Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-05
THE sTORMING OF DELHI.
A THRILLING NARRATIVE


OF, Delhi. The following furnishes the most
connected account we have seen:
About the lst Of this month, Brgadier Mich
olson went out wi h force and completely
routed large force Of the enemy, taking IL
guns About this time the heavy siege. train
arrived from the Punjab Up to this time we
were 40 ing almost entirely on the defensive.
We had not sufhcient men OF guns to commence
the siege, and il was all we could do with our
small force TO repel the numerous attacks of
the enemy That time was, think the worst
part of the whole Wewere often on duty three
nights of every week, making defensive works.
when onoe we began the siege, we knew we
should soon take the place which kept US up to
any work. On the Sih September large work
Ing parties from all the regiments in camp pa
Taded at the EngineOr-park. taking tools with
them. We marched to within 800 wards of the
walls and bastions of the city. The men were
employed in fitting sand-bags and making the
ground ready for the batteries Previous 10
this, for about fortnight, we had to 20 out at
night with large working and covering parties,
anu cut all the trees where the works were in
tended to be. That was the worst part of all
stumbling about all night in the long, rank
jungle, sometimes five feet high, wet through
with tho dew, and frequently attacked by the
enemy. On the 9th, 10Th, 1lth and l2th, the
batteries were completed; they were immensely
large, built up To the bottom Of the embrasures
OF solid fascines; l.5O0 camels were employed
nightly in carrying down the fascines Strange
TO say, the enemy did not FIRE on US much while
building the batteries. We were almost all of
uson duty three nights running On the 9th,
the batteries opened fire, when, after seeing the
nr't salVO knock down a large portion Of the
Cashmere bastion. | was so tired that I Law
down and slept during the roar of the guns for
three or four hours. There were four batteries,
one oil them having twenty guns and hOwitzers
Ihe walls seemed 20 crumble before the weight
oi metal; and, after two days firing, breaches
were made, and great part Of the parapet
stripped of the wall. One standing battery
was within two hundred yards Of the " ater
Bastion.
The fire of musketry from the walls of the
town at this bastion ives tremendous The
guns were obliged to have iron mantlets fixed
on them TO protect the men while working the
guns L was in the battery when Door
Captain Bagan, of the artillery, was shot
through the head with a musket ball He
would expose himself, though frequently
warned lie used to get up and look over the
man lets to lay his gun better Captain Tay-
lor, Engineers, managed the attack admirably.
lie was the director Of the attack On the
night of the l3th he and Lieuts Medley and
Lang, Engineers, with two or three ridemen
crePt up to the ditch and ascertained that the
breaches were practicable, and got back again
without being seen. Captain Taylor instantly
determined on the assault for the following
morning. There were FIVE columns of attack
Two or three Engineer officers were told of TO
each by seniority. The seniors went with the
first column, the next with the second; SO
Ward and myself, the unfortunate juniors (Car-
negis and Forbes icing sickl had to 90 with
the fifth or reserve; so / do not consider we
had 80 much danger, though the FIRE was rather
sharp when we went in. The Engineer officers
IN the other columns except Home Lang and
Thompson, were wounded. We paraded about
O'Clock in the morning Of the 4th with our
separate columns, with Sappers, with powder
bags, &c, and marched down to the attack. 1t
was just day light when the first column halted
NJ turn IN the road which concealed them
from view of the walls, but close to the Cash
mere gates. Lieuts. Salkeld and Home Ser
SoanS carmichael, Burgess Smith, four Sap
Pers and bugler of Her Majesty's SD regi-
ment, advanced from the column ND to the
Cashmere 1t was IN immensely heavy wooden
gate, hanked on all sides by the walls Home
laid the powder at the foot Of the gate They
were Instantly discovered, and a heavy FIRE
opened on them from all sides Sergeant Car
michael took the fuse and was on the point of
hiring It. when he was shot dead by SeDoy
who placed his musket through a hole in the
wall. Sergeant Burgess took the fuse from his
hand, and was likewise shot dead Lieut..
Salkeld then took the fuse, and was shot
through the arm and fell into the ditch, break
ing his leg by the fall. As he fell he threw up
the fuse which Sergeant Smith seized, and
nred the charge. At the same time the bugIer
sounded the advance, and on rushed the col
umn- Inc charge blew in the gate, and about
seventeen of the enemy who were close to it,
Our troops rushed in, up the bastions and along
The walls. At the same time the second and
fourth columns attacked by the breaches and
and the walls were cleared Of all the defenders
The Cashmere gate presented a horrible
sight; 80 or 40 SepOys some blown ND and
others bayoneted and shot down, were living
all about ltwas the same all along the walls
No quarter was given, but they made yery lit
Tie defence, and retired into the city where
they again made n stand 1 went into the bls-
lions; such scene of ruin you never saw.
Almost every gun was dismOunted, OF had a
great piece Of iron Knocked out Of il. and dead
Sepoys al around. The troops took up their
quarters in the college and church, but the
enemy fired on u all night. We made a bat
terry by the college, and commenced shelIing
the town and Palace. We lost most of our men
In the town. They advanced too far without
support. and were fired at from the walls and
houses Our losses from the Iith to the 10Th
were Oh officers and $50 men killed and
wounded. On the 10Th We attacked and took
the magazine. L went with the column. We
took them by surprise, and they offered yery
little resistance; but in the afternoon they re-
turned and attacked the magazine, and set the
roof on hre. We bad to get up on the roof with
leatheTn bags Of water and put il out while
they threw large stones at u. They were ia
Mates | afterwards learned l think that day
had the naTrOwest escape Of any. After put
ting out part of the fire | was just jumping
down, when three Of them put their heads over
the wall and took three deliberate shots al me-
all of which missed. They could not have
been above ten yards of; fired my revolver
At one, but dom know whether il hit him or
not sergeant Of artillery then got on the
top Of the artillery magazine with 10-inch shells
In bis hand he lighted the fuse and dropped
them on their heads; five or six he let of in
this way. 1t must have killed a great many,
for they fed almost directly. On the 10th,
after pouring into it a mendOus fire Of she'll
we attacked the Palace. There were very few
Sepoys found in in il. They had all fed dur
ing the night
Thank God ii is all over; L am sick Of
blOodshed aud seeing men killed [ never felt
50 much seeing an European killed poor
private Of Her Majesty's Glst. 1 was in the
magazine with him. making SOON lOOphOles OF
sandbags. lie asked me 10 take shot at the