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    S:; ^ :'. No. : .462 ':- : \ ^^^

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    64 th , commanded . ; by Major ] 3 in < j ; ham , with provisions , left Cawnpore , but were able to get no further on than Allumba ^ h , where they left their supplies , returning to Cawnppre without ; haying experienced any molestation either on their advance or return- On the 11 th , a party ipf one hundred and fifty arrived at the latter places from the former , bnriging with them a large number of camels and elephantsi to assist in carrying back provisions . . On the 14 th , a second convoy under Major M'intyre , df the 78 th Highlanders , -was despatched . He was obli ged ^ however , to entrench himself , when within four miles of lib destination , returning his stbres v which he was not strong enough to protect , and awaiting . reinforcements . Alluinbagh was now occupied by abont 1000 men . The approaches are commanded by heavy guns , and the ground cleared and exposed iti all directions to the distance of about five hundred yards . '' \^

    It 18 believed that there is nio great reason to fear for the safety of our countryipen at this post ; and it is hoped that long "before the present ti me Greathed ' s flying column will have effected a junction ¦ with Havelock jand Outram . ; In the tneaftvhilej Colonel Greathed and Brigadier $ howers have performed adm irable services in hunting down , the fugitives from pelhi . We reproduce froin the Bombay Tiiiies a harrative of their achievements . ; The Colonel ' s column consisted : of ( 1600 infantry , and 500 cavalry , three troops of , ; horse artillery , and eighteen guns : ^ -r- ; ¦ ¦

    ;; " It crossed ; -over ; the river Jumna ; and took the direction of Allyghur , a strong fort , situated in the midst of swamps and marshes . ; They halted at Ghazeeobdeenuggur on the ; 25 th of September ^ marching on the 26 th . to : Secunderabad , where a vast amount ; of English property , amongst wrhich ladies' wearing ; apparel \ yas conspicuous , ; yras found , and the place was burnt . : :. " ¦ :. " : On the 27 th , they overtook the enemy at Boluhdshuhur , where the Jhansi rebels ^ with a large mass of other insurgents ; had taken up a strong position , which they seemed determined to defend . This iJpsition was well selected , and their guns aijd ' , men carefully concentrated . They were soon sUenced by our artillery ; the whole band being driven frpni their entrenchments , and immediately pursued by our cavalry . / Some of their

    horse formed a line to coyer the retreat and receive the attack of Watson's Irregulars , but were soon dispersed . The 9 th Lancers made a brilliant chargej and , dashing down the street , whetetnejy suffered corisiderjibly , drove the enemy through an'd \ beyond the town . The rebels appeared to select and single out the officers for ' attack Lieutenant Blair was severely wounded in the shoulder , as were more slightly Lieutenants Sarel and Jones , aad Captain Best , of the Irregular Cavalry ^ . A-bout a hundred of the enemywere ¦ left dead upon the-field seven light : guns , with shot ,: all of hammered iron , were captured , with twenty-five ; boxes of powder , and large quantities of musket ammunition . The enemy are said to have lost one hundred and fifty . Our casualties of all kinds were under -fifty , ' ' there being six officers

    wounded . / - : ¦ ¦•/> ¦ . ¦¦; ¦ ¦ .. ; . ; - . - -. ;; : ' .: ¦ . '¦ . " •¦¦ . ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ' .. ; \ ' .: ' . ' . \ ' , ¦;¦ ' : ; : ¦ '¦['¦ '¦ '' On the morning of the 29 th , the force marched on Malagbur , which they found abandoned , and immediately prepared tp blow lip the fort . On this occasion , Lieutenant Home , of the Engineers , lost his life by the explosion of a mine , prematurely fired . It washe who , on the 14 th of September , assisted Lieutenant Sal held iii blowing up the Cashmere Gate , under a storm of musketry fatal to almost every one . within ' -. its reach . Thus far we are merely giving ,: for the sake of perspicuity , and in a corrected and amplified form , the tidings

    forwarded by the last mail . The column here remained , for a couple of days , in command of four cross roads , by which the mutineers might be overtaken , in whatever direction they should appear . From this , the wounded officers and men , with all the camp followers that ; could be spared , were despatched for Meerut . On the 2 nd of October , the force was once more on their way . The following day they reached Koorga , a distance of twelve miles . The enemy had been there but two days before , but some eight or nine of their number were taken and shot .

    "On the 4 th of October , they encamped at Soomlah , and on the 5 th reached Allyghur . This fort ia situate in the midst of swamps and marshes , above fifty miles from Delhi , as from Agra . Our troops were opposed by some Mohammedan fanatics and the rabble of the town , by whom our adherent , Gobind Singh , and his followers h ^ d some time since been expelled . They were quickly dispersed on all sides , the cavalry cutting up about four hundred , and two G-pouncler guns having fallen into bur hands . Bourchier ' s battery , with the cavalry , European and native , took a . circle of the town ,

    leaving the church on the left , ami , scouring the cornliolds and gardens , pushed on by the Cawnporo roud to the eighty-seventh milestone from Delhi . Here they opened out for skirmishing , and then swept back again , clearing tho villages and cutting down the enemy hid amongst tlio high crops of millet and maizo . There arc supposed to have been four hundred of the Gwulior Contingent in the neighbourhood , very few of whom escaped . " On the Gth , tho force inarched on to Akurabad . another stronghold of famiticiam aud revolt , tho cavalry rapidly moving in advance . They wero accompanied by

    Mr . George Campbell j as commissioner , and succeeded in killing two distinguished rebel chiefs , Mungul Singh- ' arid Mehtab Singh , with about a hundred of their followers . Four guns were found loaded , and pointed towards the entrance of tliefort . These , with a large quantity of powder arid grape-shot ^ were captured . Rumour now rail that the mutineers from various quarters , chiefly from Indore , had congregated at Dholpore , thirty-three miles from Agra , on . the Gwalior road . On the 7 th , it was ascertained that they were pushing on as hard as they could , with the view of surprising the weakened garrison . The enemy , amounting to about 5000 disciplined troops , and about 10 ^ 000 of a rabble , with three

    siege guns , and twelve or fifteen light fi « ld pieces , had meantime crossed the Kharra river , about twelve miles north of Agra , on the 9 th . of October . About noon of that day , their advanced guard was within four miles of the cantonments , where they iired upon the militia cavalry sent out to watch their movements . Greathed ' s column had at the same date reachediHattrass , on the western side of the river , and was pushing on the advanced giiai'd ; of five hundred cavalry and two batteries of artillery . They crossed the pontoon bridge a little after daybreak , and were thenj as it turned ; out , within five miles of the enemy . The enemy meanwhile were supposed to have disappeared ; '

    "On the morning of the 10 th , Greathed ' s movable column marched into the ; cantonments of Agra , arid the troops , wearied with a long and fatiguing inarch , had just encamped , when they were unexpectedly attacked by tie enemy as they were " preparing to-breakfast . The rebels expected to have nothing more than the feeble garrison to : deal with , arid i he aaversaries oh botli sides were equally taken by surprise . Four Ghazees ( Mohammedan fanatics ) , beating drums , now entered the camp , and cut down an officer , who was washing , and- a sergeant-major , who was asleep . Their guns opened on our camp , ¦ while their cavalry charged on bur flank , befoxe our men had time ; to seize their arms , aiid succeeded in capturing one of our gtfns .: Never was surprise

    more complete , nor more rapidly repelled . In fiye minutes , pur men were , in their saddles , and , 'before > the fifth , shot ; of the enemy had been , fired , our horse ; artillery were replying . . jTbe .. ' Sikh ' s chargedfirst ,, followed by •'; .- the . 9 th ,: Lancers in their shirts , when the infantry , consisting of h ^ er Majesty ' s 8 th and 75 th ^ -with the Sikhs , came into action , and ou . r . guns , opened fire . Lieutenant French was killed , Lieutenant" Jones severely wounded , ¦ when theyj with nine of the Lancers , attacked about fifty-Sepoys ii > possession of " a gun , which : Vas . instantly retaken .. Golbnel Cotton j who chanced tp be on the ground at the time , as senior officer , instantly took command . A . stout resistance was at first attempted ; hut , on the ajjproach of ourguns , thehearts ofour adversaries failed the ' nii

    Rushing down the Gwalior road , they dispersed themselves oyer the fields / pf millet , with which the country ' is now covered . The Lancers and Sikh cavalry kept at their heels ,: and cut them to pieces * while the horse artillery , always in advance , mowed them down lyith grape . Wliere the crops were top heavy for horse to penetrate , they were pursued by lier Majesty ' s 8 th and 75 th Kegirnents , and the 2 nd and 4 th Punjab Infantry . The worn-out men acquired strength from the excitement ah < V the wearied horses sympathized ¦ ivitji-their' riders . After a fierce contest of two hours , during which great havoc was occasioned by our artilleiy , the enemy were completely routctl , and driven ten miles along the road to Gwalior , where they only escaped by being able to reach the river . Here a body of infantry , < lrawn up on the further bank to assist the fugitives , were cut to pieces by our guns . All their baggage , carnp equipagej and

    treasure , then- guris ( thirteen in number ) , with an enormous quantity of plunder , fell into our hands . They arc said to have left about two thousand dead on the field , our casualties amounting to about eighty . Greuthed ' s force , whiclv had now been , sixteen , days almost incessantly on the march , during which they had fought two pitched battles , and four affairs of lesser note , in which together about four thousand of the enemy must have fallen , found a brief breathing space in Agra . A portion of the fugitive insurgents made their way to Bhurtpore , where they were refused admittance , and ordered by the Rajah to lay down their arms . On refusing to do so , six or eight were killed on the spot , fourteen "were taken prisoners , of whom six were hung at Agra . The rest of them escaped . At Muttra , Mynpoorie , and all the otlier forts and towns around , they were sigually repelled .

    " Greathed ' s column onco move took the field , and reached Myiipoorio on the 19 th , vhero a large body of the enemy were said to have usaemlled . On rcacliing the spot , after a forced march of twenty-two miles , they found the place abandoned , the . Rajah having accompanviied the fugitivcH , his guns and afcout 20 , 000 / . worth of treasure being found in tho fort . Brigadier Grant now took the place of Colonel Greathcd , who was required for othor service . They were now pushing on towards Oucie , expecting to be at Cawnporo by tho 27 th , and would probubly reach Lucknow , largely reinforced , l > y the SOtli . A portion of the rebels round Agra had established thcmselve « about the 20 th on the further side of the Kharra Nuddee , a further portion of them being at Futtehporc-Sikree , whither tho 8 rd Bengal Europeans proceeded from Agra on tho 22 nd to meet

    ^ hem . The main body ; of the Delhi fugitives ; retiring south-westward , were believed to have turned off from the trunk-road about Canouge , and to have crossed ov « r into Oude . A portion of them had prey iously proceeded towards Bareilly , and , another had joined the Raees at Furruckabad . ¦ . ''¦ - •;• ¦ . ¦"' .. . ¦ , ¦' - . .. ;¦ - : - - ' . ; . -. . ;>; - :. ;¦ ¦ ' . ' - ' - •";" ; ' > - ; : " " Brigadier Showera ' s coiuihn , which left , just ; after that of ColpnelGreattted , proceeded to Kootub , and after sweeping the country round for a week , returned to Delhi on the 29 th of September . It started afresh en the 2 nd of October , and proceeded to iRewarree , Which it found deserted . The chief , Rao Toolararn ,

    notwithstanding his professions of friendship , had evacuated the foit , which was found armed with twelve guris and mortare , all in position on the ramparts , rieady loaded . In the foundry were two new brass pieces , just turned out . These , together with a quantity < of military stores and ammunition , fell into our hands . Tie force on the 5 th of October was at Goorgaon . On the 12 th , they reacned Janffpo Sata ^ ' where the horsemen of the Newab of Jhujjur , who had crossed the river , were disarmed without resistance . The chief himself , like his neighbours , now anxious to show his loyalty to the British G overnment , was apprehending and making over to us all parties within his reach concerned in the rebellion . " : ;

    The course of events at Gawnpore is thus described : — : v ,. ¦ ';• ¦ : ¦> ¦ ' . ;;' ¦ '\' ; . ' ^ - ¦ : '¦ : . ' : ' ; 7 : /" . ' ; ¦;'•; ' ¦ . ; -- / . " Between the 2 nd and 24 th of , October ^ everything continued quiet withiii and around the town ^ the Cbnamandant , Colonel 'Wilspn—^ on whom reinfpTcements of two or three hundred at a -time were daily dropping — -attending . to . the wants of L ^ ckudw , and watching the movements of the enemy ; ui ' . -the ; neighbourhpod . About the 14 th , it : ' yraai reported that the insurgents weremustering in force at Bhitoor to thiei northwardrr-the former residence of Nana Sahib , supposed not unlikely now to be at the head of them . On the l 7 th , orders were issued for the ; detachment , for spine time back ready to start for Lueknpw- to move off itnxriediately . At ten o ' clock

    the sameveveiiing , the order "was cancelled , and at rhidnight a field battery , with six hundred-arid , fifty bayo ~ netsy and a few native hprseirien , provided with , four day s *; prpyisionsj moved off- as . quietly . as ' possible for Bhitoor . This was the native festiyal of the Dew alee , or feast of lampSj ^ vhen there is a general holiday and an unusual amount of festivity . They approached Bhitoor early in . the morning , ¦ arid after a short rest moved , off about noon . Haying marched six niiles , -they learned that : the enemy occupied ; a grove of . trees , half a mile in front , ^ s'ith a 9 and a 247 pounder : gun ; in position ; The small force now deployed , when a detachment of the 90 tb , which , was in the rear , ' . in commencing to ^^ nipTe off the road , were opened on by the enemy , the firat shell

    bursting in front of them , killing two arid i ^ ounding two or tliree others . Qur guris were now riin up , but the range at first was too long-, when they closed in , arid after firing twenty or thirty rounds silenced the enemy , and pur infantry charged and carried everything before them . The action lasted for an hour . We lost two killedj and had six severely wounded . The enemy probably lost about one hundred , though this is matter of conjecture . Great havoc might have been committed on the fugitives , had cavalry been available . Theii' guns Were behind them , with two waggons and three country carts laden with ammunition . The 19 th was occupied in

    destroying . Bhitoor . On the morning of the 20 th , the gallant and victorious little band returned to Cawnporc , On their way back , the village of Sheo-Rajpore was destroyed , and , in a house filled with strawy five of the rebels were discovered by the men of the G 4 th probing the mass with their bayonets . They dashed out sword in band , wlien they were immediately despatched . Two of the prisoners ; brought in were hanged ; one of them was the bearer of letters from Nana Sahib to the people in and around Bhitoor , calling upon them to provide ammunition and have supplies ready for his arrival , expected in the course of fifteen days . "

    Xurther nems of news are thus summarized by the Indian papers-. ;—" There has been no fuxthev outbreak of mutiny or disaflection in the Bombay army , and the Presidency generally is as quiet as could be expected under the circumstances The Bhcels in Kandeish are said to be still restless , and it is reported that Mr . Chapman , C . S ., and Captain A . Graham , 4 tk Native Infantry , liave been wounded iu some collision with them near Malligauii ) . No authentic particulars of this affair , however , have been inude public . " The Mahva Field Force , under Brigadier Stuart , hml a slight « irgagement with a body of rebels in front of Dluir pn the 22 n < l ult ., and drove them into the fort . of that place , capturing some of their guns . TJiolatest accounts , dotted the 2 ( J ( h ult ., mention that tho fort won being besieged .

    "We have had no secondmilif nry execution nt Bombay . Two conspirators , ono of them a Subnhtlar of tho lltli Native Infantry ivcro soitencud to be hung , but tliey hail tticir punishment ' commuted ' to transportation for life . This leniency , especially as displayed towards « ringleader , and in contrast with tho severity exhibited in tho case of the men who were blown from guns on tlio 16 th ult ., lias excited considerable diaafl'ection among tlie community . It is feared that tlie disaffected may mistako tho motive « f it . "

    S:; ^ :'. No. : .462 ':- : \ ^^^

    S : ; ^ ' . No . . 462 ' :- : \ ^^^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 5, 1857, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05121857/page/5/