The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-10 00:00:00

STORMING OF PESIIOOT.

(From a Second Supplement to the Calcutta Gazetteof
February 15.)
Camp, Peshoot, January 19. 1840
TO CAPTAIN DOUGLAS, ASSISTANT-ADJUTANT-GENEILL,

ARMY OF THE INDUS.

Sir,---I have the honour to report, for the informationof
the Major-General commanding in Affghanistan, that on he
afternoon of the 17th, the rain having ceased, and with evalr
expectation of favourable weather for commencing operatims,
I issued the necessary orders to the detachment for attackhg,
on the following morning, the fort of Peshoot ; and as it vas
advisable that Captain Abbot should have his guns into bat-
tery, and the infantry be in the best position they could co-
copy before daybreak, we left camp at 4 a.m. As soon as
Captain Abbot could distinguish the gate, he opened the brt-
tery against it, and after firing for nearly two hours, succeel-
ed in making a practicable breach on each side of the gat,
when Lieutenant Pigou, with a party of 15 men of the E-ur•-
pean detachment, and 25 sepoys of the 37th, advanced, pusl-
ed down the gate, and proceeded to examine the inner one.
The bugler with the party, observing them going forwari,
sounded the advance (without order), which caused tie
storming party and column to immediately move down U.-
wards the breach ; but Lieutenant Pigou having aseertainel
that the inner gateway was closed, ran back and directel
them to get under- cover from the enemy's fire, which was
easily accomplished among the numerous ravines close to tir
fort. •

Lieutenant Pigou then returned, and applied the powder
to blow open the gate ; but as it had rained without intermis-
sion from about half an hour after commencing the attack,
from the damp state it was in, acd the very inferior quality
of it, being powder of this country, it unfortunately failed.
As from the situation of the gate, and from the nature o'
the ground surrounding the fort, it was found impracticable
to bring a gun to bear on it, Lieutenant Pigou suggested that
another trial should be made to blow it open, and a sufficient
quantity of powder (nearly 1001 b) having been procured from
Capt. Abbot, the attempt was made, but I regret to say it
also failed.

As it still continued to rain heavily, the troops had been
exposed to a severe fire for several hours, Capt. Abbot having
expended nearly the whole of his ammunition, and every
possible means adopted towards gaining. an entrance into the
fort having failed of success, I determined at half-past 11
a.m. on withdrawing the troops from before the fort until the
weather cleared up, and certain measures could be taken to
insure success.
Our failure, however, I am happy to say, has proved as
good as having gained possession of the fort, for a short time
after we retired the enemy evacuated the fort of Peshoot, as
well as that of Khatke, on the opposite bank of the river, both
of which are now in our possession ; but I am sorry to say
there is nothing in either fort but a small quantity of grain
and about 10001 b. of powder.
I lament to say our loss has been rather severe (a return
of which is enclosed), which was mainly caused by want of
means to reduce a place of so much strength.
To Lieut. Pigou the highest praise is due for the gallant
and meritorious manner in which he three times advanced
to the inner gate, under a heavy fire from the enemy, and
laid the powder to blow it open, the failure of which can only
be attributed to the causes already explained. To the party
who accompanied him, under the command of Ensign Pattule,
the greatest credit is also due for the manner in which they
kept in check the enemy's side.
To Captain Abbot the highest praise is also due for the
manner in which he has conducted the arduous duties de-
volving upon him, as well as the great service rendered by
him yesterday. I also beg to bring to the notice of the Ma-
jor-General the conspicuous gallantry of Lieutenant Tytler,
who accompanied Lieutenant Pigou on both occasions of
bringing the powder, and throughout the day rendered me
every assistance ; I am also highly indebted to him for the
manner in which he has conducted every duty required of
him as Assistant-Quartermaster-General since leaving Jul-
lalabad.
I have much pleasure in bringing to the notice of the
Major-General the great assistance I have on all occasions
received from Lieutenant Pond, whom I appointed as de-
tachment staff.
The highest praise is also due to every officer and man
composing the detachment, who have cheerfully borne up
against every privation and hardship; and the coolness, gal-
lantry, and ambition of each individual displayed yesterday
morning elicits my warmest thanks and approbation.
In noticing the names of the officers to whom I am in-
debted for assistance during this expedition, I have omitted
to mention that of Lieutenant Dallas, of the commissariat
department, who has on all occasions proved himself a most
zealous officer in procuring supplies whenever there was any
possibility of obtaining them, and also of rendering me every
assistance during the attack yesterday.
J. R. POND, Lieutenant, Detachment Staff.
J. ORCHARD, Lieutenant-Colonel
Commanding Detachment.
(True copy) J. DOUGLAS, Captain,
Assistant Adjutant General.
By order of the Right Hon. the Governor-General of India
in Council, T. H. MADDOCK,
Secretary to the Government of India.

SECOND EDITION.

Standard-office, Three o'clock.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE SPRING ASSIZES.

CROWN COURT.Tms DAT.
His Lonnsnir, with his accustomed punctuality, took his
seat on the bench at nine o'clock.

SENTENCES OF THE REMAINING CHARTISTS

John Wilde, George Jackson, and William Aitkin were
placed at the bar to receive sentence. His Lordship ad-
dressed them in nearly the same language which he used to
the other prisoners. He lamented that parties of auch abili-
ties did not devote them to improving the condition of them-
selves and neighbours, in place of involving themselves in
dangerous political disturbances, in the vain hope of altering
or amending the institution of the country, or improving the
general condition of society. In their own sphere they might
do good to themselves and others. After a kindly ad-
monition, his Lordship sentenced each of them to 9 months
imprisonment in Kirkdale gaol, and at the expiration of that
period to find sureties to be of good behaviour and to keep
the peace for three years, themselves in £2OO each, and two
sureties in £3O each, and to be further imprisoned until such
sureties should be found,

In the sentence of Wilde (on a representation of his health,
and that he had friends in that town), he had his place of
imprisonment changed to Lancaster.

MILITARY OUTRAGE AT WIGAN CONTINUED

John Whittle.—l went to the Three Crowns on the night
in question. I found Farnworth, Mr. Frazer, Mr. Plunkett,
Mr. Cash, and two others whom I did not know.. Lamb,
and Swarbrick, and Smith, and Heath, policemen, were also
there. The soldiers came in,.and called out, " Where is he?
where is he ?" Mr. M'lslally, a magistrate, was there.
They knocked the table over, seized hold of Mr. Frazer, and
dragged him across the room. Mr. Farnworth having hold
of him, Farnworth was dragged by the soldiers to the ground.
I did not hear Plunkett give orders to the soldiers to ab-
stain. Some of the soldiers afterwards returned. I had
previously sent for a magistrate to read the riot act, and get
them to disperse. I and Mr. M`Nally requested them to
go, but they paid no attention. Mr. Plunkett spoke to them
twice. He said, "Go to your barracks." I went to the
barracks with Mr. Farnworth the first time, half an hour
after Frazer was rescued. Farnworth pulled at the bell and
was told that the commanding officer was not in, but would
be in in half an hour. I went a second time with Farn-
worth and Rylance. Farnworth was told the commanding
officer was not in. The door was open and Mr. Cash was on
the lobby. He said he would only see the head man. Mr.
Cash saw me at the Three Crowns, but I did not tell him
that I was head of the police.
Cross-examined.—On the first occasion it was half-past
seven. It was about an hour after the rescue that we saw
Mr. Cash. I ascertained afterwards that Mr. Cash was
lame.

Cross-examined by Mr. WILKINs.—The soldiers cried on
entering—" Where is he ?" I did not know but Mr. Plun-
kett belonged to the Wigan detachment. 1 apprehended him
at Haydock Lodge. On the night in question he appeared
to be perfectly sober. I was present during the rescue.
While I was in the room, I did not see Mr. Plunkett touch
Farnworth at all.

Re-examined.—When the soldiers entered, my attention
was drawn towards them.

John Maclead.—l am a clerk to Mr. Wallace, sheriff's
officer. I was outside the Three Crowns that night. I saw
a crowd of all sorts. I saw an officer going from the direc-
tion of the barracks towards the Three Crowns. It was, I
have since learned, Mr. Cash, who sits there. There were
a number of private soldiers with him. I saw them go into
the inn. I did not see the officer go in, but I saw him close
to the door. I heard some one say that the magistrates were
coming to read the Riot Act. Some one of the soldiers said,
" Hell to the magistrates ! They will not be magistrates much
longer for us ;—we'll have him out." They came out in about
five minutes with Frazer with him. He was in front, and
the soldiers on each side of him. They said—" Who'll take
him from us now ?"