INDIAN NEWS.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 294, 24 March 1849, Page 3

INDIAN NEWS.

Advices to the 1 6th November had reached Adelaide from Calcutta. The Governor-General had proceeded to the north west province!, and a strong force," under the immediate command of Lord Gough, was marching upon Lahore and Mooltan. The siege of the latter place had been raised through the defection of Rajah Sin re Singh. General Whish, who considered he was no longer engaged with a mere rebellious Karder, but launched into a Punjaub war had taken a position to the west of the town, and was on the banks of Chenab. The arrival of Lord Gough would no doubt be the signal for the renewal of hos* 1 The' following account of the affair al Mooltni will no doubt be read with interest being extracted from a private letter receivod from Lieutenant Dandndge, of the 49th NI , by his brother, J. S. Daudridge, Esq , raiding t^Uy :-^ " On the 20th July we started for our denination, and arrived at Mooltan on the 3rd September, after a harassing and disgusting march of upwards of 250 miles You hate doubtlesi often heard of an Indian Bun in conlvadutinction to an English or even an Australian on % and I will leave you to imagine how comfortable we must have been under a burning sun of 125 degreei in tents alone. The com,, trr all about here is but thinly inhabited, far less cultivated; in fact, the greater part of our march was through an immense tract of dense jungle and deiert, and when the wind was at all high the dust rolled about in volumes arounJ vi, and sometimes bo hot n was p .inful to face it. No sickness prevailed during our march ; this it saying a great deal. When I speak Of ours, I mem the three native regiments of infantry, three of caul.y, and one troop of hone artillery. The two European regimen's came down by water. They were healthy enough while on the water, but the day after landing, nineteen men died from excessive heat, and no less than one hundred and forty w«it imo ho«. Vital Poor fellows, they cannot stand much sunninc ; at least they could not at that time, but are pretty well vied to it now. To give you a little iniight into our 'doings here, I will B»«» y° u a few extracts ft urn my Isurnal To begin— On the sili the force was drawn up in column (five native infant.y, two gum)»nda rival salute a<ed, proclamation having been previously circulated, at a warning <o the refractory. An iron wply wb» received io the shape of a 14 lbs. shot, wh cli fell within a few yards of our troops, who were accordingly moved back out of the fire. 6th. Nothing particular. 7th. The force changed positun by a flank movement, when a de'achment from the Bth and 72nd regiments N.I , two guns and home cavalry, advanced and took possession of some houses and gardens, with a tank, Known as the 'Ram Teerut,' thence the sap was commenced. Bth. Three companies of the 72nd dashed out and took possession of a summer house and garden in excellent style, driving out such of the enemy as bad there taken shelter. A heavy cannonade from the city and fort was kept up all day on the R*m Teerut and iti environs, killing a few of our men. About 1 p.m , the enemy being observed in great force putting guns in battery near a brick kiln mound overlooking Ram Teetut, two ten inch howitzsrs were sent for, the destructive fire of which caused them to desist for a time, though by the next morning their bat cry was in full play upon us. At 10 p.m., and again at daybreak, the enemy came down furiously, sword in hand, on the whole line of position, but were repulsed with a severe loss by the covering party and howitzen, four men only of ours wounded. 9tb. A brisk cannonade was kept up all day on our hont fiom the fort and brick kiln, the great sixteen pounder from the " Khoonee Boorg," or B'oody Tower, pitching its shot into our camp ; one nearly into the m»gnz ne. The enemy annoyed our picquets all ninht long, they bung obliged to fall biclc twice. About 9 pm. Col. Pattoun, H.M. 82ad, attempted to carry a position in fiont with two companies 10th Foot anil four companies of the 49th N. 1., but we were vepuUed with great lo*s, the enemy sheltering behind looped walls and encloied ■villages. On this deplorable occasion the 10th had one officer wounded (-inoc dead), 43 killed and ifOU' ded. Our regiment had a'so two officeis dangerously wounded, pour RichaidiDii and Irwin ; the latter poor fellow is in a pecarious state, and doubts are entertained of his recovery, a ball having gone through his body. We had be-ides six men killed and wounded. The enemy could have lost very few, if any, so thick was their cover. ***** Richardson is almost well, though he received three deep sabre cuts on the head, oue of which was just deep enough to expose the brain : seven sabre cuts over his legs and arms, nnd one spear wound in the thigh. 10th. 'I he heavy gum, mortars, &c, played all day on the enemy's position in front, consisting of heavy tree jungle, gardens, and buildings. Uth. A very galling fire all day upon our .position, the trees full of skirmishers and sharpthooter», who blazed at us wiih their long matchlocks and zumbooraks. (These last are generally tied to the boughs of trees, and ca.ry a 1 lb. iron ball.) Six pounder shot fell thickly around vi. This day we only lost two or three men killed, and as many wounded. Tins was rather surprising considering the very heavy fire. The Zumbooruk balls fell unpW asantly cbie into the trenche* at night. No spot was exclusively iate from luch visi s, as was proved to us by a six poundei ahot rolling into our tiffin party, after striking the door sill of the summer house, and a 6epoy, while drioking water at a well, apparently covered, was shot through a broken tyop in the wall of the outpost. J2th. Now comes the tug or war, and the following force was ordered to attack the position on which we had failed the night of the 9th .—Six companies 10th V/,««-- «v diLtn »2nd Fool, 4l)lh and elh'NaUVe lv-

fantry; and one troop of Horse Avtilltry, the whole under the command of Brigadier Hervey. The action begnn by a tremendous cannonade from our 18 pounders at 9 p>m., accompanlted by a rapid discharge of howitzers and mortars on the doomed posts ; the fire of musketry then commenced, and continued for two hours, during which village after village was carried in the most gallant manner, the stubborn defenders falling in heaps before the bayonet! of our troopi, who were bent on avenging the deaths and wounds sustained in the former night attack. Europeans and natives vied with each other in galtant deeds, and showed what could be done when required. The enemy completed his disaster by springing a mine a little too soon, whereby an immense body of men were actually burnt alive, their cartoucn«boxes all exploding, and adding to the generai conflagration. An old officer was heard to lay, that it was harder work than on the glorious day of Subraon, and that his bayonets were more injured than on that memorable occasion ; they are bent, broken, and twisted into all shapes. Every house was loopholed from top to bottom, and few old warriors could have been under a much heavier fire than we were exposed to for those two hours, I can assure you that I have no ambition to be a partaker in another such as this. The enemy foughf hand to hand. They first endeavoured to win by treachery, as poor young Lloyd, of the Bth, found to his coat ; however, they were all bayonetted on the spot. Moolraj is said to have lost fourteen hundred men, five hundred being his picked and chosen soldiers. The loss on our side was five officers killed and fifteen wounded : fifteen men killed, and one hundred and forty-three wounded. Thus ended the severe conflict of the 12th, in which I am happy to say our regiment took a conipicuoui part, as also that I myself have escaped unscathed iv the fiery ordeal. Neccnity has, however, compelled ut to do— what the enemy never could— that is, to raise the »iege — for want of troops. * * * We have fallen back a little, and are now waiting for reinforcements. " Having two officers laid up with bad wounds, and poor Cubitt being killed on the 12th, we have only got three suba'tcrns for duty, which makes it very heavy; in fact, from the Bth Sep'ember to the Ist October we were neither of us off duty a. tingle day, and have [ nevf r slept in our night clothes, being always obliged to sleep out iv the plains armed cap-a-pie on picquet duty. " Shere Sing, who was sent down from Lahore as our ally, has turned trnitor and gone to Moolraj. with four thousand men and ten guns; the best thing he could have done, however, as the General never put any faith in him from the commencement. Better the wounds of an open face than the treacherous kiasei of friend. The whole of the north-west is again up in arms. We hare got a large army assembling at Ferozepore, and we now expect a recurrence of the bloody fields of Moodkee, Ferozeshah, Aliwal, and Subraon." We have alio been favoured with a Delhi Gazette, from which we learn that Moolraj's men went strolling about, and joined among the E. I. C. lepoys, being dressed the same as "Bahawal Khans," and consequently are n t distinguishable from friends or enemies. it was from these brutes that poor Ensign Lloyd met his death. A party of them were about being shot at by the Europeans, but Lloyd told his friends they were Bahawal Khan's men, and they desis'ed. The con«equence was, that the belligerent party set upon Lloyd, when they got sn opportunity, and killed him with their tulwars, but were afterward", as mentioned by Lieut. Dandridge, all bayonetted. The following is the list of officers killed and wounded nn thf niL'lit of the 13th—

Killed. Colonel Pattoun, Major Montizambert, Q. M. Tay~ lor, Lieut. Cubitt, and Ensign Lloyd. Wounded. Captain Balf ur, H. M. 3'Jnd Foot, slighMy. Lieut. King, ditto, slightly. „ Swinburn, ditto, slightly. „ Bittwhistle, ditto, ditto. Captain McGregor, H. M. 10th Foot, slightly. Colonel Franks, ditto, slightly. Lieut, Herbert, ditto, ditto. Major Napier, Engineers, ditto. Lieut. Lake, ditto, ditto. „ Binney, Horse A tillery, ditto. Captain Christopher, Indian Navy, badly. „ Wroughton, Bih N. 1., slightly. Lieut. Turnbull, ditto, ditto. Ensign Frederick Kennedy, ditto, ditto. Lieut. Vtbart, 11th Light Cavaliy, ditto. One account before us lays—The number of Europeans killed was 13 t wounded, 100 ; of hepoys killed, 30; wounded, 150. Lieutenant Edwardei had changed his ground to Soorujkund, that formerly occupied by General Whish, and was fired upon without any loss. Numbers had also escaped from Shere Singh's camp to that of the General. The Moolraj was so uncertain of the intentions of Shere Singh, that he would not allow him to enter the city. He was encamped beneath the walls of the fort. In consequence of the distrust thus manifested, the Chief evidently regretted his defection,

Further Intelligence. There is no doubt lhat the Puujaub would, by annexation, become an integral portion of the British Empire. The Madras Spectator of the 27th Nov. announces the arrival of the troops and recommencement of hostilities, Shere Singh having rejoined the British. "Major Day had joined the forces at Mooltan. " Major Biook, of H. M. 32ud, had arrived in safety amongst his old friends, from Bombay." " Edwardes and Couvtlandt are firing all day—some say to keep up the spirits of their men." " Two of our Irregular Cavalry have, it is supposed, gone over to Moolraj ; at least they ant not to be found." " The General and Napier went out on the morning of the Ist, accompanied by Colonel Franks and Colonel Markham, and several other officers, to take a look at the Northern face of the Fort. They were for full half an hour making observations close up the Eadgah, where Agnew and Anderson were murdered. This is about 1100 yards dislant from the Fort. Tne Dewan opened a few light guns on them, but without doing any damage, notwithstanding the aim was very good. Napier, with a coolness which must have astonished some of them, mounted one of the Minars of Eadgha, and had a capital view of the Fort, which to the nortu and north-east is open, and free from the gardens and enclosures which Burround the city." " The present position of the forces is as follows :— Whish is about two miles from the east corner of the Fortress. Edwardefl, LAc and Bhawulpore troops, one mile and a, quarttjr S,E. of the town. Shaik Ema moodden the same to-'tlie S., and the Shere Sing the same W. and by S. There was a report at Lihore that Shere Sing was scut away. It was false. He is here, and faithtul to all api-earance."

[Extract prom the Letter op an Indian Officer to a Gentleman in Auckland ] «• In India it U the old thing over again, there seems to be no cessation to the wars which have h»rras>.ed tins Government for many years, and have impoverished the exchequer. By the prfj en, should they find their way to New Zealand, you wU see that our old

enemies the Selkg, are Up in arms against us, with ai little cause as before : our beginning of the campaign has not been very prosperous, haying been compelled to raiie the siege of Mooltnn, a strongly fortified city, after some hard fighting, and after ten days of open trenchei, during which we had advanced as far as the second p&rallrl, and had established our breaching batteries within six hundred yards of ihe walls. The desertion of our allies with 12,000 men and 24 guns, was the cause of this mishap. Reinforcements being on their way, the siege will be re-commenced with vigour, and I expect with better success. Lord Hardinge having patched up a peace which has barely lasted twelve monthi, is swallowing all the fulsome addresses with which poor John Bull is cramming him, little thinking of the news the next mail from India will bring him. But my lord pockets his YoOO a-yeur for two lives, enjoys bit Viscovmtcy and laughs in his sleeve. October 22nd, 1848.