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the -way in -which xt brought down the wall in huge fragments , -what effect it might he expected to produce after a few hours . The Cashmere Bastion attempted to reply , but was quickly silenced , and both portions of No . 2 -went to work in fine style , knocking the bastion and adjacent curtains to pieces . Majors Campbell and Kaye , Captains Johnson and Gray , had charge of No . 2 . No . 3 , however , did not commence fire till the following day , ¦ when the full power of our artillery was shown , and the continuous roar of fifty guns and mortars pouring shot and shell on the devoted city warned the enemy ' that ' his and our time had at length come . Night and day , until the morning of the 14 th , was this overwhelming fire continued . But the enemy did not let us have it all our own way . Though unable to work a gun from any of the three bastions that were so fiercely assailed , they yet stuck to their guns in the open , which partially enfiladed our position ; they got a guu to bear from a bole broken open in the long curtain wall ; they sent rockets from one of their martello towers , and they maintained a perfect storm of musketry from their advanced trench and from the city walls . "On the night of the 13 th , the engineers stole down and examined the two breaches near the Cashmere and Water Bastions , and , both being reported practicable , orders for the assault were at once issued , to take place at daybreak the following morning . . . . "At four A . M ., the different columns fell in , and were marched to their respective places , the heads of Nos . 1 , 2 , and 3 columns being kept concealed until the moment for the actual assault should arrive . The signal was to be the advance of the Rifles to the front to cover the heads of the columns by skirmishing . " Everything being ready , General Nicholson , / whose excellent arrangements elicited the admiration of all , gave the signal , and the Rifles dashed to the front with a cheer , extending along and skirmishing the low jungle which at this point extends to wi thin fifty yards of the ditch . At the same moment , the heads of No . 1 and 2 columns emerged from the Koodsee Bagh , and advanced steadily towards the breach . Our batteries had maintained a tremendous fire up to the moment of the advance of the troops , and not a gun could the enemy
bring to bear on the storming columns ; but no sooner did these emerge into the open than a perfect hailstorm of bullets met them from the front and from both ilanks , and officers and men fell fast on the crest of the glacis . For ten minutes it was impossible to get the ladders ; down into the ditch to ascend the escarp ; but the de- \ termination of the British soldier carried all before it , j and Pandy declined to meet the charge of the British bayonet . With a shout and a rush the breaches were ] both won , and the enemy fled in confusion . ' "Meanwhile , the explosion party advanced in front of the 3 rd column straight upon the Cashmere Gate , i-This little band of heroes ( for they were no less ) had to advance in broad daylight to the gateway , in the very [ teeth of a hot fire of musketry from above and through j the gateway , and on both flanks , the powder bags were coolly laid and adjusted , but Lieutenant Salkeld was by this time hors de combat with two bullets in him . Sergeant Carmichael then attempted to fire the hose , but was shot dead . Sergeant Burgesa then tried and succeeded , but paid for the daring act with his life . Sergeant Smith , thinking that Burgess too had failed , ran forward , hut seeing the train alight , had just time to throw himself into the ditch and escape the effects of the explosion . With a loud crash the gateway was blown in , and through it the 3 rd column rushed to the assault and entered the town just as the other columns had won the breaches . General Wilson has since bestowed the Victoria Cross on Lieutenants Home and Salkeld , on Sergeant Smith , and on a brave man of her Majesty ' s 52 nd , who stood by Lieutenant Salkeld to the last , and bound up his wounds . " General Nicholson then formed the troops in the main guard inside , and with liis column proceeded to clear the ramparts as far as the Moree Bastion . It was in advancing beyond this towards the Lahore gate that he met the wound which has since caused his lamented death , a death which it is not too much to say has dimmed the lustre of even this victory , as it has deprived the country of one of the noblest men and the most gallant soldiers that England anywhere numbers among our ranks . " The 4 th column , I regret to say , failed , but , as it was too far for me to know anything of its real progress , I prefer leaving its story to be told by another instead of sending you a vague and imperfect account . Had this column succeeded , its possession of the Lahore gate would have saved as much subsequent trouble . " Some further details are thus given by the Bombay correspondent of the Daily News ; — " Tlio buildings in the neighbourhood of tlie * Cashmere gate afforded excellent quarters for the troops , as well as capital cover . The people of tho city came into camp and sought protection from tho army , craving pardon , and disavowing all participation in the rebellion , saying that they were compelled to remain prisoners in the city , and denying having taken any active part in the insurrection . They -wore told to prove their loyalty by removing tho bodies of tho dead Sepoya , which work they at once commenced , and were clearing tho city of thorn apparently with right goodwill . It was a necessary labour ; for heaps of mangled bodies covered tho
| \ ground in all directions , on the roads and in ruined houses . The city , aa far as we had gone , exhibited little else but ruins , from the midst of which helpless women , unmolested , it is said , by our soldiers , rushed frantic and wild . Dogged resistance still met us in the -narrow thoroughfares in which our troops fought from house to house . Forty and fifty men were sometimes found congregated . ' in one building , and of these , when encountered , our soldiers spared no single soul . In this street warfare , and the arrangement of guns and mortars to shell the magazine , palace , and Selimghur , the 15 th of September passed . The Magazine , was stormed on the lGth without loss , and its appearance strangely contradicted the stories afloat during the siege respecting the want of percussion-caps and fuses . On the 17 th , a new and yet more advanced position was occupied in the Delhi Bank ou the left , whilst the sappers on the right slowly held their way towards the Burn Bastion , which with the Lahore gate still held out against us . The Delhi Bank was not won without some hard fighting , but once occupied , was obstinately maintained , as it faced the west front of the palace and Selhngh . ur . In the marble walls of the former , as well as the massive old works of the latter , the enemy still held out , playing occasionally from guns and keeping up a continual fire of musketry , whilst along the streets leading into the Chandnee Cbowk was heard that dropping sound of musketry which tells of irregular and partial fighting . It was evident , howeveri that resistance must soon cease , for bodies of rebels were frequently seen escaping from the city , either over the Jumna into the Doab , or through the southern gates towards Muttra . All day and night , and again during the 18 th , our shells fell thick into the palace and SelimghuT , which it was not thought necessary to storm . Their fire indeed had now completely ceased , but the Burn Bastion was still defended , and an assault on the Lahore gate failed , Captabi Briscbe , of her Majesty ' s 75 th , losing his life in the affair . On the 19 th , the line of the Chandnee Chowk was given up to us by the enemy , and our sappers having made their way up to the Burn Bastion , that was also carried without loss . The shelling still continued in the direction of the palace , and fire was directed generally upon the Jumnia Musjid and the southern half of the city . Then it was that the mutineers gave up the defence as hopeless . They abandoned the city during the night , and evacuated their camp near the Delhi gate , leaving behind them all their wounded , and blowing up their magaziue . A steady fire of mortars had been kept up till , daylight ( 20 tb ) , when the Lahore gate was occupied without opposition , the Ajmeer gate and outworks were secured without loss , the palace , Jumna Musjid , Selimghur , the bridge —all Delhi , in fact , taken . The King and his family had fled ; the townspeople hurried in crowds from the city ; and the victorious army of General "Wilson occupied the ruins of Delhi ....
"To the tomb of their ancestors came , in their flight from Delhi , Meerza Mogul , Mirza ltiza Sultan , and Mirza Aboo Bukur , the two sons and grandson of the king . Here they were taken from their attendants by Hodson and his Irregulars , and shot on the steps of the edifice . Their bodies , carried to Delhi , were exposed in the Kotwallee ( September 21 ) . " The aged king , with his Begum , Zeenat Mahal , took refuge a few miles further on the same road in the Kootub Minar . a marble Column of extraordinary height , crowned with a cupola . Here he also was surrounded by Hodson ' s horse , and surrendered on being promised his life and that of the favourite Begum . The elephants and insignia of royalty all fell into Hudson's hands , and his troopers fired a volley in his honour as the captive king was brought into Delhi . " The rebel Sepoys fled from Delhi in two directions . Many thousands of them , with a few light guns , following the right bank of the Jumna , reached Muttra on the 24 tb , 25 th , and 26 th of September , and on the 2 nd of October partly crossed the rivur into the Doab , with the intention of passing into Oude . The Nusaeerabad and Bareilly brigades , comprising all that remain of the Kohilcund troops , took this direction , whilst tho Neemucli and Kotah men , leaving Muttra , moved to Furrah , ou the road to Futtehporo Sikree , with the view of either joining the Indore mutineers on the Churnbul at Dholpore or crossing the Jumna lower down . " Smaller detachments , crossing the Jumna at Delhi , during tho progress of tho assault , rtiado their way to Boolundshuhur , where tho Jhansi and " Nougong inuti neera liave for some time been stationed . ' , A small party took the direction of Allyghur , and succeeded in mastering our uewly-appointed authorities at that plaice , forcing at the same time the small Agra column from Ilatrass back to Kcrowlco . On the 28 rd a column of Britisli troops , numbering 1600 infantry , 600 cavalry , and three troops of horao artillery , undor Colonel breathed , of H . M . ' h 8 tli , crossed tho bridgo over tli < J Jiunnu , at Delhi , and rapidly marched down tho road to Boolundshuhur . Colonel Greathcd , camo upon the Jhansi rebola at Boolundshubur and defeated them on tho 27 th of September . Ho found thoir position Htrong , but nevertheless attacked it , drovo tho rebels through the towp , and took from them onts 9-pounder and one IIpoundor gun , much ammunition , and baggage . They loft upwards of 100 dead on tho Held , and were aoou to curry off many -killed and wounded . Our iou was sixty killed and wounded , amongst the latter the following
officers :-Captain Best , 8 th Cavalry ; Lieutenant Sarh and Cornet Blair , 9 th Lancers ; and LieutenanTEcS worth , 8 th Foot , all severely . Captain Drysdale Ith Lancers , was severely hurt by the fall of his horse ' whn was shot under him . On the 28 th , Colonel Greathed sent out a party of cavalry to take the fort of Mala-hur which the enemy had evacuated . " ° ' An heroic episode in the capture of the city is thin narrated by another authority : — " The blowing open of the Cashmere Gate was to be the signal for the rush , as the breach was not sufficient to permit escalade without ladders . The duty was committed to Lieutenant Salkeld , of the Engineers , who apl proached the gate with three sergeants , carrying powderbags , under a tremendous fire of musketry . Ho was first shot through tho arm notwithstanding that , he went on to the gate with the bags of powder . As the party approached , one sergeant -was killed ; the second sergeant took up the bags , and knocked them on to the spikes of the gate , not being able to put them underneath , as the wicket gate was opened , and about twenty niuskets were pointed up , as well as through many holes in the gateway , and from both flanks from the wall . As Lieutenant Salkeld put on the bags , he was shot through the leg , and fell ; the second sergeant lit tho match , but , after lighting it , said to Lieutenant Salkeld on the ground , ' I fear the match has not taken light , sir . ' At the word ' sir , ' he fell dead , riddled with balls . The match , however , did ignite , and blew open the gate ; the third sergeant escaped unhurt . " Another account mentions as the heroes of this exploit Lieutenants Salkeld and Home , Sergeants Carmichael , Burgess , and Smith , four Sappers , and a bugler of the 52 nd Regiment ; Sergeant Smith was the successful man . The Governor-General has publicly thanked the army for their great services before Delhi—services rendered ere . they , had been reinforced by a single man from England or Bengal . He then continues : — " To Sir John Lawrence , K . C . B ., it is owing that the army before Delhi , long ago cut off from all direct support from the Lower Provinces , has been constantly reunited and strengthened so effectually as to enable its commander not only to hold his position , unshaken , but to achieve complete success .
"To Sir John Lawrence ' s unceasing vigilance , and to his energetic and judicious employment of the trustworthy force at his own disposal , it is due that Major-General Wilson ' s army has not been harassed or threatened on the side of tlie Punjab , and that the authority of the Government in the Punjab itself has been sustained and generally respected . " Tho Governor-General in Council seizes , with pleasure , the earliest opportunity of testifying his high appreciation of these great and timely services . " The writer of a letter from Delhi , dated the 25 tli of September , says : —
" Hiots are occurring daily on account of plundering . Some men of a native corps . actually iired on a guard of ours to-day , in consequence of the men . preventing them breaking into a bouso where valuables wero secured . Our men wounded some , and took two prisoners , who will , no doubt , ai-cording to order , suffer death . It is almost impossible to prevent l looting , the city is so large . I have heard about some ladies being murdered on our entering the city , but no authentic news of it . Tlie Sergeant-Major of the 28 th . N . I ., the scoundrel who gave every assistance to the mutineers in Delhi ( a European ) during thijir temporary occupation , was taken prisoner , endeavouring to efl'eet an escape with the King ; lie was in native unforni . He formerly belonged to the Artillery ; and no doubt rendered good service to the rebels in the capacity of a gunner , lie is now in our guard iu irons , and 1 hope- the villanoua traitor may get his neck dislocated ; he is a cut-throat looking beggar , and no doubt his life has been spared for the present so
an to pump him . " THE VKOCEEIUNOS OF THE FUGITIVK 8 AND OTIIKIt nrciiKr-s . Tho writer in tlie Daily A ' eww , from whom wo have already quoted , gives ji very full account of the operations at various points of the fugitives from Dell " , and of the other rebels . He say a : — "Some of the rebels went in tho direction or Mecru , and have penetrated into the Mooziiflbrnuggur district . In the meanwhile , the little garrison of IMccrut lias not been idle , na the following letter of September IDth U' «" tifica : — 'At midnight on the 17 th , JMujor Stokes iiiui Lieutenant Armstrong , -with two hundred and ten Anglian and Mooltnu Horse , accompanied Ly Uijitam Crngie , with , about one hundred Irregular Ciivalry , wimh . out ou n secret expedition along the l > lhl roud . sunrise-on the following morning , they surroundm Ul village of Tooradmtggur , about halfway between A et-vui and Delhi , where tho enemy ' s i-avnlry linvo o . stnblisncii themHclves in force . Secretly n » everything war ) nirangod , tho enemy were not completely taken by 3 " prise . Some two hundred of them were ready nioiuutu outside tho villuge , and tho remainder defended the pj «« ; from inaidtt ; however , after hard lighting , tho lMlcn . J were defeated and driven out of tho village , »»«' place burnt ; fifty-seven of their number were cut "I , and Hovcrnl taken prisonore . Our people had nine kiii and wounded : amongst tlie number , 1 am sorry to an ..
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1108 THE LEABEB , [ No . 400 . Nov , ™^ « n -,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 21, 1857, page 1108, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2218/page/4/
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