The Sun. — 1857-09-01 (London, England)

THE INDIAN MUTINIES.  The following letters were written by a gallant officer shortly before he fell " Phillour, May 21. "It is a very long time since I have written to you, but I shall commence a letter now to be sure not t miss another ma;L I sent letters home on the 20th, giving all particulars I know about the present state of affairs,—and a very narrow escape we have all had. There is no doubt it was an attempt to retake the country.and murder us all, but their plans were providentially frustrated. Is it not wonderful that not one out of the whole Indian army (men whom we have treated, God knows, far better than they deserve) was faithful 1 They made a deliberate conspiracy to kill their officers, and actually did so at Delhi, the account of which you will Nava heard. We. were saved here by a miracle. At a certain hour—tlre signal being the beat of a tom-tom—the men were to have seized the fort. My friend Griffith happened to go down, andfound the fire-engines had beem smashed ; he went in, loaded a couple of field nieces, and pointed them at the gate. Upon doing this the signal was given, but the men feared the guns ; and when they were wavering in marched a couplo of companies of the Bth (Queen's) and some European Horse Artillery, who had marched the whole way from Jullundur, sent by the General. We have been waiting for some time, putting the best face on tha matter, and.l think we are pretty safe now. Three companies of our regiment escorted a siege train of 16 guns across the river ; it goes to join a force -under the chief at Umballa, and then to bombard Delhi, where, I hear, the enemy are fighting among themselves. A native battalion was ordered down there to escort the guns, but refused to come We hear they plundered Simla, but this has been contradicted. However, two officers, Major Pott and Lieut. Bruce, were on leave there, and started. so as to have been ther3 two or three days ago, but we have not heard a word about them, and are growing uneasy on their account.  " May 25.  " I have just time for a line to-day. I start at 3 o'clock to escort a siege train down to Umballa. May have some fighting on the road, and may be sent to Delbi. I have about 80 men. " Loodianah.  "I arrived here at 9 last night after a tiresome march. Those who know India can tell how hot a tent is in May. My tent was blown down on the top of me, and my friend who accompanied me. We were very nearly squashed' by it, and had to sit out all night on the ruins in dust, rain, and wind. I mirth at sunset this evening. Some of the men look very sulky, but I know there are many faithful. I halted at the Sutlej-bridge yesterday, and went to the guard. They made me lie down, which I did, and fell asleep. On awakening a havildar was fanning me with a punkah, and a lot of Sepoys all round looking at me as if I was a baby. I have little time to attend to prayer, &c., but I assure you nothing can give comfort in a case like this but an assured hope of being God's, and then Who can harm us ?' _ _  " Dourana, May 27.  . _ " I am now sitting outside my tent, surrounded by natives. Before me are the mortars and native carts with sentries over them. We had a terrible march last night, from 7 in the evening till 3 in the morning. The cartmen are making a row for payment. I have none to give them. We march at 10 o'clock to-night. "Kanna-ka-Serai, May 28.  "We arrived here at 8 o'clock. Fancy 10 hours on the roads ! Men all right. lam much troubled with the carts, 30 of them laden with mortars, powder, shot, shell, &c. ; they keep constantly breaking down, and we have to divide the load among the others, as there are no more to be had. "Umballa, June 1.  " Here we are—the native corps have been disarmed and some disbanded, and my detachment will have the honour of escorting the siege train to Delhi, so we shall most likely see' some bloody woi k. The officers here all live in one house. The church has been fortified. I was marching the whole of last night and writing the whole of to-day. Good by. _ _