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" The reverse sustained by General Windham at Cawnpore , from the impending and disastrous issues of which he seems only to have been rescued by the rapid advance of Sir Colin Campbell , has called for some remark in the papers ; but his subsequent appointment by the Commander-in-Chief to an independent command at Umballah would appear to indicate that no very serious blame attaches to him in the matter . Reports were rife at one time to the effect that he had resigned his command , and at others that he was in arrest , but they appear to have been but exaggerated statements of Sir Colin ' s natural impatience of the reverse . " The subjoined intelligence is from the Friend of India : —
" The Chittagong mutineers have killed the women ¦ who followed them from Chittagong . They remained in independent Tipperah for about a fortnight , and then attempted to make for the North-West through the Mymensing district . That road , however , was in the possession of a detachment of H . M . ' s 54 th ; so they struck off to the North East . On the 9 th of December , they entered the Sylhet district , and marched in a northeasterly direction . They suffer greatly from want of provisions , and some are said to have killed themselves . They state that they are going to the Mohneepore Rajah . The Sylhet battalion have been sent to intercept them in their road , and tokens have been sent to all the wild tribes , calling upon them to rise and slay the robbers The
¦ who are seeking to enter their territory . Dacca mutineers , after looting a few considerable villages , have crossed the Teestah , and are now in Bhootan . They have been joined by some three hundred upcountry men in the service of the Rajah of Kooch Behar * a district lying to the south of Bhootan . On the 11 th of December , a detachment composed of fifty Europeans and forty Ghoorkas , all picked men , left Jelpigoree to attack the mutineers . They hoped to take them by surprise . They had a long , harassing march of 25 miles . They arrived at the encampment of the rebels at daybreak , and found them posted in a most formidable position . To the rear of the rebels there was a dense jungle , their left was protected by small nullahs ,
and their right by a thick field of long grass . In front , they had three large ravines , filled with -water . The bottom of all the ravines was composed of shifting sands . The ravine upon which the front of the enemy immediately rested was unfordable , and the bank no less than twenty feet high . The detachment unhesitatingly plunged into the first ravine , and advanced on to the second . There they were terribly embarrassed . The sand was . up to their knees , and to advance seemed almost impossible . The enemy fired a few shots , but they passed harmlessly over the heads of those advancing . Directly , however , they had emerged from
the second nullah , they were received by a well-directed fire . They took shelter behind a sand bank , and returned the fire as well as they were able . Some soldiers then reconnoitred the third nullah , and , on its being found impassable the word was giv « n to retire . The mutineers , directly they saw the English and Ghoorkas in full retreat , laughed , danced , and hooted . The English and Ghoorkas were under fire for about half an hour ; but none of them were killed , and only two were wounded . They reached their camp that same evening , nfter accomplishing a march of fifty miles in twentythree hours . The Dacca mutineers are eaid to have
decamped ' THE ENTRY ( OMDER HAVELOCK ) INTO LtJCKNOW . A civilian , in a letter to his parents , gives an account of the Qntry into Luctnow of the relieving force under llaveloek and Outram , and of their subsequent blockade by the rebels . He writes : — " The fire from the Palace ( known as the Keisah Bagh ) was so severe that we had to run double quick in front of it as hard as we could , and a scene of great confusion ensued when we halted—guns and infantry mixed up , soldiers wandering in search of their companies , and the wounded in the doolies carried hero and there without any orders . We had been there about half an hour When the second brigade joined us , passing in front of
the Palace , emerging from a narrow lane close to it ; here they had to pass under the very walls , while the scoundrels on the Avail hurled down stones and bricks , and oven spat at our fellows , a fierce fire being kept up from the loopholed wall . After a little time , order was re-established , and after a fresh examination of the map the column was drawn up and wo started again . It was cruel work ; brave troops being exposed to such unfair fighting . What can men do against loopholed houses when they have no time to enter a city taking house by Rouse ? In fact , we ran the gauntlet regularly through ^ -tho . Btrcots . . Aft < ir ^ w . fi . pflsi 3 ! ei ( LtUfiJ ? fllafi 9 i o ^ L SL " ^ 5 l » S
knocked down like sheop without being able to return the fire of the enemy with any effect , wo passed on some little way , when wo camo to a sudden turning to tho loft with a huge gateway in front , and through this wo had to pass under a shower of balls from tho houses on each side . The Sikhs and 5 th Fusiliers got to tho front , and kept up a steady flro at tho . houses for some time with tho hope of loaaoning tho musketry , but It was of no ubo ; oxcited inon can seldom flro into loopholes with any certainty , and wo had to make tho best of our way up tho street , turning sharp round to tho right , when we found Ourselves iu a long wido street , with shoots of
fire shooting out from the houses . On we went , about a quarter of a mile , being peppered from all sides , when suddenly we found ourselves opposite to a large gateway , with folding-doors , completely riddled with round shot and musket balls , the entrance to a large enclosure . At the side of this was a small doorway , half blocked up by a small mud wall , and the Europeans and Sikhs were struggling to get through , while the bullets were whistling about them . I could not think what was up , and why we should be going in there , but , after forcing my way up to the door , and getting my head and shoulders over the wall , I found myself being pulled over by a great , unwashed , hairy creature , who sot me on my legs , and patted me on my back , and to my astonishin the lookedfor
ment 1 found myself long - Bailey Guard . What an entry compared with the one we had promised ourselves ! We expected to march in with colours flying and bands playing , and to be met by a starving garrison , crying with joy ; ladies waving handkerchiefs on all sides , and every expression of happiness ; but instead of that we entered as a disorganized army , like so many sheep , finding the whole of tho garrison at their posts , as they always remained , and a few stray officers and men only at the gate to meet us . The next morning we began to consider the state of affairs , and to our dismay we found that the scoundrels had not bolted as we expected , and that we in our turn were besieged . While the greater part of the infantry went ahead , it was found impossible to bring on the heavy guns , and they remained out with a portion of the force
till the morning , when a strong party was sent out from the Residency , which took possession of the Old Palace , a long row of palaces and gardens , including buildings known as the Terah Kotee , the Terah Buk , and the Chuttur Munzil . These buildings extended along the bank of the Goomtee river , upon which one side of our position rested , for nearly a quarter of a mile , and the communication being then open our guns were brought up . We were then blocked off from all communication with Alumbagh and the world in general . We learned that the supplies were so numerous that , with care , the entire united force could hold out till the middle of December ; good news for us , for , if we had been then forced to evacuate the place , but few would have escaped , with such a number of helpless women and children to escort . "
THE BATTLE OF CAWNPOBE . A boy of nineteen , in writing to his mother , gives the following vivid account of the fighting at Cawnpore at the close of November : — " The Entrenched Camp , Cawnpore , Dec . 2 , 1857 . " My darling Mother , —Thank God , I am safe and well , and through God ' s mercy I hope to remain so . We have had terrible hard work here fighting the Sepoys ; we have been at it five days together . The first day I was on my legs from four oclock in the morning until six in the evening . We paraded at four o ' clock , and , after standing on parade for an hour or two , we marched off 1500 strong . Nobody k ^ new where we were going to , but I had a dim idea that we should
see service that day , and sure enough we did . We marched along cheerily enough for two or three miles , the bands playing now and then in front . Presently there was a halt , the band came to the rear , and the fighting 88 th ( the Connaught Rangers ) came to the front . Whereat there were sundry murmurings among the officers of ' ours / because our right- ^ by seniorityof fighting first was thus taken from us . The word is given to 'Advance ! ' Bang ! goes a heavy gun , and whiz comes the immense mass of iron over our heads , and I am afraid I must plead guilty to feeling an extraordinary sort of sinking in my stomach . On we go , some'Command is given , and the loft wing of our regiment goes away somewhere ( I am in tho right wing ) .
Bang ! again . This time they have tho right range , and tho grape-shot toars through tho column . Tho word is given , ' Extend into skirmishing order to tho left . ' Away wo go , rushing on all the time ; wo jump over a bank of earth , and a man falls at my side ,. I think , ' Oh 1 ho only tripped up ; ' I turn , and see tho red blood gushing out on to the earth . And now tho bullets come round us fast and thick . My spirit-flask has the top grazed by a bullet . I am lost in astonishment that I am not hit . I see thousands of red-coatod Sepoys firing away at us , and I get into a rngo , and shout' Come along , my boys ! Remember Cawnpore 1 ' but in a feeble voice , trying to fancy mysolf brave , but fail totally in tho attempt . Wo como to a stop at length , and thank goodness for it , for I am terribly blown .
Here they rally tho mon , and got thorn togothor preparatory to taking threo guns in front . A ohoer , u long hoavo of my breath , a clenching of my hands and tooth , and away I go oncojnojro into the bullets . ' The guns aro ours rHurran "! " "' "" " "T" ' ' - ' ' — - " Three days more , something like this ; I will not bother you with tho fourth day . Tho last part wo had boon skirmishing all day , and towards six o ' clock tho blackguards mudo u rush , some 4000 or 0000 of thorn , to tho bridge , which I was defending-. Then camo a light botwoon 1600 tlrod Englishmen , and 5000 or more of frosh Sopoys , for those wore tho rosorvo . Thoro aro somo 20 , 000 of thorn here . Please Gooilnoss , I hope never to soo such a hailstorm of bullets again . I saw mon full on every side of mo ; splinters lilt mo , piocos of earth from bullets , &c , and there wo woro obliged to
stay . Our orders were ' to keep the bridge as long aa possible ; ' the ' keeping' consisted in standing still while a . hurricane of balls passed through us . I must own here that I iost my preaSfcce of mind ; I said the Lord ' s Prayer , and thought I should never see you , darling , and all my dear Mends again ; but God ( thanks to him for it ) has hitherto preserved me . We after some time retreated into the fort , and defended it until relieved by Sir Colin Campbell . " I sleep on the ground every night . I have hard biscuit and rum to live on . I never am able to sleep more than three hours at a stretch , but I have a capital appetite , good health , and I say my prayers every night that I may be allowed to see you again ; and I am . very happy and comfortable , so do not worry about me , darling . "
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SPECIAL LETTERS FROM INDIA . { From a Military Correspondent , . ) Naffpore , December , 1857 . In my former letters I have frequently alluded to that general disaffection throughout India , which has been rapidly increasing in bitterness and restlessness ever since Lord Dalhousie assumed the reins of Government at Calcutta in January , 1848 . Where general disaffection and distrust prevail , the mere ostensible pretext or provocative to actual conflict , is never long wanting . Anything will cause an excitement ; anything will serve as a cry ; anything will be caught at and exhibited by the designing leaders , and accepted by the angry multitude as the crowning injury and insult , the which
last intolerable infliction , , must be opposed and resisted , or endured for ever . Greased ' cartridges will do , fetters for refusing them will do , modern-antique prophecies will do , anything will do for an exciting cause , when discontent , suspicion , and credulity reign . What excuse was there for the attack on the Tuileries in August , or the prison massacres in September , 1792 ? Where an immense population is subjected to a foreign and alien race , and especially where the natives and the conquerors are of different colours , there must exist some amount of repugnance and heartburning ; and nothing but the most scrupulous respect for ancient rights , and a thoroughly efiicient administration on the part of the dominant race , can overcome the natural
aversion to a foreign yoke , and secure permanent or even long-continued submission and peace . From want of sympathy with the natives , and our pride of superiority , and the ever-increasing lust of patronage , we have excluded the natives from all share and interest in the Government , and from _ almost all posts of dignity and high emolument ; and we have done nothing to initiate that human fellowship between the races , without which our mission in the East must for ever remain dark and barren . It has gradually come to pass that there is no human relation between the English and the natives of India , neither that of master and slave , nor that of patron and client , nor until 1857 even that
of open foes ; but a hard misunderstanding and mutual distrust subsist , which but a few individuals on either side can break through . And within the last twenty years , but more particularly within the last teii years , from the extension of our territory , and the consequent employment in greater numbers of young and inexperienced men , the inefficiency , oppression , and corruption of our judicial and magisterial establishments have been aggravated and in some districts have become intolerable . " And within the sanio period we have gradually shown more and moro disregard for ancient rights , less and less consideration for the most legitimate and cherished feelings , and predilections of the bestinstructed and most influential classed of tho natives .
It was not always so ; wo did not gain our possessions and power in India by such moans . Wo cannot keep thorn so . While the founders of our Indian Empire wore maintaining and strengthening n precarious position , controlling and conciliating allies , and contending with powerful enemies whom they could not but respect and admire in some degree , tho English in India continued to place a high value on tho good will and good op inion of tho natives . While they wore evoking ponco and order out of a chaos of conflicting interests , they learned at every step to appreciate both tho value of nativo tact in negotiation , and tho powerful influence of our own reputation for honour and fair dealing . And na hi « H times of conquest , crisis , and real difficulty tho work win most
dono by a fow heroes and statesmen , our celebrated tasks of tho pacification , settlement ) llll ( 1 organization of large provinces wore oflVcted by <" or two ablo and experienced English olllcera in eiu'li province , by moans ot some epociul nativo agency mid tuoToxisting local ~" autlroritlcsr ~ 'TlVoso" -nble- < -aiHUoxr porionced mon—flrst-rato , sooond-mto , or tlilrd-rnte , soldiers or administrators — never make thenmolvos offensive to tho natives , novor deapiao tho inhabitant" tho country , or think lightly of their aneiont rights , privileges , customs , or prejudices . In fact , thoy mulurstand tho natives and can mako thomsolvoa undoraW »< and rospoctod by thorn . Search tlio works , tho oflk'liu writings , and tho pffloial acts , of such mou as Lord I >»^ - calfo , Sir Thomas Munro , Frederick John Shore , fc > ir
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124 i THE I » E A-D EE ,. [ No . 411 , Pebruauy 6 , 1858 .
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* This will bo oxplalnod in detail in a futuvo letter .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 6, 1858, page 124, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2229/page/4/
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