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No. 389, SireaaaEBER 5,1857.] TH1 LEADER...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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"3the Is30qda.N Revolt. The Full Ded»Ils...
July -wroen a * a * Ue taxsasd . in wiiich the British arfffieced ooasUarabfe loss . Oar teoops , who And b » cx-ralry to snniwrfc Aeai , « fter living fceateu t & c enemy , ^ rens oJfligBd to ffBtirB feto lie fiKt , is consequence of ihtax a ^ ly . jrf ammunition imvii ^ iaileditoerugh the explagiontff the -tumbrila . There-urare 4 S Europeans kli & ed gnd 92 : wounded in this affair , putsof a total farce of about -500 "ran engaged . Tiie mufiosera , after the battle , destroyed nearly all * he houses in . the cantonment in ¦ wfcfich they were assisted by itte bud mashes of
tie city snd the tprisoners liberated from the gaol . The European inhabitants , however , had previousl y taken reftige in the fort , which prevented a general massacre from taking place , " the only people killed outside being Major Jacob , formerly in Sciadiah ' s service , and Mr . Habbard , of the Agra College . Captain D'Oyly , of the Bengal ArtiHery ., -was mortally wounded in the action on the 5 th inst ., and six gentlemen belonging to the militia were also killed , one of whom was M . Jourdan , the celebrated equestrian performer . "
A communication in the Mqfussilite gives a more detailed aceonut of the "baffle : — " Early in the Say , the enemy , about 10 , 000 strong ( say 7099 infantry and 15 > 06 cavalry , and eight guns ) , encampedwithin'three hundred yardsof ah . open plamm the rear of thevlllage of Sussia , close to the fourth Tnilsstone-from Agra . on'the'road "to Futtehpore -Seekree , and shortly after miQ-day our troops came in sight of that village , which they ajrproacbed in a leisurely -manner , but nafortnnateSy , instead of "taking immediate posses sion and forcing "ttie enemy to "fight on the pUra > we commenced firing from a distance , and -ultimately the enenry took possession of it , and , being then under cover , inflicted heavy loss un us , tall they -were driven out .
" The troops tiiat went to meet tthe enemy on th « 5 th of July marched out . of the station about eleven a . m ., and proceeding along fhe Toad in the direction of the vniogo of Shahgunge , tma 'which is about six miles from Agra , entered tac larg ^ sandy plain that lies to the right of the Toad , " where the line of battle "was -formed , and ioi that order advanced slowly -to meet the enemy , who ^ nrere then distinctlyvtsRiile , Covering in large bodies immediately to the right of tie village . The British line consisted of a horse field battery on ' the extreme right and left , the infantry being in the middle , ^ md the mounted milifia somewhat in the rear- When about six hundred -yards'from the village , the insurgents opened fire on our right battery % y a . furious discharge of Tound
shot , grape , and shells , -which-was immediately resp < raa ' 'ea to with such excellent effect , that after two rounds from each gun they were seen retreating in great numbers . Loud cheering and repeated cries of ' Follow them up , follow them up ! ' were heard from all -parts of the right battery , and there can be little doubt , had a dash , been made , the enemy would have been driven from ^ heir position into the open field -with the low of their gtms , and the action been brought to an end , -with less sacrifice of life than eventually was the case . O \ ir guns , however , limbered up , and the line again advanced , but the enenry xruw stood to their guns , and having got their range , directed their fire with admirable precision , as the havoc among our men and horses painfully attested ~ , our
attack was evidently being confined to a series of deliberate advances , for of such it consisted , until -we "were within two hundred yards of the village , which ive then commenced to Lombard , and it is to be feared with small loss on the other side . The most unpractised e ^ e could see our shots were being thrown away on "high , mud walls , which siege guns alone could have -touched , whereas had our right battery moved only fifty yards further to the right , every shot from it must have told on tlie enemy ' s two batteries , which was issuing so destructive a fire upon us . The consequences of this were just what might have been expected—the enemy became emboldened , their cavalry in great numbers harassed our right , and the infantrv . spreading
themselves over the field in skirmishing order , gave us great annoyance Tvith their rifle firing , whilst we , from the want of cavalry , were powerless to Tq ^ el thorn . A . large numher of their horse had the audacity to sweep round to our rear , and , riding np the centre , endeavoured to reach , their main body , which many succeeded in doing . Itis true that our mounted militia charged through a body of those hanging to the right of the line , wneA aftei five of them gutting cut to pieces , and others severely wounded , they made a precipitate TCtrcat into tho battery , and from the . direction tliey took to reach it intercepted a fire about being opened from a gun that had been got into position for the purpose , and which ¦ would have blown off tho field every trooper at - \ viiom it ¦ w as pointed .
The firing against the village continued for fully one hour , during which time ; i . shower from musketry -was being poured on us from behind its walls and tho tops of Uie houses . Two companies of tho European Uqyimont then entered it in moat gallant stylo , forcing their way through , and driving out tho enemy to tho opposite side , and thin they would havo done in u much curlier stage or the action liad they been permitted . " A plot for an insurrection at Nngporc was discovered on the 30 th of June , but precautions were promptl y taken ; three nutive oflicurs , who were conviuted of mutiny , were hanged by sentence of court-martial ; IU 1 < 1 tho city and province remained
" Erom Hyderabad ( Decc * n ) , the capital of the 'Nizam ' s tkwmniang , " says the BemAag Ximez , " ive learn tthat a serious -rising -occurred ia that city on tie 18 th . July . About four thousand budoufities , fed by three [ hundred RohiUss , . marched upon the ^ Residency £ » idemand the release of the Jemadar of the 1 st Nizam ' s Cavalry , who luadbeen caught and delivered over to the resident by Salar «? ung . Major Davidson acted with much decision , and opened fire upon the rabble from several guns , which , caused them to disperse . Several -of 4 be Hohillas and ethers were killed , and many of tjiem made prisoners by . the 2 ftzam s mercenaries . The
leader of the Kohillas , who was mortally wouoded , was afterwards captured . The city has since remained quiet . To prevent any farther outbreaks of th « turbulent Bohilias , who were believed to be ripe for sedition , the wing Df the 12 th Lancers , stationed at Jtdrkee , has been ordered to Hyderabad . A field force , -consisting off sev « ral regiments of the Hyderabad Contingent , under the command -of Major W . A- -Orr , is being formed on the northern frostier of the Nizam ' s dominions , and will act in conjunction with the Bombay . movable columns , to put down revolt in central India . " ' £ he Mengol JliirToaru says : —
" . The Supreme Government ias announced that it will . raise subscriptions to the . new five per cent , loan , half ia cash , and half in rfbur per cent paper . A Government loan of « ix per cent , has fceen tapened ia the Punjab fox one yeaa- only . The Department of Public Works is , as a measure of necessary eoontnny , to be reduced throughout . the country . The Gwrernor-Genecal , in Council , has proclaimed a reward for the apprehensiiou of routineers and deserters . " A fearful retribution faas crverta"ken the disaffected at Benares , where ^ thirty Zemindars were hung in one day . An attempt "to lecaptnre the plaioe Teas made by a body ^ f Bajpoot «; feint it £ aiied , and one hundred of the insurgents were kilted . The ex-Anieers of 5 cin . de—Meer Shadad Kban , and Mleer
Husean AHifi—Ira-wo © xprooocd thciar regret fto the Supreme Government at the mutiny of > the Senoys , and liave offered their « ervices-against them . OJhe Sikli Sirdar -Shere Sing has also offered ; bis services to Government , Btating bis -willingness to leave his family as hostages , shouldbis faith , be doubted . Jong Bahmdoor , of iNepai , has sent troops to India to act with our own men ; -and the Rajahs of Putteala , Jheend , XJlnar , . & C-, as vail as many of 'the miaor cfawrfe « € the ^ octhern and Ceirtral districts , have volunteered assistance . Gtorexannent bus instructed all Mofcssil ^ magistrates - ' to feeep-iaxostody , when that course eeeras desira-ble , instead « f taking i > aii or security from them , ^ religions naendicanta scad otlier suspicious characters ifound iwitiiin their districtB . ' An . dffioer , writing iirom ffuttehpone on the I 2 th of-July , gives stke following accouut of > the battle there : — ' * We are just come from battle , have gained a complete victory , -taken eleven guns—all they had—and all thenr tmggage . If s an -otter rout . And -now I'll tell you all about it . We started at twelve at night , and camo on , eighteen miles , to Belinda , joining Henaud ' s force on the road . We got in about half-past six , and the orders were to Temain in order till -we should ascertain tie news from a reconnoitring party sent two miles on . Well , I for one thought it bosh , and we generally had the idea that the enemy would never come near ns . So I strolled over as usual to the iFusiliers , under a tree ,
to get tea and a jpipe . A little -while after , one said , ' Here's our party returning—why , they havent boen two miles . ' I casually took out my glass to look , ana then , by Jove , beheld a large body of cavalry coming down , about 160 O yards off . The alarm sounded , tho men -were in their places instantly , and the order was for artillery to xnovo on and open . So we did . I ' m bound to say that the first practice was not very good , but it emptied some saddles , and made them keep at a respectful distance . TJien Uiey eprcad , trying ± o outllaiiit ua , but the skirmishers and the Eiifiolds went tout and Boon stopped that manoeuvre . Meanwhile , iiic jlxtLHeiy were jpushia \ g ou to the front to engage at closer quartera—« fckey in . centre , iafiaatry on either iiank . And
uow tAwiir guns opened ou us , and the round . shot came hopping to the battery . ; bat wo dcuood soon settled the first three guns and took them , and bo we went on aud on , blaring into thorn , following « p for : sever , « l miles into Puttehpare . I was Astonished at tho way , the bullocks wK » kod . JtfoBt of our adv « ace was Ihrongli rioes-Bwamps , and just oil * an-eighteen nniie mnroh tooit n'lis wonderful . As we went on , we found jgun a / tor gjia ubandoned . At the entrance of Futtehpore , where , if they had choson to stand , the ground yyjia such . that wo must have had an awful light , there was a "barricade
of hackeries across the road , and wo tliought tvo were ia for it ; but this turned out to be "their baggage mixed up in o « o jam , and a couple of six-pminders in complete order , never boon firod , caught in tlio inidst . There wns lots of plunder liero , and amongst it Tnany evidences , alaa ! of tho sack of Cawnporo—ladies' ( Tresses , men's overcoats , Baddies , pictures , & c . Two tumbrils of treasure wcro taken—ono plundered by tho men , tho otlier caught and brought in by the Bikbs . Our la . st guns - \ vera fired nt the retreating enemy on tho Cawnporo wide of Futtohnoro . "
General Havelock Urns thanked Ms anny foriheir achievements in this action : " Brigadier-General Havelock , C . B ., tfaanlcsluB sol-^ ere for their ardmras exBitions yesterday , vrhiob . moduced in four hours tfae strange result of a whole army driven from a strong position , eleTCn gens captured , and their-whole force scattered to the-winds , imthov * the lose of a tingle British soidier ! To what is tfcis astomshing effect to be attributed ? To tzae t & re -of t & e BritiBh a ^ tfllery , -exceeding In sapidity and precision all that the Brigadier-General has ever witnessed in his not « hort career ; to the power of the Enfield rifle in British hands ; to British . pl-Hck—that g » od quality-which has survived the revolution of the hour ; and to the . Messing of Almighty God in a most righteous 'cause—the -cause of justice , . humanity , fcrut & , and good government ia India . "
A writer from the spot supplies an interesting account of the rising at Sealkote , under date July r 2 th : — " About nine a . m . this morning , information / was received that the Sealkote mutineers were crossing > at Trimmoo by a ford . In about ten . minutes , the column was in motion and reached within a mile of . Trimuijoo by twelve o ' clock ; the cohimn here deployed , the gunscoverad by the infantry . . All " this time nvse could distinctly . eee the AGth formed in line , in front of us , miiiL the 9 th Ca \ mlry on either flank . They had alsovidettes far out " \ vatchuig , who fell back as we advanced . ; -whaa . within eight hundred yards of thue enemy oar . guns xr . exa unmasked . Thus we advanced w . ithin ttsree Jumdrei
yards , when . the order -was . given to unlimber . the . guua-, but nat to . nre , as Nicholson wished to commence wiiU the Enfield rifles x > f the -52 nd , who were placed-between the guns . I really am . not vsure whether . the first diat was fired by them or us . I rather thirikthje lafctei ; , fbat there was a very smart interubango between their muskets arid nm rlileafor two or thTeeminutes , -wten our guns first openedwith round shot , then-with grape . Scarcely had our guns opened when the cavalry charges , not from the front , but from the right flank , into the guns on that side and caused no little confusion , but were cut or shot down .
" Then we had a charge of cavalry on our flank an £ rear . There-was a good deal of scrimmaging and pistoling ; no sooner was this got over than the Pandya charged manfully at our guns , and came , I suppose , within thirty or even , thirty-five yards . The 'Europeans coxrldrnot stand this , but with a cheer they irent at ( hem with-the bayonet . Two or three Pandys had'bayonet * through them in no time , and the rest turned and flea . The 6 th Punjab Infantry then advanced and drove them across the Ravee , leaving their camp and all their loot on tire-river bank on this side . They had a gun on -tho other side , -from which they began -pounding us with round shot , and though not one told , yet the gun-was , considering the distance , mighty veil served , nor can we
imagine who they had to serve it . Two or three of our guns were brought to the river side , and plied them with round shot and shell ; some ' of the latter evidently bursting among the enemy and taking effect . "While tlira game at long bowls was going on , Nicholson went to have a look at their camp , at which the Sikhs flew like vultures . There were three or four gharees of sorts . I took shelter in one for half an hour , and bathed my head with eau-de-cologne , a bottle of which I found , and qualified the Ravoe water with essence of ginger , which H also found . Competent judges say that wo JkTIled and
wounded two hundred or three hundred erf tfio enemy . I should not have put their loss at so high a figure us the smaller . Our own is said to bo under ten "kiDed and twenty-five wounded ; but I do not know certainly . " Nicholson felt sadly the want of cavalry , and "tha enemy made the most of tha deficiency « n < our part . Their tactics were Admirable . They attacked us ou bail flanks -and ia toot , which they cordd not have done < h « I we had one hundred reliable Wrse . 'Their icroasmg tb * Kaveo at Tim moo is unintelligible , -unless Jt bethaifc their information about the movable coUurm was doifeotive . "
A very exciting account of an escape fxoin Saatkote ia giveu in an oHicer' . a letter , dated Goorranwalla , July Mth : — "AWut half-way . between fort and cantanmtartB , 1 Baw six troopers < drawn up on the aide of tho mad . I dx & it my revolver , tiioagh-of no uee , auMl , there being no otlier escape , proposed to run the ( gauntlet iwibh my bouse at full speed . I < aan . o opposite fcho first , wlw » fired hia pistol ; the rest ( lid likewise as i came opposite them , bat without cflect . TJio last gavo chaso , drawing . hka second piaboL I cowered him with my revolver , whidh kept him oii' for bmoqd tune , but , auddenly closing witliin two ymrds , flue took a steady aim at my head and ixxoi . I fdt ae if I had h & nn Iiit a « rv ere bk > w wdtli n stick on
ous ng ^ bt arm , having covered myself as ¦ well nfi fMJS & ibk with it . Ho gavo u about aud closed ; 1 thought it was all up with mo , but , finding I could draw my aworilj began to feel rather jolly again . AVhen lie canio alongside , I rammed it into him , but having uo Hlrongtli , could only get it in ubuut two inches into hid sido . Wo knocked it out with his pistol . 1 Mtruek him agiiiu with liko dFcct . Uo tUen shot uheatl . I put spurs to -my nag , and , an I camo up , banged at lu ' m . Ho beat forward to avoid , and I only got Jibout ono inch into him ,
No. 389, Sireaaaeber 5,1857.] Th1 Leader...
No . 389 , SireaaaEBER 5 , 1857 . ] TH 1 LEADER . o ^ o
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 5, 1857, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05091857/page/3/
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