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    No, 433, JuiiT 10, 1858.] THE X , EADEK....

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    The Indian Revolt. ?- ; ¦ ' . No Fresli ...

    were in high glee at this . Sugar and salt were strewed about in abundance , and the resemblance between them was so great that many got sacked in with the latter . Our commissariat suffered much from captures by the enemy , at a time , too , when we could ill spare it . Thirty-eight carts , with tea , sugar , arrack , and medical comforts , were taken from the 2 nd Brigade . " THE AFIAIR AT KOONCH . A letter from India gives a painfully interesting account of the incidents attending the battle of Koonch : — " Koonch , in Jaloun , was attacked by Sir Hugh Rose on'the 7 th of May . The enemy bad . taken up a position on the Koonch road , and had a battery and twelve guns on it . The 2 nd brigade , under Brigadier Stuart , of the 14 th Dragoons , attacked in that direction . Orr , of the Hyderabad Contingent , sittacked from the . Ait road , and the General with the 1 st brigade circled round to the left towards the Neddygaon road , thus making a flank movement , and turning the enemy ' s batteries and defences . The General then advanced the 1 st brigade towards the town on the sklo of the old fort , and there was a mutual cannonading- The General now got knocked down by the sun , and was obliged to lie down under a tree , and have cold cloths and water applied to his head . This caused a delay of about twelve hours . When lie got a little strong , heat once mounted his horse , and putting himself at the head of the 1 st brigade , led it against the town , took the old fort , which commanded the whole of the-enemy ' s position , and Soon rendered it untenable . " The General was a second time floored by the sun , and would have fallen from his horse had he not been lifted off . Water , & c . was again applied . In the meantime , the Hyderabad Contingent had also attacked a garden , and two companies carried to the right of the 2 nd brigade ; but , as they were not supported , they were obliged to fall back . In about twenty minutes , the G eneral again got better , and sent off an order to Brigadier Stuart to attack , and the General made straight through the town to take the enemy in rear . Here he had a third sun-stroke . The-Dragoons made their first charge and killed seventy mutineers of the Gwalior Contingent , 32 nd , 12 th , 52 ml , and other regiments . > 'There was some delay in Brigadier Stuart ' s advancing ; consequently , when he got into the enemy ' s position , every man had bolted . The General , recovering a little again , got on his horse , and hearing that the pursuit was slack started off at gallop , collected some horse and set off in pursuit . Four hundred Sepoys were killed , and nine guns and much ammunition taken . The force . did not get back to camp . till nine r . M ., having been out since ten of the previous night . Thirteen Europeans . dropped down dead from sun-stroke , and many others are suffering from it . Including these thirteen , we lost about twenty-five killed . The General showed great skui

    piucu . anu mucn . SUICIDE OF THE RAJAH OF SHORAl'ORE . The Rajah of Shorapore committed suicide on the 14 th of May . The subjoined particulars nro given in the Bombay Times : — " The Rajah , a young man of twenty-three , had been tried for levying war . against the British Government . He was sentenced to transportation for life , and at four a . m . on the 11 th was sent from Secunderabad , under an escort of eighty non-commissioned rank and file of the 9 th , 10 th , and 49 th Madras Native Infantry , commanded by Lieutenant Pictet . His destination was Chingleput , where he was to remain until transported to some penul settlement . The Rajah ' s Lands and legs were ironed . On arrival at Umbarrapett , twelve miles from Secunderabad , he was unhandcufFed , in order that he might take his breakfast , the leg-irons still being kept . He was then placed in a dooly , and the dooly was put inside a two-poled tent , double sentinels , facing inwards on each side of the doo-ly , inside the tent , being posted . At eleven a . m . the Teport of fire-arms was heard , and on Lieutenant Pictet arriving at the tent he found the Rajah in the agonies of death . The unfortunate man expired in about ten minutes afterwards . The uuuit to ouuuiiuvruutiu

    corpse WUH esconeu , mm , ua nuuu as it reached there , an inquest was held on it in the hospital of her Majesty ' s 1 st Royals . From the evidence then given , it appears that , when tho liandcufl-t were taken off tho liujuh by tho officer commanding the escort , the latter at the same time divested himself of his bolt , to which was attached a rovolver . The revolver wns laid on the dooly pole , and given in charge of tho sentries , who were told to take care of it until his ( Lieutenant Pictet ' s ) tent arrived . Up to this point , according to our correspondents , all is clear ; but now comes the mysterious part of this tragical occurrence . Wus tho ltnjah allowed by tho oeiitrics to obtain possession of tho revolver ? No one as yet knows . Tho two sentries arc , it seemn , Mussulman * , and belong to the 10 th Native Madras Infantry . They nves prisoners , and an investigation is going on . The ltajuli shot himself in tho stomach , and tliu bull pusmnl right through tho body and one of tho lower curtains of tlie tent . " MOV 1 SMKNTS OF NANA HAIIII 1 . Tljo Bombay Telegraph and Courier makes some statements and remarks with respect to the

    movements of Nana Sahib , which show how dangerous an enemy we have yet to deal with . We read : — IC Amid all the surprises , captures , and successful atj tacks made by our troops , the Nana Sahib still manages j to preserve his liberty . A lakh of rupees has been set upon his head , yet native cupidity has remained unassailable . He has now , we are told , managed to escape the flying columns ' of Oude , and , it is said , is on his way . to the Deccan . Should such be the case , he might manage to do a good deal of mischief ; and we can only hope that the Poonah people will be upon their guard . Two squadrons of the 17 th Lnncers , two companies of the 18 th Royal Irish , and one company of Natives , are to leave the Deccan capital for Jaulna hi a few days . The cause of this movement has not transpired . It is a small force , and , without artillery , can effect but little good in the way of fighting . The authorities may , however , know where game is to be found , and intend to lay their hands upon it quietly . It is just possible that Jaulna is not the destination of this flying detachment at nil , as we cannot perceive what such a small force can be required for in that direction . The name of the field officer who is to command this little brigade has not transpired , and we understand a good deal of mystery is attached to the whole affair . It would not at all surprise us to hear that Government had received intelligence of the flight of the Nana Sahib , and that this column was about to be despatched to intercept him on the frontier . We have always been of opinion that he would ultimately shape his flight in the direction of the Mahratta capital . It was the home of the family which he by adoption represents , his friends and relations are numerous in the place , and if he could only once hoist his flag from the palace of the Peishwas , even ¦ were it not allowed to flutter hi the breeze for an hour , its moral effect would be tremendous . Greater vigilance is required at the present time in Poonah than during any previous period of the crisis . The emissaries of the Nana Sahib are to be found in every Deccan village . Maharastra is filled with them ; and their representations are as specious as they are falej The Sawunt brothers are not the most dangerous malcontents in the southern Mahratta country . It - is-the . chiefs who ought to be watched ; and the travelling Brahmins of Poonah and Sattara . At the latteT place , the snake is scotched , not killed ; and although the decision and vigilance of Rose have managed to keep down disaffection with a strong hand , yet the dying embers might still be blown into a flame . Our perils are not past . " sir corm Campbell ' s advance ok bareim , y . Mr . Russell has sufficiently recovered from his late attack of sun-stroke to enable him to resume his letters to the Times . Some of these appear in Tuesday ' s and Wednesday ' s papers , and one contains the following lively account of the advance on 13 areilly : — . " TIia firafr . slint as -we annroached the stream which

    crosses the road was Ured by the enemy from a rude breastwork thrown up about half a mile in front of the bridge , but a few shot returned from , our batteries speedily drove them back from this advanced position , and they fell back from the bridge itself , where they made some show of a stand , towards the deserted and half ruinous buildings which formerly were the lines ol our force at liareilly . It is difficult to say why , the enemy did not make some preparation to resist the passage of the 6 tream , which ,, though fordable everywhere , had steep high banks , offering considerable obstacles foi infantry , and still more for cavalry . Still more singular , perhaps , was it , that they did not impede oiu advance by breaking down the bridge . As tho column advanced skirmishers foil in and retired on the flanks , and the leading regiments deployed into line . Little could be seen of tho position of the enemy , as they were screened by the ruined cantonment !) and linen , but tlieii cavalry showed now and then through tbe trees in considerable numbers on both Hanks . Suddenly a gun was opened upon Tombs ' s troop oi » our left in such , good range that tiie first four shot 3 all took effect ; but oui guns , soon unlimbenng , very speedily Bilenced tills piece , as well as some others with which the enemy sought to

    nnnoy our cavalry on tlic left . Advancing still without meeting with nny opposition from tho eneiny ' a infantry , we approached our old cantonments , our artillery now ami then searching their front with its fire . The enemy replied with occasional shots from thoir small pieces , which did no execution ; but ( heir cavalry exhibited increased activity , and a strong body , with three horsed guns attached , euine out from the enclosure and menaced our left and baggage with distant demount rations , On our front and right , also , such bodies of the enemy ' s horse euuie out from time to time us proved they had more than 2500 sabres in the field . In tho absence of nny delinito information respecting tho strength of uui | ii

    tlui enemy s niiuniry , or me position uu-y .: u < : u , or even tho locality itself , tlu > Coinmiiiidor-in-Oliief was naturally avcrso to engage his choice troops in nny pr itnto attack upon the town ; indeed , so little did hu know of tho position of tho placo tli . t he ordered up tho iiioitur . s and lioiivy Held buttery to bombard what he thought wns the town , but what in reality was nn outlying suburb nearly two miles dislant , Some companies of a Punjab regiment wore now Bent

    forward to explore the ruined mass of one-storied houses in front of our lines ; the 42 nd Regiment , divided into two wings , the left somewhat retired , moved up in support , while the 79 th covered their left at some distance . As soon as the Sikhs got into the houses , they were exposed to a heavy fire from a large body of matchlock men concealed around them . They either retired of th « ir own accord , or were ordered to do so ; at all events , they fell back with rapidity and disorder upon the advancing Highlanders . And now occurred a most extraordinary scene . Among the matchlock men , who , to the number of seven hundred or eight hundred , were lying behind the walls of , the houses , was a body of Gliazees or Mussulman fanatics , who , like the Roman Dccii , devote their lives with solemn oaths to their country or their faith . Uttering loud cries , ' Bismillah , Allah ! Deen , deen ! ' one hundred and thirty of these fanatics , sword in hand , with small circular bucklers on the left arm , and green curmnerbungs , rushed out after the Sikhs , and dashed at the left of the right wing of the Highlanders . With bodies bent and heads low , waving their tulwars with a circular motion in the air , they came on with astonishing rapidity . At first they were mistaken for Sikhs , whose passage had already somewhat disordered our ranks . Fortunately , Sir Colin Campbell was close up with the 42 nd ; his keen , quick eye detected the case at once . ' Steady , men , steady ! Close up the ranks ! Bayonet them as they come on !' It was just in time , for these madmen , furious with bhang , were already among us , and a body of them sweeping around the left of the right wing got into the rear of tlie regiment . The struggle , was-sanguinary , but short . Three of them dashed so suddenly at Colonel Cameron that they pulled him off his horse ere he could defend himself . His sword fell out of its sheath , and he would have been hacked to pieces in another moment but fox the gallant promptitude of Colour-Sergeant Gardiner , who , stepping out of the ranks , drove his bayonet through two of them in the twinkling of an eye . The third was shot by one of the 42 nd . Brigadier Walpole h ad a similar escape ; he was seized by two or three of the Ghazees , who sought to pull him , off his horse , while others cut at him with their tulwars . He received two cuts on the hand , but he was delivered from the enemy by the quick bayonets of tlie 42 nd . In a few minutes , the dead bodies of one hundred and thirty-three of these Ghazees , and some eighteen or twenty wounded men of ours , were all the tokens left of the struggle . About the same , time ,- however , the enemy ' s cavalry , issuing in considerable numbers on our left , made a charge across tfie plain , which created a panic among the sick and the camp followers . They swept across as though they in- . tended to make a dash at our baggage , cutting up as they went some of our camel-drivers and bazaar people ; but they were soon checked by the fire of' our guns , and they retired hastily the moment our cavalry approached them . " On the 7 th of Mav . our advance was pushed right

    through the town , where : — - " In the gaol was found a poor lunatic , Mr . Healy , - Englishman , who was left behind when the insurrection , broke out , and whose , life had been spared by the superstition of the Muhomedans . He was quite reconciled to his place of residence , and refused to leave it when asked to do so . His companion was a man who had been shot through both legs , and who , with a match in his hand , was ready to fire a mine as soon as our soldiers entered . All the other inmates of the gaol were gone . " thh commander-in-ciiief ' s addkicss at bareildt . Sir Colin Campbell has published the annexed address to the troops , datfd " Head Quarters Camp , Bareilly , Hth of May , 1858 " : — - " Tho Commandcr-in-Cliicf has received the most gracious commands of her Majesty the Queen to communicate to the army the expression of tho deop interest f <; lt by the Queen in the exertions of the t re op ' s and the successful progress of tho campaign . Sir Colin Campbell has delayed giving execution to the Royal command uutil he was able to announce to tho urmy that tho last great stronghold of rebellion had fallen before the persevering efforts of the troops of her Majesty and the Hon . East India Company .

    " It is impossible for the Coivnnander-in-CIiief to express adequately his sense of the high honour done to him in having been chosen by tho Queen to convey h « r Majesty ' s most gracious acknowledgment !) to tho . army , in the ranks of which he has passed his life . The Cornmaiulor-i « -Chicf ventures to quote tho \ ery words of tho Queun : — 'That so muny gallant , and brave , and distinguished men , beginning with ono whose name will tiwr be mnoinbured with pride , lirigadicr-General Jlnvi'loek , should Imvo died ami fallen , U a great grief to llio Qiiuen . To all Kuroneau us v « : ll as native troops -who Imvo fought mo nobly anil ko gallantly , and among whom the Queen in rejoiced to ecu the i > . ' » nl , tlia Quoon ¦ '¦* ¦ V t . ifl __ . . ? _ « -. M > lit . m * m ri < b * 4 ^ 4 | A wioii ¦ &

    * *> ^ - wishes ! Sir Colin to convoy mo expru .- « « " - " ¦« ' ¦ admiration anil gratitude . ' " TUB MUllKllU Ol' IMA . IOK WATISHI'IKM ) . This tr . igioal occurrence is thus described in tlio liomh ( ty 1 'iimts : — "Tho Major mid Captain Kanshawo wcro travelling togethor in a van with tho intention of proceeding to Allyghur . They at first intended to have tfoixi vtd

    No, 433, Juiit 10, 1858.] The X , Eadek....

    No , 433 , JuiiT 10 , 1858 . ] THE X , EADEK . 653 __ . , ———— ¦ * -

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 10, 1858, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10071858/page/5/