The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-23 00:00:00

MEMORANDUM.

Camp Rozeh, near Ghuznee, Sept. 9.
On the morning of the sth of September General Nott
moved his camp to take up a position before Ghuznee.
An advanced party was ordered to protect a reconnais-
ance of the works undertaken by the engineer depart-
ment. On the approach of this party to the hills north
of the city, it was opposed in force, but was immediately
supported by the General, and thus reinforced cleared
the hills of the enemy, and took possession of the village
of Bullal, withiri 400 yards of the city.
The General immediately directed this important point,
with the heights near the village, t.) be maintained, and
they were occupied by two regiments of Native Infantry
and two nine-pounder guns.
While these operations were going on the camp was
established at Rozeh, two miles and a half from the city.
The guards required for the protection and general duties
of the camp absorbed so many men, that but few were
availablt for the duties of a siege. The General there-
fore determined not to invest the place in form, and di-
recta the engineer to concentrate the forces at his dis-
posal in one spot, where protection might be most conve-
niently afforded to the siege operations.
With advertence to these instructions, the engineer
proposed to establish a battery on the ridge of the hill
north of the town, in advance of the village of Bullal,
and distant &mut 350 yards from the nearest point of the
walls. From this battery it was expected that the four
18-pounder guns would lay open the thin flank-wall con.
netting the citadel on the west with the town wall in a
few hours. The defences of the citadel could be swept
from the same point by the Light Artillery, and the lines
of loopimoled wall which would bear on the advance of the
storming party were all viewed in enfilade from the site
selected for the battery. The advance of the party to the
assault would have been greatly facilitated by the exist-
ence of a thick dam of earth across the ditch immediately
opposite the point marked out for the breach.
It was further proposed that the principal assault
should be supported by two other attacks ; one tin
a
attempt to blow in the water-nate (both the others hav,
ing been strongly built up, an the causeways in front of
eu t through),
bouuig lam )a, ae nooNtthhieerh to
pt
trilewanir tl
aided by the fire of the artillery from the bill.
This project met the General's approval, and at dusk
on the evening of the sth of September a working party,
composed of the Sappers and 160 men from the regi-
ments occupying the hill, commenced work on the bat
tery. By 4 A.M. on the 6th of September cover for the
party had been secured across the ridge of the hill, and
so much progress made in the execution of the work as
to lead to reasonable expectations that the four 18-
pounder guns and two 24-pounder howitzers would be
established in position, and ready to open their fire
during the day.
Early on the evening of the sth a brisk matchlock fire
was kept up from the citadel on the hill, but thisceased.
The slackened, amid at 10 p.m bad
dirulcrossing
The enemy's infantry had been observed.h the intention, it was
the river near the water-gate, with
s opposed, of attacking the working party during the
night ,• but towards the morning of the 6th there were
grounds for believing the fort was evacuated. At day-
d to be the case by Lieut. North,
light this was ascertained
k possession, at that hour, of
of the Engineers, who too .
the water-gate without
opposition, leaving Ensign New-
ton and twenty sepoys of the 16th Native Infantry, in
charge of the gateway, and returning to the battery for
further assistance. The whole of the working party was
immediately moved into the town, of which and of the
citadel of Ghuznee they were in possession before sun-
rise. EDWARD SANDERS, Major, Engineers.

rnom MAJOR E. SANDERS, ENGINEERS, TO MAJOR-GENE-

- -- - _
RAL W. NOTT, COMMANDING FIELD FORCE, GIIIiZNEE.
Camp Rozeh, near Ghuznee, Sept. 9.
Sir,—On the occupation of the fortress of Ghuznee by
the troops under your command, I received orders from
you to take measures for the destruction of the citadel,
to as great an extent as the means at command and the
time afforded by a halt of two days would permit.
2. I have now the honour to report, that the engineer
department attached to your force has been employed
during the ith and Bth instant on the work of demoli-
tion, and to state the progress effected. .
3. Fourteen mines have been sprung in the walls of
the citadel, all with good effect. The upperoufotrrt andhas
been completely destroyed ; the second line of workse
ex-
tensively breached in two places ; and the
lower
injured wain lls have their revetments blown dowu and greatly
mines, the wars,
4. In several spots remote from the
though they have not fallen, are so seriously
shaken by
the explosions that unless immediate and
energetic
mea-
sures are adopted, On the departure of your force, for
their repair and security, they must crumble down during
theof the town and citadel and the roofs
ensuing,he gateways n,inter.
5. .
of time principal buildings have
SANDERS, been fired and are still
burning. I have, &e.,
Major,
Return of the Killed,
theWounded,Engineers.Missing command of Ma or-General
William Not t,
on
theie setnhgoagre
September.in entuitb the enemy
be-
fore Ghuznee, n the

Grand total of killed and wounded, 46 officers an
men, 6 horses.
Officer wounded—Ensign St annus, 16th Regimen t
Bengal Native Infantry.

W. NOrr,
Major-General, Commanding Field Force.
Examined, T. POLWIIELE, Captain,
Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General.