St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-12-03
Gge gntelligenttr.
The Capture of Delhi, in India.

shuddered at English cruelties in that
semi-barbarous land, but latterly those
deeds were well nigh forgotten, and
the East India Company's power and
dominion there were supposed to be
permanent, till British insolence and
oppression had become uncomfortable
and the barbarous revenge of the ma
tives spread universal horror.
The warlike preparations of the
English to reGstablish their power
have been watched with interest, and
we have now the intelligence of the
fall of Delhi, the great Indian mctrop-
oils. The assault was commenced on
the morning of the l4th September.
The attack was made in four columns,
one of which failed and the other three
were successful. The next day the
British commenced firing on the mag
azine and stormed that position on the
10th, capturing l25 pieces of cannon.
After three more days fighting the
British troops took possession of the
city. The loss of the British in killed
and wounded is estimated at 600 and
the slaughter among the mutineers is
believed to have been much greater.
We notice that large portion of
the American press is filled with ad-
miration at the importance of this cap
ture, the prowess of. British arms, and
the assurance that by this success the
backbone of the revolt is broken.
The prestige of the fall of Delhi will,
they imagine, quench the fires of re-
bellion in other provinces and strike
terror to the hearts of the Sepoys. We
cannot regard it in that light. If the
question involved the reduction and
the restoration of power over a com
paratively small territory, the posses
sion of it's chief city might put an
end to the war. But this is not the
fact. The India revolt pervades Hin
dostan, from Assam on the northeast,
to Cabool on the northwest, embracing
an immense territory and population
of upwards of one hundred millions,
leaving other large territories and a
of fifty millions to be awed
into subsection by a constant display
of military force. Where will Eng
land find the sinews for such war as
this .? But the capture of Delhi does
not present such splendid military
triumph after all. The defending for
ces had diminished to about 1900,
of which 5000 were cavalry and were
useless in the streets of the city, while
the British force consisted of $500,
thus making the two armies nearly
equal. The defenders sustained a
fierce and bloody conflict of six days
duration, inaictinS serious losses upon
their enemy, sending away their wo-
men and children, property and NUM-
tons, and finally Withdrawing in or
der, and forming around the city, be-
sieging in their turn, and intercepting
supplies. The besieging army found
none but non-combatants in the city
upon whom to wreak their vengeance.
1t is difficult to see how city so
gained, and with such results, can
carry a prestige with the victory to
break the backbone of the insurrec-
ton throughout the vast extent of the
revolted provinces. AS to the proba-
bic effect of the capture of Delhi, the
Friend Of India newspaper remarks :
at is the condition of Bengal, and
not the state Of Delhi, that ought at
this time to engage the attention of
Englishmen. The long delay that has
taken place in the capture of the town
has actually destroyed any prestige
that we might have derived from an
early success ; and the strength of the
rebels and their numbers are diminish
ed as effectually by maintaining the
siege as they would be by the capture
of the city"
The retreat appears to have been
effected in an orderly and disciplined
manner, and there is no reason to sup
pose that the Delhi army is either bro
ken or dispersed. 1t appears that this
aspect of the operations before Delhi
and their results, SO far from breaking
the neck of the revolt and rendering
the cause of the revolters hopeless
will but inspire them with fresh cour
age, while their determined, obstinate
and bloody resistance will destroy the
prestige of the war in England, check
volunteers, and cast gloom ovel
those who vainly expect to see British
power reestablished in India on the
old footing. The feeling. meanwhile
is gaining ground in England that tn,
English people have as much to fea
from success in India, as from dsas
ter. They have lost an immense army
and over $4,000 men have been EN-
| horked n replace IL Tho war uil