The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-08 00:00:00

which they had uninterruptedly been subjected for five days
and nights whenever they showed themselves, and not only
from the north-eastern face of Punalla Ghur, but of heavy
Fins on the north-western face of the adjoining fortress of
Powanghur. Having arranged with Lieutenant-Colonel
Poole, G. 8., to march immediately, I at once preceded the
reserve, and took personal direction of Major Conway's ad-
vanced party, with whom I arrived about three o'clock, P.M.
I took with me also a small detachment of her Majesty's
14th Light Dragoons, and Brevet Captain
are,Cluunb who
was placed at my disposal by Captain Shaw. Mo
Conway's post there were two 6-pounder guns under Lieute-
flan t Crawford, Bombay Artillery, very judiciously placed,
aid which had occasionally thrown spherical case shot with
excellent effect over the enemy's parapets. These two guns
I directed at once to be brought into a forward position
which I had reconnoitred in the morning with Major Con-
• way,'and to be loaded with grape ; my wishes were most
ably and instantly seconded and attended to by Lieutenant
Crawford.
These preliminaries were scarcely completed, and the re-
serve were scarcely over the first range of hills, and were
eagerly ascending the second, being separated now but a
short interval from the advance, when a cheer and a thril-
ling shout from the parapets of Punalla announced to us that
the breach had been stormed.
We immediately rushed forward in the direction of the
gateway ; a few fugitives escaped down the hill by the ravine
on our front and left, but no mass of the enemy came down
from the gateway; and our own troops were distinctly seen
in possession of Punalla. I, therefore, allowed the men no
time for firing, hut pushed them on as rapidly as possible
round the ravine in the direction of Powanghur; and I am
!sappy to be able to add briefly, that we succeeded in captur-
ing that fortress. In advancing along the petta, or village,
and round the head of the ravine by points much exposed to
ire, I was surprised that we were not opposed by any guns
Carom Powanghur; and I concluded the enemy were evacuat-
ing the place. 1, therefore, hurried on the men as much
as I could, and was vigorously seconded by Major Con-
way, Captain Chambre, and Lieutenant Brennan, who
sheered on the leading sub-division of her Majesty's 22d.
The officers and men of the Bombay 2d Grenadiers,
tinder Captain Hogg, were climbing up the steep side of
Powanghar, as well as the nature of the ground would per-
mit, in the hope of effecting an entrance over the lower part
bf the scarp by the neck of land connecting the two forts,
or of surprising the gateway on the north-went side, situated
at a considerable elevation. This latter object we effected,
for the enemy in their hurry to get away had not sufficiently
barricaded it, and it was forced in by our soldiers ; but few
shots were interchanged, and consequently, I :am happy to
say, our casualties are few. The results of our capture were
a few guns and a body of prisoners. It gives me great
gratification to add that, notwithstanding the provocations
they had received for some days past, our men behaved
with the greatest humanity and forbearance; the prisoners
taken in the fort threw away their arms, and I believe not
one was injured, though a very considerable deal of firing
took place on a few armed people escaping down the slopes of
the hills. In a very short time we were joined by our
reserve, under Lieutenant-Colonel Poole, with Captain Hogg,
commanding Grenadiers, and Lieutenant Grimes, of the same
regiment. Major Clemons, also, of the Madras 20th Native
Infantry, and a few of his men, and I believe also Captain
Bailey and another officer of the Madras Infantry belonging
to 'theist Brigade, and the latter named officer, of whom I
have omitted mention, I had previously observed very for-
ward below the fort of Punalla, and reported themselves to
ma in Powanghur.
"I have also omitted till now to mention our left wing, or
rather our left post, under the north-west angle of Powan-
emir, which I had placed under Major George, C. 8., her
Blalesty's 22d Regiment, the third officer in seniority of this
brigade. They consisted of an infantry picket under Lieut.
Carrow, her Blajesty's 23d Regiment (the same officer who
captured a rebel with a document of some importance upon
him); and also of a cavalry picket, under Lieutenant Fitz-
gerald, her Majesty's 14th Light Dragoons. I am much
indebted to Major George for his superintendence of these
important posts.
Having placed the fortress under the command of Lieut.-
Colonel Poole, C. 8., and withdrawn the Grenadiers, I re-
turned with the latter to the camp, where, from the extreme
ruggedness of the paths and darkness, we oily arrived at 9
o'clock, P.N. _ _

My extreme right infantry picket of 150, her Majesty's
22d and 30th Grenadiers, under Ensign Black, opposite, or
rather near to, a blocked-np gate near the northern angle of
the Punalla Fort, whence it was expected many of the enemy
would endeavour to escape, were commanded by Captain
Mainwaring, her Majesty's 22d Regiment. Beyond ravines
on the north-western side of Panetta, and in a direction lead-
ing to the C,oncan, I had placed Captain Bromwich and
Lieutenant Prettejohn, and a strong picket of her Masty's
14th Light Dragoons ; and in connexion with Captain Brom-
wich on the one side, and with the sentries of General
Delamotte's own camp on the other, I placed a long.line of
horsemen, belonging to his Highness the Raja of Setters, and
commanded by Rao Sahib Buckahee, a relation of the Raja's,
and dozree Singh Rissaldar. My Brigade-Major, Captain
Clarke, of the 2d Grenadiers, with great zeal and much per-
sonal exertion, did me the favour himself to place this long
chain of Sattara Irregular Horsemen. lam much indebted
to Captain Clarke for the judicious manner in which this
service was performed. From an eminence fat in advance
on the right he watched the progress of the operations of the
Ist and 2d Brigades, and of the guns; and I believe could
distinguish the storming party proceeding to the breach ;
than puttmg the Setters troops particularly on the alert at
the proper moment.
Captain Stuart, her Majesty's 14th Light Dragoons, com-
manding the squadron with my brigade, having made ar-
rangements for the protection of our camp during the ab-
sence of our reserve, himself took one troop or rather more,
14t1xLight Dragoons, and placed them near the gorge of the
ravine, between the two hills of Punalla and Powanghur,
and held bis troop in hand to act as circumstances might
reeZiura
Mae for many miles of circuit these fortresses were hem-
med in by- a complete line of sentries and videttes, extending
from the head-quarter camp on the southward and westward
of-our extreme right along the north-west and north-east
faces of Punalla; and north-west and north of Powanghur
to my extreme left, where my cavalry parties communicated
with Raptain Arthur, commanding several detachments, I
believe, of the Ist Brigade.
" 1 venture to hope Shut Major amoral DeJarnotte' C.ll,
commanding our force, will recommend to the most favour-
able notice of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of this
presidency, the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men,
European and native, of this brigade, which I have had the
honour to command, and whose zeal and gallantry on this
occasion it is impossible too much to commend. It wonld be
presumptuous in me, unless called upon, more particularly
than I have done to specify names.
I beg to enclose Captain Clarke's letter of his operations.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
EDWARD HARVEY, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Commanding 3d Brigade of General Delamotte's force.

TO:CAPTAIN DONNELLY, ASSISTANT-ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
• SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
Camp before Punalla, Dec. 2, 1844.
Sir,—ln continuation of my report of the 30th, I beg to
Inform the Major-General that the working parties during
the night of that date succeeded in advancing the 18-pounders
to a position fixed upon by Major Peat and myself, within
about 350 yards of the walls. The field guns were also
moved to a more commanding position on the left flank. In
the meantune the 8-inch mortars which had been got into
position by dusk, continued to play during the night, at
intervals of about an hour, on the gateway and its vicinity.
At an early hour yesterday morning I opened fire on the
-walls on a point about 100 yards to the right of the gate,
the field guns keeping down the enemy's fire. The masonry
was very solid, and resisted our shot for some time, but
about 8 o'clock the accuracy of our tire began to tell, and the
wall to crumble. From this time the breach progressed
rapidly, and by 4 o'clock, p.m., was pronounced practicable.
Alter this, as the Major-General himself witnessed the ope-
rations, no report is necessary.
During the day the mortars kept up a fire on different
parts of the fort where the enemy was reported to be; but
towards the afternoon the fire was confined to the rear of the
breach; some of the 5/ and 4 3-5 mortars brought into po-
sition also played on the breach. During the afternoon, to
cover the advance of the storming party, I separated my
field guns, placing half on the right of the breaching battery,
and advancing those on the left as much as possible. Towards
the close of our operations, the 18-pounders were employed
dinnastling the flanking defences on the breach, the field
guns propelling shell to cover the advance of the troops.
1 have the honour to be, &c.,
J. LLOYD, Lieutenant. Colonel,
Commanding Artillery Field Force.
.T. DONNELLY, Captain, Assistant Adjutant• General,
Southern Division of the Army.