Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-11-10

 General Havelock's Pursuit of Nena Sahib -Thirteen Hundred British Heroes Against l3,OoO Sepoys-Marching 12o Miles and Fighting Four Battles in One

W66k.
 The temporary reverse which has befallen
 General Haveock, and hls army detracts noth.
 irg from series of exploits which form one of the glor;ous episodes that even the history of British India contains. The interest attaching to this remark able march and the brilliant vic tories by which almost every days progress was
 s;anaIized is now heightened by the sad refec-
 tion. that many of that little band, which could
 not spare even one from its heroic ranks, have escaped the enemy, whom they so often put to
 rout only to succumb to the deadliest form oi pestilence.
 It was on Wednesday, the 8th of July, that Gen. Havelock reached Alahabad, from which point we may date the commencement ot hls more active operations. The main body of the relieving force under his command was com nosed of the two European regiments recently withdrawn from Persa--the 64th and the 78th mastering together about l, 100 or 1,2OO bayo- nets As he moved upwards, however, from AIlahabad, he was joined by small detach- ment of the Madras Fusileers which had been rushed on in advance by General Nell, and which raised his whole force to some l 300 Eu- Eopean soldiers.
 With these, aided only by 800 Sikhs he had to traverse a country swarming with insurgent Sonovs and to encounter immediately an army
 
 fnIl confidence of its superiority, had descended from Cawnpore to meet him. This was the force under the orders of Nena Sahib, and it is mi to be forgotten that the mutineers of whom it was mainly made up, were troops trained in our own tactics, equipped from our owr arse nals, and manevering in all respects like our selves. Nothing, indeed, in this whole unna- tural contest Is more remarkable than the coun- terpart spectacles which the antagonist forces exhibit, and which recall the descriptions given by the Roman poet of .hose civil wars, where similar standards, similar eagles and similar bodies of spearman were arrayed on each side of the field. The very bugle sounds of Bri- tish regiment are recognized and acted uponby an insurgent battalion, the words of command on one side are heard and understood on the other and on particular occasion our enemies actually marched against us with English drums and English trumpets playing "Cheer, boys, cheer"
 Such were the forces against which Gen. Haveock and his troops were 10 advance, under July sun, and in the very heart of Hindostan. On the 12th of July-atter extraordinary exer- tions had been made to overtake the Fuseers ahead-the whole column came up with the enemy at Futteypore-a town about haif way between Allahabad and Cawnpore, where the | with twelve guns. In about three hours the entire force was driven in headlong rout from the field, and every gun taken. This success enabled the British commander to augment the efficiency of his own artillery. He had left Allahabad with light six -pounders only, but he now avaiIed himself of the captured cannon, and after halt of single day, he followed on the track of Nena Sahib with his own nine- [ pounders. That morning l4th-the CO., lum marched sixteen miles. On the next day it renewed its advance, and after five miles of its march had been accomplished, found the enemy again in sight, strongly posted, and pro- tected by a second position against the risks of first defeat. At each of these points they were attacked in succession, and from each they were driven with the bayonet, the whole of their ar tillery being again left on the field. On the day foiIowing-the 16th,-wthout any repose, our troops continued their advance, and now describe their antagonists collected for a final stand in front of Cawnpore. Their resources had enabled them once more to replace their lost guns by others and two batteries, well serv- ed, presented formidable appearance to the advancing column. So strong indeed was their position that it was deemed advisable to turn it, and short but painful movement was eX- ecuted for the purpose. Hitherto the march of the force had lain along the Great Trunk road leading from Calcutta to Delhi, but this causeuay was now quilted by detachment of the column, which, in the vergheat of the day, it was 1:30 D. m. -toiled through a heavy march to get on the enemy's flank. Many men, we are told, dropped from the effects of the sun, but the task at length accomplished, and then came the battle and the victory
 It was a stubborn fight, for the Sepoys occu- pied a succession of villages, supplying them with exactly such positions they hold best, but 10 resistance of any avail against the little army pressing on to vengeance. Some of the expressions used by the eye witnesses recall exactly the descriptions given of the British at the Alma. and the French at the Mameon.- \" never" says one writer, saw anything fine. The men of the 18th went on with slop- ed arms like wall; till within loo yards hot shot was fired. At the word 'Charge,' they broke just like an eager pack of hounds, and the village was taken m an instant" This en- gagement, making the fourth fought in five days, opened the road to Cawnpore, which was promptly occupied, though too late, alas, for the rescue of its unhappy garrison.
 In little more than week, therefore, these 300 British soldiers, with their 800 Sikh com rades, had marched 129 miles along the valley of the Ganges during the heats Of July. had Bought four fierce actions, had driven F, GOO men from position after position, and had found themselves on the eighth day masters of Cawn- pore, the first object of the expedition. Yet even after these exertions the interval allowed for repose was but trfing On the 18th the troops had reached Bithoor-Nena Sahbs tronghold--resolved that British vengeance should reach the villain through all the de- fences he could devise; but his heart or his army had already faed--he had evacuated his palace, and nothing could be done beyond con- signing the whole place to the flames. Still the work of the relieving force was but half ac- complished, and after fighting from Allahabad to Cawnpore, it remained to fight from Cawn- pore to Lucknow.
 The second part of the expedition has been, not, indeed, less glorious but less fortunate than Sthe first. On the 21st Gen. Havelock announ- ceS in a dispatch that he is free ofcross the Ganges, and already on the 29th we find him. with a most seaSonable reinforcement, received Through Gen. Neill, twenty miles advanced on the new route, after having fought another suc- cessfu battle and taken fifteen guns. In this r position-with Lucknow only about 30 miles ahead--hiS army seems to have encountered that dire scourge of Indian armies--more terri ble than any human foe-an outbreak of the cholera. We know by sad experience with what fatality this dreadful disease fastens on an army fatigued by long marches, worn out by great excitement, and exposed at once to fierce heat and the exhalations of partly flooded country.
 It was under similar circumstances, indeed. Some 40 years ago, that cholera, with whose fatal course we have now become so sadly ia. miliar, first broke out. But never, even in war, Fertile in unlocked for reverses, was there one which so plainly rebuked all human calculation as this. general and an army victorious be- yond precedent, marching to as s,ured success and the relief of lorg- -beleaguered fortress with in one march of their object, have been struck by the fatal pestlence, and bv our fast accounts Havelock and the remains of his gallant band, encumbered by their sick comrades. were pain. fully retracng their steps to Cawnpore by the route on which they had advanced only few days hefnre full of hone and cnn6aa.,oa ;., ~.