Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-05-12
Great Battle in India.

Great Battle in India. I'D. a.a
The news. brought by the overland mail from
India. is of the highest importance moultan had
been captured, after having been battered and
bomba rded for an entire week. but the citadel
still held out. The Bombay troops. having ar
rived before the city, on the 2lst December. the
entire besiegng army amounted 10 $4,000 men,
of which $4,000 were British troops. Our arti-
lery amounted to $50 pieces of heavy ordnance,
of which nearly one Eaf were of the larges! cali
bre. The defence of MooIraj seems TO have been
one of the most obstinate on record. On the 27th
the columns moved to the attack. and. cearitg
the suburbs. established themselves within five
hundred yards of the walls. Here batteries we're
erected, and, on the 2Sth. terrific bombardnent
commenced. On the 29Ih, heavy guns were ad-
vanced 10 within eighty yards of the ramparts.
On the 30th, fort. containing 100000 lbs. of
powder, was blown up by we'll directed mortar
The de vastation was horrible. The Dewan's
mother, several of his relatives. with many of his
sirdars. together with great number Of troops
and people. were blown into the air. and the de-
struc.iou Of mosques and buildings around, was
most extensive.
The lucky artillery man was rewarded on the
spot, by Gen. Wish, who followed up his success
and, on the evening of the Both, breach was
made. and second the following day. The
I
driven back. and the cannonading continued in.
cessan anllv, the two first DAYS of the year. On the
ID. the breach being deemed practicable. the as
saull took place. Colonel Franks AT the head of
three regiments. pushed forward TO the breach
of the Delhi gate. but found the enemy too strong
on that side; so he joined the Bengal column on
| the other side, where the breach complete.
The fusefs entered first, and speedily placed the
| British standard within the walls. The Bengal
fol nd = HA rIfy in Ot1r
sion. at 3 O'Clock. NIoolrai determined TO defend
| himself TO the last, retired to the citadel, which
was being mined. but sill held oat. op the 7th
January. the last date. OvertlreS had been made
by MooraJ, but nothing except his unconditional
surrender would be listened TO. Cor troops Rad
suffered from the mines which had been spruHg
upon them, but the casualties do not appear to be
very great. The bombardment seems 20 have
been of the most remarkable on record, and
the stubborn defence Of the enemy has never been
surpassed in Indian warfare. The destruction of
property has been immense. 1t is quite evident.
from the force which has been required to capture
the city. that the judgment of Gen. Whish has
been fully confirmed, and that any operations
| with insufficient artillery force would have re-
! suited in most disastrous failure. - .... -.r
| The reduction of the citadel seems to require
all the strategic skill and effective force which are
being brought against It. In the meantime the
news from tbs army OF lhe IanlauO is OF Il very
serious character. Whilst Lord Cough has, per-
haps wisely. postponed active operations by the
army Under his command, the intelligence has
reached US by the mail that old enemies, the
| Affgha ms. with an army of $4,000 men and IA
guns, under the command OF Dost Mahomed's
| nephew, have advanced towards the Scinde from
/ tier. This invading army has, it is said, already
traversed the Khojuck Pass, and is actually
marching on Shikapore. The appearance of this
new enemy in the field will occasion serious di if-
culties in the prosecution of the war; bat the fall
of MoaItan. well as the impedIments of the
snow, which still covers the Bolan Pass, may
cause the Affghans 10 pause before they defy our
power by open invasion of our territories
Attock still holds out and Capt. Abbott has ex-
changed the defensive for the offensive. and is
laying siege TO some of the stfongholds In the
! Hazaret country. From the general purport OF
this intelligence. it is evident that sharp work is
cut out for our troops in India, for some time tt
tcome but no doubt can be entertained Of the fina
/ glorious issue 10 arms; ; and that the CONSOLE
daton OF our empire, in that quarter, will be Sc
cured by the combination of wisdom and vao
which direct and execute our Indian affairs botf
at home and abroad. Lord DaIhousle has fixet
| his headquarters near the field Of Sobraon, Gloss
to the scene Of action. ... Ha 4. a.. en-.