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No. 408, January 16, 1858.] THE LEADER, ...
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THE INDIAN REVOLT..—•—*—• We are now bet...
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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No. 408, January 16, 1858.] The Leader, ...
No . 408 , January 16 , 1858 . ] THE LEADER , 51
The Indian Revolt..—•—*—• We Are Now Bet...
THE INDIAN REVOLT . . —•—*—• We are now better able to understand the conrse- of event ? in connexion with the Gwalior Contingent , the intelligence of which first startled the country in the middle of last week . It appears , from despatches published during the present week , that General Windham attacked the formidable force which was subsequently so roughly handled by Sir Colin Campbell . Windham had an encounter with the enemy on the 26 th of November , and defeated them ; but on the following day they rallied , and , as already kno wn , forced the English General to retreat with immense loss , and burnt a large number of his
tents . A successful sortie was afterwards made by aur men , when . Brigadier Wilson , of the 54 th , fell . The Gwalior men made another attack on the 28 th of November , but were repulsed . Sir Colin Campbell ' s action was fought on the 6 th of December ; and a telegram received on Sunday says that " the whole of the enemy ' s artillery , ammunition , and baggage , fell into our hands . " This , however , is an exaggeration ; for , some days later , General Hope Giant came up with the fugitive Gwalior army ( still well appointed ) at Sernighaut , as they were beginning to cross the ghaut over the Ganges . At once attacking them with his cavalry
and artillery , he gained a victory , after half an hour s sharp fighting , and took ( according to a despatch from Sir Colin Campbell to the Governor-General , dated December 10 th ) fifteen guns , consisting of one 18-pounder , eight 9-pounders , three 12-pounder howitzers , two 4-pouader howitzers , and one 6-pounder ( native ) , with all the enemy ' s stores , carts , waggons , large quantities of ammuuition , bullocks , hackeries , & e . General Gran * estimates the loss of the rebels at about one hundred . Our force did not lose a man in the action ; but the General was slightly wounded . " I congratulate your Lordship , " says Sir Colin , addressing Lord Canning , " the happy finish of this particular campaign . "
In returning to Cawnpore , the Commauder-in-Chief took with him , besides the poor beleaguered creatures he had saved , and the state prisoners , a large quantity of treasure , consisting of twenty-three lakhs of rupees and the King ' s jewels . He also carried away all the guns which were worth having . The ladies and children , and the sick and wounded , from Lucknow , to the number of about eight hundred , have arrived at Allahabad , and are probably by this time safe at Calcutta . Our troops have abandoned . Lucknow , but General Outram remaius with a division at Alumbagli .
The Oude insurgents have moved southward , and compelled our allies , the Ghoorkas , to retire from the Azimghur and Taunpoun stations , which are respectively about one hundred and one hundred and fifty miles from Lucknow . All Europeans on the march upward have been ordered to halt at Benares , till the arrival of Colonel Franks to take command . Rohilcund , Agra , and Delhi , seem , according to the cautious wording of the telegram sent by Lord Lyons , to bo tolerably quiet . We further read : —
"A petty insurrection at Kolapore on the 6 th of December was suppressed in three hours by the promptitude and decision of the Commissioner , Colonel Legrand Jacob . A rising to resist tho enforcement of the Disarming Act having taken place in the Southern Mahratta country , the insurgents , about 1000 strong , wore attacked and defeated by Colonel Kerr , of tho Southern Mahratta Horse , near Kullidgco , on the 80 th of November , and tho country has since been tranquil . Tho Bengal 84 th and 73 rd have mutinied at Challigatory and Dacca , thus extinguishing tho Bengal army . The 48 rd and 70 th , which had been disarmed , are to bo sent to China . Two regiments of Holkur ' s Regular Infantry were disarmed at Imloro on tho arrival of tho Mhow column ; they , like the regular cavalry , having been conspicuous in tho attack on the Residency on tho 1 st July .
" Sir R . Hamilton assumed charge of his functions on tko lOtli . Sir John Lawrcnco reports tho Punjab quiet enough to permit tho railway survoy to bo proceodod ¦ with . The atoamor Groat Britain , with 1000 cavalry , consisting of tho 8 th Hussars and 17 th Lancers , arrived [ at Alexandria ] yesterday [ January 3 rd ] . A wing of the 72 nd Highlanders , arrived per ntoumer Scotia , now forms part of tho Bombay garrison . " ™_ 3 r . urthcr _ . intclligonce .-ia ~ thu 8-. coaveyQd-in ~ otheL ' official telegrams : — " Tho Jaunporo frontier having boon threatened by a largo body of rebels , Colonel Longdou lull buck on Jaunporo . Ho was immediately reinforced by European troops . Thin had a grout olieot ; and up to tho StU of December all was quiet on tho frontier . Colonel Vranka has been appointed to command tho troops there . " Tho Rowah troops have twice dolbatod the MyUero robols , capturing tho forts of Kunohynporo and Zorah . " Moliidporo wan attacked by rebels on tho 8 tli of
November . Toe Contingent bebaved badly , and their o |&« ers were forced to escape . The rebels captured all the gums and plundered the cantonment . They were , however , pursued by a portion of the Hyderabad Contingent Cavalry , under Major Orr , and on the 12 th of November wete cut up , after an obstinate fight , leaving a hundred dead o » the field . All the guns and plunder were retaken . " Colonel Durand , with the column from Mfaow , advanced on Mondesore on the 23 rd of November . The rebels were attacked and defeated with heavy loss . Five of their guns were captured . Neemuch , which was threatened by these men , has thu 3 been relieved , and the remnant of the insurgents , who still hold the fort of Mundesore , are much dispirited . Killed : Lieutenant Redmayne , her Majesty ' s 14 th Dragoons . Wounded : Lieutenants James , Martin , and Prendergast .
" The detachment of the 34 th Native Infantry fat Chittagong ] mutinied on the 18 th of November , released the prisoners , and plundered the treasury . They have fled towards Sylhet . No lives have been lost . On hearing of the Chittagong mutin 3 ' , it was determined to disarm the three companies of the 73 rd Native Infantry stationed at Dacca . They resisted , but were overpowered , and fled towards Jelpigorie , the head-quarters of their regiment , leaving sixty killed . Three sailors were killed . A detachment of the 73 rd Native Infantry , with , fifty Ghoorkas and eighty Irregular Cavalry , have marched" to intercept the mutineers from Dacca . The troopers fled during the nigbr , but were fired upon by the rest of the party . The Europeans from Barjeelhing (?) , with three guns , have been sent to Jelpigorie . Europeans have also been sent from Calcutta to Chittagong and Dacca .
" Two thousand seven hundred and four men from England have arrived since the last mail . " The Bheels in Candeish are still in rebellion ; but no great success has been reported . An armed band has attacked a place called Peinth in one of the telegrams , and plundered the Treasury . Surat troops have been sent for from Madras and Bombay , and police from Taunal and Nassick , to restore order . The rising of Berunds was entirely crushed after a body of them had been severely chastised at Hulfullee . All is quiet in the Punjab , Scinde , the Nizam s country , and Madras .
Jung Bahadoor is said to have passed Segowlie with 9000 men . He has gone to Gorruckpore , to help Sir Colin Campbell . It was he who visited England in 1850 ; and it will be recollected that he offered assistance to Lord Canning in the early days of the revolt—an offbr which was refused , and almost immediately afterwards begged for . An alarming statement is published in the Daily News of yesterday , where we read : — " A report has reached us—we regret to add , from a
reliable source—that , as soon as Maun Sing ' s adhesion to the insurgent cause in Oude became known , all the small Talookdar 3 , who had hitherto stood aloof , hastened to make the best terms they could for themselves with the rebels . It is stated that , with a view to make their accession the more acceptable , such of them as had previously concealed and protected European fugitives , delivered them up to the enemy , and that all our unfortunato countrymen and countrywomen thus surrendered have been butchered . "
The events at Dacca have been signalized by the accustomed bravery and promptitude on the part of our countrymen : — " When , " writes the Times , " tho defection of the two companies at Dacca reached tho ears of Colonel Shorer , the officer in command at Jelpigorie , ho at once decided on his course . Calling out the regiment , ho boldly announced the mutiny of the detachment , struck its insurgent companies off the roll of the corps , distributed the promotions among the rest , and actually marched them out to meet their traitorous comrades at tho point of tho bayonot . That the regiment was fascinated by the resolution of its commander , that it answered , hia call , and followed him to the encounter ,, are known ; but for the result we have yet to wait , " THE OrEltATIONS AGAINST THE QWALIOU OONT 1 NOISNT .
Tho lamontablo errors of General Windham , and tho masterly operations by which Sir Colin Campbell retrieved our disasters at Cawnpore , are thus related by tho Calcutta correspondent of tho Daily News : —* " Cawnporo had been left under the command of General Windhaui , tho hero of tho Redan . Ho had with , him about 8000 men , constating of portions of the 84 th , 61 th , 82 nd , and 88 th R e ^ imonta , besides artillery . It ia said that his orders from fcilr Colin wore on no account to ririk an engagement . However that may be , ho hoard i
Dn-tho' 20 th-thft 6-the ~ Gwnllov"Tobela wero"ft ( lvandrn ' g" ~ 5 n Cawnpore . On tho 25 th , information reached biin that the advanced guard hud arrived ut Pundoo Nuddy , about eight miloH from Cawnporo . These were not the Gwalior troops i they woro Koor Singh ' s rabblo ,, who , luiving been beaten out of Bohar in August by Vincont Eyre , had since joined the Gwalior disciplined troops , anil had coino on as their advanced guard . WindUara , thinking they were the Gwalior troops , wont out on tho 26 th to attack them , and , after n content of an hour and a , half ' s duration , beat them . Ho thought , moat probably , that
this defeat must so disorganize the rebels th * t they would make no more head against us . At aU events , aU accounts agree in stating that no precautions whatever were taken against surprise , that our standing camp remained as though we were ia . a peaceful cantonment ^ and that no attack was anticipated for a moment . Bat the Gwalior men were rather enraged than discomfited . They hod sent forward Koor Singh ' s rabble as a ' feeler / both to deceive Windliam and to mask their own movements . They were very nearly being successful . Finding from Windbam ' s attack on Koor Singh that he was prepared to expect them on the east side of Cawnpore , they moved rapidly on to the Delhi road , making- a circuit , and then , on the morning of the 27 th , marched on the station from the westward Instead , however , of attacking with promptitude , they
contented themselves with assuming a threatening attitude at Nawabgunge , a suburb two miles distant from Windhatn ' s standing camp . This enabled the latter to make preparations . He ordered out the troops , and , marching at the head of more European troops than tho lamented Havelock had ever had under bis command , went down , confident of success to attack the rebels . Our troops , accustomed to be led to victory , went on with their usual dasb , the 64 th , one of Havelock ' s victorious regiments , leading . They charged a battery in the left centre of the enemy ' s line , and gained it , the enemy yielding to them at every step . By advancing the other regiments to support the 64 tb , the victory would have been assured ; but they were left alone , and the enemy closing on them with their left wing , they
suffered very severely ; they were compelled to abandon the guns they had gained . The want of a general was evervwhere conspicuous ; confusion reigned on all sides ; no distinct orders were issued , and our troops had to Beat a hasty , it may be called a disgraceful , retreat into the entrenchments , leaving standing camp , stores , camp equipage , and the entire station of Cawnpore to the west of the canal in the hands of the enemy . Our loss was proportionately heavy , and several of our men , and even some officers , fell alive into the hands of the enemy . It is stated in private letters that one of these was forthwith hanged , a second beaten to death with shoes , and a third tied to a cart-wheel , which in a few successive revolutions crushed him to death- Our camp and stores they burned , and that same evening
advancing close to our entrenchment they took possession of and burned the whole of the cold-weather clothing for our men , which had been stored up at Cawnpore . On the following day , the rebels attacked the entrenchment , commencing with a very heavy cannonade from the right and left of their line . Windham attempted a sortie , in which , after some hard fighting , the Rifles managed to capture two guns , but our right were driven back with much loss . It was the sound of the firing on this day which reached the ears of Sir Colin Campbell : a messenger at the same time arrived with accounts of the critical state of Windham ' s party . Had the rebels at this time cut the bridge of boats , which affords the only means of communication with Oude , Sir Colin would have found it a difficult matter to cross the
Ganges ; but tho rebels not expecting his return , and making sure of Windham ' s force , were probably anxious to avail themselves of the bridge of boats to crush Sir Colin Campbell . At all events , they let it remain , and by so doing were lost . The movements of the favourite lieutenant of Sir Charles Napier were too prompt for them . With his artillery and cavalry , he marched thirty-eight miles in fifteen hours , crossed tho Ganges by tho bridge of boats on tho night of the 28 th , on tho next day fell upon tho rebels , drove them back , in a way which made the troops feel that they once more bad a General at their head , into the town , and then returned to escort the ladies and wounded across the river . Although harassed
in this operation by the rebels , who- poured m a desultory lire from the town , and threatened on tho left bank by tho Oude insurgents , he in the space of two days successfully effected this very delicate operation . He did not at once attack tho onomy . Commanding from the entrenchment the head of the . road to Allahabad , he made arrangements for a safe , escort for tho ladies , sick , and wounded , as far as that station , remaining meanwhile on tho defensive . On the morning' of the 6 th , tho lust wounded man having loft the entrenchment , ho turned his attention to the rebels , and at eleven o ' clock moved out to attuck thorn . No details of the aotiou havo yet been received in Calcutta ; but it is known that tho enomy were totally and completely defeated . " Tho same writer adds : —
" With respect to General Windham ' a conduot on the 27 th and 28 th , every account received from the camp expresses but one opinion . By somo it la Baid that ho has been placed under arrest for fighting contrary to the exproaa orders of his Chief ; by others , that , disgusted v 1 | iir ^ tlxir ~ ffeTWtIm " oWt »^^ t 6 ¥ 8 Drt-by ^ Slr ^ Ool ! rt—ho-haer - thrown up his appointment on the start' of tho Indian army . But both those statements should bo roooivod with caution . Tlwy may or may not bo true ; but _ thl » fact ia certain , OhatSlv Golin found tho oampon tho 28 tU iu a state of uttar disorganization , and discipline almost ) ab ftn ond . He quickly restored both order and confidence As for tho Ohlof himself , every ono pronounces him a noblo old man , nnd a glorious solcUor . Oy tha promptitude of his movements ho haa aaved both Lucknow and Cawnnoro , and everywhere vindicated our
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 16, 1858, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16011858/page/3/
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