The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-03 00:00:00

THE BRITISH EXPEDITION TO PERSIA.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)

CAMP BEFORE BUSHIRE, FEB. 11

Iu continuation of my last from Margheel, near
Basra, I have to inform you that tl•le inquiries set
on foot to discover the temper of the Arab tribes
about Mohammerah were most successful. There
can be little doubt of our army receiving passive
co-operation at least from all the tribes in Irak
Araby. Some of the latter have already compro-
mised themselves with the Persian Government,
owing chiefly, we presume, to the fear of our consi-
dering and treating them as enemies. No agree-
ment whatever has been entered into between the
British and these tribes ; but they have been given
to understand generally that we make no war upon
such as are disposed to treat us as friends. They
are consequently left free to settle the problem' of
their allegiance as they think fit.
The Hugh Lindsay steamed away from Basra at
4 p.m. of the 3d, and anchored for the night a few
miles above Mohammerah. Early next morning our
party again reconnoitred the fortifications, which
were crowded with armed men ; but the steamer
was allowedto pursue her way unmolested. A new
work had been added, pierced for three guns, and
from the improved style of the masonry it is pre-
sumed th6,t some trained' engineers have lately
reached this post. According to the accounts col-
lected from reliable sources, the present garrison of
Mohammerah consists of 5,000 men, with from ten
to twelve field-gun.. At Ahwaz, on the Karoon,
the PerrAans are said to have three fojes, with four
guns and two howitzers. - The whole of the troops
are under the command of Ihtisham-ood-Dowlah
Khaulee Mirz3.

While the reconnoitring party were absent from
Bushire thd force encamped there was called into
action, and a good blow has been struck in this
quarter. Information had-reached Sir James that
the Persians were mustering at Borazgaun (a large
village in the Desht, about 42 miles distant), and
had already collected there an army of 10,000 men,
with 12 field-pieces, under Sho oj aeool-Moolk. There
could be no hope of winning over the Ellyats, or
of securing their passive co-operation with us, while
so large a force held a position between us and the
mountain passe?. Sir James consequently deter-
mined upon dislodging them, and, if possible, seiz-
ing their guns before they could make good their
retreat. The entire force, with .the exception of
such details as were requisite for the defence of the
camp, started accordingly on the night of the 3d,
and reached Borazgaun on the morning of the
sth, though it rained almost incessantly after their
departure from Bushire. The enemy, however, had
retired from their entrenchments several hours
previously, taking their guns with them, but aban-
doning an immense quantity of ammunition and
materiel, which was entirely destroyed during the
three days that our force remained at Borazgaun.
As it would have been sheer madness to pursue the
enemy into the Kotoo-Molloo Pass beyond Dalike,
with an army prepared and equipped for a surprise
upon their entrenched postion, Sir James pru-
dently determined upon returning to Bushire, pre-
facing his departure by the explosion of an enor-
mous amount of the enemy's ammunition and other
military stores. The force marched at 9 p.m. of the
7th. When about two hours from Borazgaun word
was passed to the front that the rear-guard was at-
tacked, and the balls from the enemy's artillery soon
verified the report. Gen. Ontram and his staff im-
mediately galloped back, when, on arriving near the
scene of action, the general's horse fell, which com-
pletely stunned him for two orthree hours. The
main body of the army now faced about and- pro-
ceeded to support the rear-gaard, who were by this
time hotly engaged. Ai it was pitch dark, however,
no offensive,movements could well be made on our
part; the army was therefore collected together in
a compact body, the regiments at quarter distance
columns, and the artillery and cavalry so placed
that their respective services might be brought into
play as required. The whole army remained in
this position, maintaining perfect silence and order,
until daybreak, when it was formed in line of battle
(Sir James having by this time recovered sufficiently
to assume the command), with supports and re-
serves, and the word to advance was given. The
fight now resolved itself into an artillery and
cavalry battle ; the 3d Cavalry making a charge
against a compact square of infantry formed to re-
ceive them, went completely through it, and but
a very few—some say not one—of the 500 men
escaped who composed it. This charge was the
main feature of the fight. The artillery were in
the meantime taking a splendid part in the engage-
ment, their shell and round shot, at a range of
about 400 yards, making great gaps in the enemy's
ranks. The• Persians at about 8 a.m. began to re-
tire, and finally retreated into a thick date jungle,
leaving two 9-pounder guns and two standards in
our hands, and about 800 dead upon the field.
Our loss has been wonderfully trifling, considering
the heavy artillery fire which was kept up through-
out the night upon our army. One officer, Lieut.
Frankland, and 11 men were killed, and two
officers and about 50 men were wounded The
enemy's force was estimated at 7,500 men and five
guns.

After a halt of six hours thearmy started again
at 8 p.m. through pelting rain and mud fully ankle
deep, and reached Charghadack at 9 next morning.
At noon of the same day the bulk of the army
marched over the Masheela swamp, and arrived
safely in camp late in the evening, having ac-
complished a march of 42 miles in 50 hours,
fought a pitched battl-, and drivel the enemy back
to their mountain fastnesses. Had our cavalry been
numerically stronger, there can be little doubt that
every one of the enemy's guns would have been se-
cured and his army utterly annihilated. As it is,
this sudden and decisive blow cannot fail to con-
vince the Persians of what hardy stuff British sol-
diers are composed, and we hope that it will pro-
duce an adequate effect upon the Council of the
Shah.

Yesterday the remains of the brave men who had
fallen were interred. A public funeral was ordered,
and the service was most solemn and affecting. The
bodies, enveloped in white shrouds, were laid before
the altars in the respective Protestant and Roman
Catholic church tent=, the two Generals, the Staff,
and almost every officer of the force, besides soldiers,
attending. After the appointed office had been read
the bodies were laid on two horse-artillery waggonh,
followed by the whole cortege above enumerated,
and conveyed to the burial ground ) eyond the en
trenchments. The serious demeanour of the entire
party, and the solemn responses of numbers who
joined audibly in the concluding portion of the
services, showed that a deep religious feeling was
not wanting to our army.

FEBRUARY 14.
To-day additional draughts for our force have
been landed, and it is pretty well decided that as
soon as the remaining portion of the 2d Division
arrives a part will be despatched for the capture of
Mohammerah. Whether it will be found advisable
or not to proceed to Shuster does not yet appear ;
Sir James will decide that after securing the former
post. In the meantime he cannot detach too large
a force from before Bushire, because another con-
siderable army, under a new commander, is as-
sembling near Borazgaun. Should speedy success
attend Sir James's movements on the Euphrates and
Karoon, we should not wonder at his' at once re-
turning to Bushire, routing the Persians a second
time from Borazgaun, and taking up an advanced
position there, ready to march upon. Shiraz as soon
as the season is propitious:
The best spirit and feeling animate every portion
of the British camp, and the men who underwent
such hardships the other day are anxious to be led
on to another conflict. It cannot be denied, how-
ever, that, for an advance into the heart of Persia,
Sir James will require strong reinforcements, espe-
cially of European troops, who are better fitted to
endure the cold of the north of Persia than the
Sepoys. No delayshould occur in despatching this
aid ; for repeated blows, quickly followed up, will
be the readiest way to effect our object with the
Shah, and thus•to shorten the war.

FEBAIIARY 18.

I understand that Shoojah-001-Moolk has been
disgraced, and that an army of 30,000 men is being
collected just below the mountain passes. Nothing
would be more opportune than the descent of this
army into the plains, since there can be little doubt
but that our troops would give them a severe hand-
ling, and thereby open a more easy transit through
the passes. A messenger who has just reached
Bushire states that the banks of the river near.
Dalike were strewed with hundreds of the
wounded from the battle below Borazgaun, but
which, having occurred nearer to the village of
Kushab, may with more propriety be called the
Battle of Kushab.

THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—At the
monthly general meeting, held yesterday, at the society's
house in Hanover-square, the Right lion. Sir George
Clerk in the chair, Messrs. G. B. Smith, A. Hankey, J.
James, H. Ludlam, H. Lindon, and J. Forster, and
-- Sharp were elected fellows of the society; and
Messrs. A. H. Novell, F. S. Bentley, G. W. Allan,
and R. Hodga were proplsed as candidates for the fel-
lowship. Among the donations received since the last
meeting the report of the council stated that the Earl of
Ducie bad
presented a pair of morh,l, or Persian deer,
which had been originally obtained on the eastern shore
of the Black Sea.
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.‘ Nowsin Smith and Son, 52, Long Acre.