The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-04 00:00:00

THE INDIAN CORRESPONDENCE OF

THE " NORD'

The Nord of Brussels publishes the folfow.ing
letter from " its special corresp.ondent in India."
The last letter from " its special corre.spondent."
was dated Madras. The " lette.r" gives a fair
summary of recent events in. India, but. we need
not add that every line of it was written much
nearer home. We need not fear to be anticipated
by our Northern contemporary. We trust only
that he will copy discreetly :
" Calcutta, July 20.
" On my return to Calcutta I found that the
situation of affairs in Bengal was not in the least
ameliorated, as we had hoped it would be. On the
contrary, many more serious events have happened
to render it still more complicated.
"Lucknow, the capital of the ex-kingdom of
Oude, keeps its ground still against the insurgents,
who have besieged it • but Sir Harry Lawrence,
one of the bravest and ablest _men of the Anglo-
Indian army, died on the 4th of July, in conse-
quence of the wounds which he received two days
before, on the occasion of a brilliant sortie.
" At Cawnpore the little garrison under the com-
mand of Sir Hugh Wheeler, after having de-
fended itself for a long time and with great
valour against 15,000 of the rebels commanded
by the Reisjah of Bithoor, received overtures from
this chief, who knew that they were a prey
to famine, that Sir Hugh Wheeler had been
mortally wounded, and that they were encumbered
with many women and children whose safety they
were most anxious to secure. The garrison ulti-
mately submitted to Nena Sahib, after having re-
ceived the solemn promise that they would be al-
lowed to withdraw safely and soundly with the
whole of the European population to Allahabad.
But they had scarcely laid down their arms when
Sir H. Wheeler and his companions were all mas-
sacred. Upon the parade ground of Cawnpore,
not only were sacrificed 132 women and children
who had fled from Futt hgurh, but also the hand-
ful of soldiers that composed the garrison of the
former place, and 240 women and children who
were found within the garrison.
" The hordes of demons who fought under the
banner of the treacherous and sanguinary Nena
Sabib showed no pity for either sex or age, nor re-
spect for the heroism of the brave. That the wo-
men had been exposed to the most revolting treat-
ment before they were slaughtered the scenes which
have taken at Delhi and at other places gives us
every reason to fear. Hewever that may be, it is
undoubted that Cawnpore has since been recaptured
On the 30th June Major Renaud bore down upon
Cawnpore from Allahabad with 500 Europeans,
350 Sikhs, and two cannon ; Brigadier-General
Havelock followed on the 7th of July with detach-
ments of the 64th and 78th Regiments of Royal
Infantry, and six cannons. On the 12th the two
forces counting in all 1,300 men, encountered, be-
fore Futtehpere, about 49 miles from Allahabad,
the rebels, which comprised 3 regiments of infantry,
2 regiments of cavalry, and 11 pieces of cannon.
Havelock attacked them strongly, and after four
hours' hard fighting he put there to flight and cap-
tured their 11 pieces of cannon. From our side
we did not loss a single man.
"In his official .report, addressed to Calcutta,
General Havelock attributed this result, as extraor-
dinary as it was satisfactory, to the superiority of 1
our artillery (Royal), to our Enfield rifles, and to
the courage and solidity of the English soldiers ;
but the brave general forgot to say that his own
characteristic ability contributed powerfully to this
magnificent success. The army of Nena Sahib
was m, re than 15,000 strong, and had taken up
an excellent position before Futtelipere. His
cannon had been admirably placed to act
upon our troops, who occupied a position within
easy range of them. Bat General Havelock
cared ve.y little of approaching so close to the
enemy, being only desirous of placing his men at a
convenient distance, and in a good position for b it-
tle. Detachments of the 64th and 78th first opened
fire, and every shot that came from their ranks told
upon some one man of the inimical forces, and
taught them the value of those cartridges which
they had affected to disdain. In vain did they re-
ply to the deadly precision of the English rifles by
a continuous fire of their musketry. In vain did
they play off all their artillery against the m irks-
men of Gen. Havelock. Their balls fell innocuously
around the European ranks, while the Enfield rifles
ma le terrible ravages among the gunners of the
enemy. In the meantime the b ettery of Royal Ar-
tillery, under the command of Captain Maude, did
not remain inactive. It swept away the rebels on
each otportune occasion; and in less than four
hems this army of 15,000 men was cotnpletely dis-
persed by a handful of English anti some Sikhs
The flying column of Gen. Havelock pursued the'
enemy to the utmost in the direct;on of Cawnpore.
On the 15th and 17th they attacked the foe again
and again, and beat him each time, taking from
him the remainder of his cannon to the number of
15. Aft- r the affair of the 17th our troops ent2red
Cawnpore, which they found wholly deserted and
in ruins. Nena Sahib had fled to Bithoor, about 14
miles from Cawnpore, where we hope he will be
soon followed and hunted down.
" The position e f Lucknow appears to be most
critical ; but as Gen. Havelock is receiving fie:eh
troops from Allahabad, at which place they are ar-
riving daily from B:nares and from Calcutt s, there
is every reason to hope that the place will be res-
cue 1, notwithstanding the death of its illustrious
chief
"On the sth July Agra was menaced by abut
B,COO Sepoys. Strange fact! the chief portion of
that army had marched from Nee-nuch, a place si-
tuate more than 300 miles from Agra ; but it was
augmented during its progress across the Jeypoor
by the junction of native troops statonel along its
rouse and in its neighbourhood. However that may
be, at their approach all the European and Chris-
tian inhabitants took refuge within the fort of Ara.
The garrison there, formed of the 31 European
Regiment of the Company and of a corps of volun-
teers, counted altogether 550 men, with six earn-11.-
This gallant little band proceeded out to confront
the enemy, whom it found occupying a position in
a village some miles from the station, and whom
it immediately attacked. After an obstinate battle
the enemy was did-edge:l from its station ; by
an unexplained forgetfulnees, the garris n found
itself deficient of cartridges at the very moment of
victory, an I was consequently obliged to retreat
again into the fort without be'n't ahle to complete
their triumph, purcha •ed by tb:loss, in killed and
wounded, of at least one-fourth of their strength.
The rebels, who were joined by the populace of the
city, burned and destroyed a great portion of the
cant nments and of the Europ au habitations. The
fort, guarded by t' -re 3d European Regiment, and
1;:7 the volunteers of Agra, was main'atued against
the insurgents ; but it is not the less to be desired
that it should be immediately reinforced, for fear
that the little garrison should be subjected to the
fate of Gen. Wheeler and his ill-fated companions
in arms.
"The principal event reported here from Delhi
is the des h. of Gen. Barnard, He died of cholera
on the sth of the month, and was succeede I by
Major-Gen. Reed. Our last news from that place
is up to the date of the 13th. The besieged hal
made some sorties on the 30th June and 4th and
oth July, in all of which they were repulsed by the
English army out-ide. Tee affair of the 9th July
was a very brilliant one, there having been left dead
rcor r than 1,000 of the enemy. It appears that the
rebels have not sines then male as frequent sorties
as they had done before.
" If we can believe two of the natives who had
effected their escape from Delhi, thei repeated de-
feats and numerous losses are beg'nning to discou-
rage them, and their munitions of war are sensibly
diminishing. They have, howeyer, been reinforced
by the regiments of Rohilcund, those of Nusse3r-
abed and probably by some o:here ; but we may b
permitted to doubt that these reinforcements wll
Prove any advantage to the besieged, considering
that their munitions are failing them. It cannot
improve their condition to have more months to
feed. It is true that these same two nativ.,s assure
us that tho besieged are in open comcuueicati
with the countryrom it of Oude, and that they receive
provisions ; but,
f
is the intention it I am well informed, it
of
military authorities to sweep
away from the
before they ngdorn of Oude all the insur-
gentsproceed seriously to attics Delhi,
and then to subject that placepProbtlo all the horrors of
famine. It its, besides,
that,T the desert-Ts
equal in number the reirfercero(!tLwhich D lhi
,
receives, as it is said they quit the
and often under the fire of the place' Yin crowds
7u,
"By the report of the last couvierfroul ea
before Delhi the besieging army is composed
of
men. There are two squadrons of the 6th Drar,oo!
Guards, the 9th Qtseen's de
Lancers, two squa, us 01
the 9th Irregular Cavalry, two divisions of the Bth
Royal Infantry, two divisions of the 60th Royal
Rifles, two divisions of tho 61:-t Royal Infantry,
the 75th Iteg.inent of Royal Infantry, the Ist and
2d Regiment of European Fusileere, anal one Sir-
moor ba talon—the Guides formed by Sir Henry
Lawrence and the Tirailleues de Colre.'
But if I am to believe ce, t in inf nuation of per-
sons well acquainted with those matters, it has been
found necessary to withdraw from the besieging
army, or rather from the corps of observation before
Delhi, 4,000 men, in ordtr b pl ice them up us
several menacing points; among others, Loodi
Julinder, Kuasowlee, Subatlioe, Meerut, Phillour,
and Um balls.
" It is believed that General Chamberlain has
effected a junction with tile_c)rps of -Delhi e but
this news, although very probalile, iii net yet au-
thentic ,t: d.
" The cholera seem 3 to ;sage' with fury at Delhi