all horror at
the sight, and only wish they had cats' lives to take
them all. Only four Victoria crosses have yet been
given in the army—one to Lieut. Home, Engineers;
one to Lieut. Salkeld, Engineers ; one to Sergeant
Smith, Sappers and Miners ; and one to a bugler in
her Majesty's 52d. So you see we got three out of the
bur in our corps. Poor Salkeld is so badly wounded
lam afraid be will never wear his. However, the
red ribband has been better than any medicine.
I am sure I would have given my left arm for it,
and I might have had a chance, as I most probably
should have been with Salkeld, blowing up the
Cashmere-gate, had it not been for that wretched
grape the night before. . . . We are wonderfully
comfortable in our new home ; it was a powder
manufactcry in the days of the Mogul, and conse-
quently our servants accidentally blew us up the
other day, and killed one of themselves. But these
little exiteinents are necessary. After being three
months every day under fire, the change is so great
that we were thinking of paying men to fire at us
daily, and so let ourselves down to a quiet life
by degrees. . . . I have given up walking about
the back streets of Delhi, as yesterday an officer
and myself had taken a party of 20 men out
patrolling-, and we found 14 women with their
throats out from ear to ear by their own husbands,
and laid out in their shawls. We caught a man
there who said he saw them killed for fear they
should kill themselves, and showed us their hus-
bands, who had done the best theycould after wards,
and killed themselves. We tcok about 280 cannon,
with shot, Ste., for about three years. Without
artillery they are no good ; with it no despicable
antagonists. There are no better gunners any-
where, as we discovered in this siege. By returns
we lost 1,350 men and 64 officers during the
assaults only. Tolerably bloody work. Our
loss in the assault, out of 18 officers on duty,
was 1 officer killed (poor Tandy), 10 wounded,
many severely ; one, I fear, mortally ; 1 the day
before the assault, 1 after. Total 13, out of 18 ; a
tolerable number, for there were 7 or 8 who were on
another part of the work whom I don't count, and
who are on the strength to assist the unhappy re-
maining 5 now. I am glad to say there is not much
work for us now. At present, i'tdeed, cot up as we
have been, we could not do it if we had much ; as,
what with officers thoroueily done up since with
fever, and others sent out with moveable columns,
our 26 for duty are reduced to 4."

An officer of her Majesty's 52d. Light Infantry,
writing from Delhi on the 22d of September, says "The wounded men are all going on bowl-tinily,
and the wealher is comparatively cool. Fever is
disappearing, and the men are coming out of hospi-
tal. At one time we had actually 340 men -tick out
of about 620 ; we now have only about 150, count-
ing wounded. We lost one officer killed—Brad-
shawe, a very fine young fellow, who fell charging
a gun in the streets."

The following is an extract of a letter from Mr.
George Palmer, of the Bengal Civil Service, who
served as an officer in the Artilery Division of the
RACK Yeomanry previous to his return to India in
January, 1857 :
" Camp Shamlee, in the Mozuffernugger District
of the North West Provinces, Sept. 13.
" Since I last wrote I have had a very
busy week and very hard work. Two days
after I wrote to you I received the most unexpected
intelligence that there was a large force of Goo-
lurs assembling actually within 21 miles of my
camp, and that they intended to attack the town of
Meeranport, in which I was encamped, that same
night. This was about 3 o'clock p.m. lat once
sent out a patrol to ascertain the truth of the report
which returned by half-past 4 with the news that it
was not merely correct, but that Dhaliel Singh,
their most influential chieftain, was there in person,
with 50 or 6() of his retainers. lat once mounted
my detachment of Irregular Cavalry (20 sabres),
leaving anon-commissioned officer and four men in
charge of their tents, &c., and with two or three
native gentlemen galloped off to the village where
the Goojurs were gathering, leaving orders for all
the 'police that were available to follow as soon as
po.esibl-. The news of my approach broke up the
meeting, and when we reached the villa, o the Goo-
jurs were flying in all direc'ions. So, leaving my
native revenue officer, who accompanied me, to do
all that was necessary there, with a native cavalry
officer and 7 troopers, I galloped on in the direction
of Bypoowa, the town in which Dhaliel Singh lived,
with the remainderof my men. Afteragallop straight
on of nearly 9 miles, through a terribly wet and
heavy country, I came in sight of his party about
1,200 yards outside the little town. Only 3 men
were then up with me, and they (the enemy) seeing
this, made a stand ; so I waited and breathed our
horses until I was joined by 7 or 8 more of mymen,
and then went at them. They did not stand, but as
soon as we came near them bolted into the town, and
got in before we with oar fagged horses could get at
them. We knocked over 2 of the hindermost match-
lockmen, 1 within 5 yards of the houses, who had an
old Government musket made by Mortimer. It was
impossible for us to enter the town with only a
handful of cavalry, so we contented ourselves wi h
two or three shots at long range, winch cleared the
top of Dhaliel Singh's little fortified house in the
middle of the town, and then, as it was past sun-
down, retired.
" The next day I was told that a very large body
of Goojurs was being organized to attack me. I bad
thought this possible, and sent in at once to Meerut
for aid; but neither from thence or from my own
head-quarters was it possible to send any, so we
prepared for an attack. I called upon the native
gentlemen and townspeople to supply all the force
they could, posted pickets outside the town, and
threw out cavalry videttes on the two roads from
which danger was apprehended, made barricades
in some places and preparations to stop the ways
with carts, &c., if necessary, and got out an old
native gun mounted on a cart body, which I posted
in the centre of the town, ready to move upon any
point. _ _