INDIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 385, 11 April 1849, Page 3

INDIA.

We have extracted from the New Zealander the following account from the seat of war in India, which refers to events occurring immediately previous to those contained in the extracts published in last Wednesday's Spectitor : — Advices to the 16th November had reached Adelaide from Calcutta. The GovernorGeneral had proceeded to the north-west provinces, and a strong force, under the immediate command' of Lord Gough, was maiching upon Lahore and Mooltan. The siege of the latter place had been raised through the defection of Rajah Shere 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 GUiugh would no doubt be the signal for the renewal of hostilities. The following account of the affair at Mooltan will no doubt be read with interest, being extracted from a private letter received from Lieutenant Dandridge, of the 49th N. 1., by his brother, J. S. Dandridge, Esq., residing in this city :—: — " Camp before Mooltan, October 4, 1848. " On the 20th July we started for our destination, and arrived at Mooltan on the 3rd September, after a harrassing and disgustingmarch of upwards of 250 miles. You have doubtless often heard of an Indian sun in contradistinction to an English or even an Australian one, and I will leave you to imagine bow comfortable we must have been under a burning sun of 125 degrees in tents alone. The country 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 desert, and when the wind was at all high the dust rolled about in volumes around us, and sometimes so hot it was painful to face it. No sickness prevailed during our march ; this is saying a great deal. When I speak of ours, I mean the three native regiments of infantry, three of cavalry, and one troop of horse artillery. The two European regiments came down by water. They were healthy enough while on the water, but the day alter landing, nineteen men died from excessive heat, and no less than one hundred and forty went into hospital. Poor fpllows, they cannot stand much sunning; at leaM they could not at that time, but are pretty well used to it now. To give you a little insight into our doings here, I will give you a few extracts from my journal. To begin — On the sth the force was drawn up in column (five native infantry, two guns) and a royal salute fired, proclamation having been previously circulated, as a warning to the refractory. An iron reply was received in the shape of a 14lbs. shot, which fell within a few yards of our troops, who were accordingly moved back out of the fire. 6th. Nothing particular. 7th. The force changed position by a flank movement, when a detachment from the Bth and 7'2nd regiments, N. 1., two guns and some cavalry, advanced and took possession of some bouses 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 had there taken shelter. A heavy cannonade from the city and fort was kept up all day on the Ram Teerut and its environs, killing a few of our men. About Ip. m., the enemy being observed in great force putting the guns in battery near a brick kiln mounrl overlooking Ram Teerut, two ten inch howitzers were sent for, the destructive fire of which caused them to desist for a time, though by the next morning their battery 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 howitzers, four men only of ours wounded. 9th. A brisk cannonade was kept up all day on our front from the fort and brick kiln, the great sixteen pounder from the ' Khoonee Boorg,' or Bloody Tower, pitching its shot into our camp; one nearly into the magazine. The enemy annoyed our picquets all night long, they being obliged to la'l back twice. About 9 p.m. Col Pattoun, H.M. 82nd, attempted to carry a position in front with two companies 10th foot and four companies of the 49ih N. 1., but we were repulsed with great loss, the enemy sheltering behind looped walls and enclosed villages. On this deplorable occasion the 10th had one officer wounded (since dead), 43 killed and wounded. Our regiment bad also two officers dangerously wounded, poor Richardson and Irwin ; the latter poor fellow is in a precarious state, and doubts are entertained of his recovery, a ball having gone through his body. We had besides .-ix 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, one of which was deep enough to expose the brain ; seven sabre cuts over his legs and arms, and one spear wound in the thigh. 10th. The heavy guns, mortars, &c, played all day on the enemy's position in front, consisting of heavy tree jungle, gardens, and buildings. 11th. A very galling fire all day upon our position, the trees full of skirmishers and sharpshooters, who blazed at us with their long matchlocks and zumbooruks. (These last are generally tied to the boughs of trees, and carry a lib. iron ball.) Six pounder shot fell thickly around us. This day we only lost two or three men killed, and as many wounded. This was rather surprising considering the very heavy fire. The zumboorulc balls fell unpleasantly close into the trenches at night. No spot was exclusively safe from such visits, as was proved to us by a six pounder shot rolling iuto

our tiffin party, after striking the door sill of the summer house, and a sepoy, while drinking at a well, apparently covered, was shot through a broken loophole in the outpost. 12th. Now comes the tug of war, and the following force was ordered to attack the position og which we had failed the night of the 9th: —Six companies 10th Foot; six ditto 32nd Foot, 49th and Bth Native Infantry ; and one troop of Horse Artillery ; the whole under the command of Brigadier Hervey. The action begun by a tremendous cannonade from our 18 pounders at 9 p.m., accompanied 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 bayonets of our troops, who were bent on avenging the deaths and wounds sustained in the former night attack. Europeans and natives vied with each other in gallant 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 cartouch boxes all exploding, and adding to the general conflagration. An old officer was heard to say, that it was harder work than on the glorious day of Suhraon, 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 couH 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 fought hand to hand. They first endeavoured to win by treachery, as poor young Lloyd, of the Bth, found to his cost; however, they were all bayonetted on the spot. Moolraj is said to have lost fourteeen 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 conspicuous a part, as also that I have escaped unscathed in the fiery ordeal. Necessity has, however, compelled us to do-— what the enemy never could—rthat is, to raise the siege —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 12ib, we have only got three subalterns for duty, which makes it very heavy : in fact, from the Bth September to the Ist October we were neither of us off duty a single day, and have never slept in our night clothes, being always obliged to sleep out in the plains armed cap-a-pie on picquet duty. "Shere Sing, who was sent down from Lahore as our ally, has turned traitor 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 foe than the treacherous kisses of a friend. The whole of the northwest is again up in arms. We have got a large army assembling at Ferozepore, and we now expect a recurrence of the bloody fields of Moodkee, Ferozesbah, Aliwal, and Subraon.'' We have also been favoured with a Delhi Gazette, from which we learn that Moolraj's | men were strolling about, and joined among the E.I.C. sepoys, being dressed the same as "Bahawal Khans," and consequently are not 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 L'oyd told his friends that they were Bahawal Khan's men, and they desisted. The consequence was, that the belligerent party set upon Lloyd when they got an opportunity, and killed him with their tulwars, but were aiterwards, as mentioneJ by Lieutenant Dandridge, all bayonetted. the following is a list of officers killed and wounded on the night of the 13th —•

Killed. Colonel Pattoun, Major Montizambert, Q. M. Taylor, Lieut. Cubitt, and Ensign Lloyd. Wounded. Captainßalfour, H.M. 32nd Foot, slightly Lieut. King, ditto, slightly „ Swinburn, ditto, ditto „ Birtwhistle, 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 Artillery, ditto Captain Christopher, Indian Navy, badly- ., Wroughttn, Bth N.I. slightly Lieut. Turnbull, ditto, ditto Ensign Frederick Kennedy, ditto, ditto Lieut. Vibart, 11th Light Cavalry, ditto

One account before us says — the number of Europeans killed was 13 ; wounded, 100 ; of Sepoys, killed, 30 ; wounded, 150. Lieutenant Edwardes 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 hira 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 that the Punjaub would, by annexation, become an integral portion of the 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 Brook, of H.M. 32nd, had arrived in safety amongst his old friends, from Bombay. Edwardes and Courtlandt 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 are not to be found." " The General and Napier went out on the morning of the Ist, accompanied by Colonels Franks and 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 from the Fort. The 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 north and north-east is open, and free from the gardens and enclosures which surround the city." " The present position of the forces is as follows : — Whish is about two miles from the east corner of the Fortress. Edwardes, Lake and Bhawulpore troops, one mile and and a quarter S.E. of the town. Shaik Emamooden the same to the S., and the Shere Sing the same W. and by S. There was a report at Lahore that Shere Sing was sent away. It was false. He is here, and faithful to all appearance."

Extract from the letter of an Indian Officer to a Gentleman in Auckland. " In India it is the old thing over again, there seems to be no cessation to the wars which have harrassed this Government for many years, and have impoverished the exchequer. By the papers, should they reach New Zealand, you will see that our old enemies the Seiks are up in arms against us, with as little cause as before :—our: — our beginning of the campaign has not been very prosperous, having been compelled to raise the siege of Mooltan, a strongly fortified city, after some hard fighting, and after ten days of open trenches, during which we had advanced as far as the second parallel, and had established our breaching batteries within six hundred yards of the walls. The desertion of our allies with 12,000 men and twenty-four guns, was the cause of this mishap. Reinforcements being on their way, the siege will be recommenced with vigour, and I expect with better success. Lord rlardinge having patched up a peace which has barely lasted twelve months, 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 7,000 a-year for two lives, enjoys his Viscountcy, and laughs in his sleeve. . " October 22, 1848."