The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-10 00:00:00

INDIA.

'XI-TRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE COMNANDER.IN-
. CRIER OF INDIA TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF
- INDIA. . .

_ • Head Qearters, Camp, Peshawur, Feb. 16,1850.
MyLord,—ln furtherance of your Lorship's orders
-to report on the frontier defence, especially on that of
the Peshawur district, I was proceeding to Kohat, as on
- an ordinary march, when the Deputy-Commissioner,
Lieue-Colonel Lawrence, informed me that a &Utah-
. meat of -sappers and miners, repairing the road between
Kohat and the Pass, had been unexpectedly attacked by
a body of the Af:edi tribe, aided by others of the
Khyber and Durikzye tribes, to the number of from 700
to 1,200 men; they massacred nearly all the sappers and
miners; no mercy was shown by the assailants, who
came from the neighbouring villages, occupying the fast-
nesses of the long and perilous defile through the Alredi
range of mountains.
2. By this unexpected attack, unprovoked by any mis-
conduct on the part of the detachment, the civil station
of Kohat was cut off; and it became necessary to rein-
force that station, and to punish the insurgent Fribes. I
• therefore ordered the force relm:2d in the note,* aeeom.
panied by my own escort, unoler the command of Bri-
gadier Sir Colin Campbell, to march for those purposes
on the 9th of February.
3. On the 10th we entered the pass, and I was met by
some deputies from the village of Aknor, who endea-
voured to exculpate themselves; but Lieut.-Colonel
Lawrence having assured me that his information was
correct as to what villages bad formed the force that
• massacred our detachment, wed that this was one of those
villages, my answer to the deputies was, that their people
must give themselves and their arms up to me; that
they have received money trom the British Government
for protecting this road, and that instead of affording
that protection they had murdered a di-tachmens of our
soldiers. I gave them an hour to consider what answer
they would give to my summons to surrender themselves.
At the end of the hour they returned, and said their
companions would not listen to them. I therefore ordered
Sir C. Campbell and Lieut.-Colonel Lawrence to crown
the heights round the village, but nut to fire unless fired
upon. The moment our troops advanced the Atredi
mateblockmen opened their fire, which was instantly re-
turned, our troops driviug tt.e enemy before them in
every direction.
4. The civil authorities then burnt the village, and the
column advance i five miles further to its encsnipiug
grayed :at Gerzeon t'it•!,- enemy eef.;ntled;
Hit it wis then; anri we ei;eb4 I tear catty, urlee? the
ire of matehlre4s :rnrik the cielhit,7.:ing prrr!pes
i.tl-7 tt-.74 anzt-;:n thro:ightha
defile, constantly sliircei,shing with the enemy, and en-
camped at Botey Kbail, übout five miles from our last
ground, and immediately under the Pass of Kohat,
which was in possession of some irregular troops sent
by the Assisttet-Commissioner, Lieutenant Pollock, for
that purpose.
6. This evening I sent the Ist Punjaub Cavalry, under
Captain Daiy, to Kohut, and myself examined the top
of the puss. The whole of that night the enemy kept
continually firing upon our pickets.
7. On the 12th, accompanied by my staff, I rode to
Rohm, and examined-its defences and position, &c., ftwe

returning to camp about four P.m. I ordered B rigadeir
Sir C. Campbell and Lieut.-Colonel Lawrence t o make
preparations for our return to Peshawur the nes .t morn-
ing, which they accordingly did, ordering the 1 .st Pun-
jaub gfantry to hold the high ground till our ret it guard
was out of sight, when this excellent regiment recired
to Kohat, which was thus reinforced by two corp 5, one of
cavalry and one of infantry.
8. In one march the column swept through t h•s whole
defile, skirmishing with the enemy all the 'w ay, and
reaching MuthtPe between three and four o'c!oe if, seven-
teen mites from the morning's ground; and 0' a the 14.1
we returned to Peshawur.
9. The civil authorities burnt six of the offending
villages known to Colonel Lawrence as having been con-
cerned in the massacre of our detachment.
10. The whole of these operations were ably con-
ducted by Brigadier Sir C. Campbell and Li ent.-Colonel
Lawrence, commanding the military and civ forces re-
spectively.
11. Lieut.-Colonel Lawrence will of cows() snake his
report to the Punjaub Government; and have the
honour to enclose that of Sir Colin Campbell, together
with a copy of my own general order, for your Lord-
ship's information.
12. It may be as well to remark that all the villages
that ware destroyed bad been previously abandcaied ;
nothing but fighting men remained in them.
13. The conduct of the troops of all ranks was; ex-
cellent.
14. We have necessarily lost some bravo soldiers in
these operation.. TA enty men bare been slain, wad
seventy-four wounded; among the former I have to la.-
ment the gallant young Si. well, and tour breve comrade ‘:
who fell at his side—via., havilthr Gholan Dirchet, naick
Madho Sing, and sepoys Mee rwan Opuieesa and Darn-
band Pandy, of the 31st Nativ., Infantry. Tile havildar
and two sepoys, named Sabha Rim and Ba..tsur Ram,
attempted to carry off their wounded leader.
15. The havildar was killed, the two sepoys despe-
rately wounded; they were rescued by !heir comrades
afterwards, and are now in hospital. The naick Hoo!ai
Khan went fuur times up the hill in the face of the
enemy, accompanied by Buctour Khan. and brought
away a wounded man each time. These were great
deeds of valour and sell-devotion done by soldiers of
humble rank, aad I claim for these four men, floolas
Khan, Sabha Baal, Buctour Ram, and Buct,ur
the " order of merit" at your L ,rdship's hands. Alas!
young Sitwell is beyond human reward. He fell, rushing
against the enemy, and calling on his men to follow, and
' they obeyed him. When he fell, he tried in vain to
' make them leave him to an unsparing foe, and 4ave their
lives; they obeyed not then, but died with him !
Heroic was the young spirit that inspired such deed. !
The jemadar who commanded the pariy when Sitwell
fell is said to have conducted himself with admirable
jnelgment, coolness, and courage, and the enemy were
defeated in this desperate combat. There was noble
leading and intrepid followingl.
• • •

I have, &c.,
C. J. NAPIER, General Comminder-in-Chief.