INDIAN NEWS. [From the Hobart Town Courier, May 16.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 409, 4 July 1849, Page 2

INDIAN NEWS. [From the Hobart Town Courier, May 16.]

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE SEAT OF WAR IN THE PUNJAUB. By the Sir Robert Seppings we have received Calcuttapapers to the 27th : January, 'from which we gather the following important intelligence : — A desperate engagement had taken place in north-west of the Punjaub, on the- river Jhektn, accompanied with a temble : slaughter. Thb British^ arms u were vijCtor^us^lbut^the long list of gallant officers killedand wounded will tell how dearly the 'yjp^o^^^was jboug^t.

The Eastern Star of the 27th writes as follows :—: — The attack on the Sikhs at Moong commenced on the afternoon of the 13th with a cannonade which lasted two hours, when .the enemy having had a magazine blown up, and their guns being nearly silenced, ~ 6"ur troops entered the jungle in which the Sikhs were posted. They were driven out with great loss on both sides, and either twenty or twenty-seven guns taken into camp the same night. The weather was so extremely unpropitious that the blow could not be followed up. From the various letters in our possession we fear the following is not a complete list of the numerous casualties, but believe it correct as far as it goes. vVe abstain from all mention of some unpleasant rumours that have reached us, until we have more ample information. KILLED AND WOUNDED. Brigadier Pennycuick, H.M.s 24th foot,"killed Lieutenant Pennycuick, ditto, reported killed Brigadier Pope, C.8., wounded Major Ekins, Deputy Adjutant-General, killed' Colonel Brooke, H.M.s 24th foot, killed ' Major Bamfield, 56th regt. N. 1., severely wounded Major Paynter, H.M.s 24th foot, wounded Lieutenant W. Warde, 50th N. 1., wounded Lieutenant F. Gervis, ditto, wounded Lieutenant L. Jones, ditto, wounded Ensign Francis Robinson, ditto, killed Lieutenant A. Money, 25th regt. N. 1., killed Major Grant, H.M. 9th Lancers, killed Captain Harris, H.M. 24th Foot, wounded (one account says killed) -c :> Lieutenant Harris, ditto, killed Lieutenant Frederick Jeune, 25th regiment, N. 1., wounded Major Christie, of the Horse Artillery, severely wounded Lieut, and Adj. Weston, 36th regt. N.T., wounded Ensign Christ. Godby, ditto, wounded <• ,I : Lieutenant Alex. M. Shepherd, 6th Cavalry, kified Captain Grindlay, ditto, wounded Captain Boys, ditto, wounded Captain H. W. Ross, 30th regt. N. 1., killed Ensign de Morel/ ditto, killed Major M. Loftie, ditto, wounded Captain Ewart, ditto, wounded (contusion) Captain Fenwick, ditto, wounded Lieutenant Swinhoe, ditto, wounded Lieutenant Pierce, 36th regt. N. 1., wounded Ensign Wood, ditto, wounded (amputation necessary) Ensign Leicester, ditto, wounded Lieutenant Cureton, H.M.s 14th Dragoons, killed Lieutenant Paton, Assistant Quartermaster-General, badly wounded in the arm Brigadier-General Campbell, slightly wounded Major Ponsonby, wounded (contusion) Lieutenant Unitt, H.M.s 9th Dragoons, wounded Captain Powis, H.M.s 9th Lancers, wounded. Captain Dawes, Artillery, slightly wounded Lieutenant W. Ellice, 15th N. 1., wounded Lieutenant G. G. Anderson, ditto, wounded Lieutenant Gott, 65tlrN: 1., wounded Lieutenant Jones, ditto, wounded Lieutenant Bacon, ditto, slightly wounded Lieutenant Delamain, ditto, lost an arm This is a list of melancholy length, and we /ear there are many more names to he added to it; of 32 officers of H.M.s 24th Foot, who went into action, it is said that only eight returned unscathed. We sincerely trust the official despatches will be received this evening, and put an end, as far as despatches, that always praise and never blame, can, to the great anxiety that must still be felt regarding this sanguinary conflict. The British forces were encamped at Moong on the 14th January. Ram Singh was, on the 15th instant, so strongly posted near Shahpoor, that it was Considered the dislodging him would be a work of much difficulty. The latest tidings from Mooltan (to the 15th instant) continue of the same complexion as those recently received.

FROM ANOTHER LETTER FROM LAHORE. Killed — Colonel Pennycuick and his son, Majors Brooke and Haines, H.M.s 24th regt. ; Major Lotter, Captain Ross, Ensign Fierce; Major Ekins, Deputy - Assistant Adjutant - General ; Captain Christie, Horse Artillery ; Lieutenant Manson, H.A.; Lieut. Dundas, H.A. ; and Lieut. Cureton, H.M.s 14th Dragoons. . :z ( o r Wounded — Capt. James and Lieutenant Nesbitt, 69th N. 1 .; Colonel Jack and Captain Campbell, 30th N. 1 .; Lieutenant Swinboe, 30th N. 1 .; Bri-gadier-General Campbell; Captains Christie and Elliott. The citadel of Mooltan still held out. The town, it is already known, has been taken. Forty-seven pieces of ordnance are incessantly playing on the citadel, and , the; havoc is said to be terrific. The bravery and constancy of the .besieged is said to be unexampled. No fortress in the course of the career of the British arms in India has ever been exposed so long io so destructive a fire, and never has tiiy garrison exhibited a nobler spirit of fortitude and courage. The .valiant Moolraj it, said to -have repeatedly sent messengers to General Whish offering to surrender 'the fortress on condition that his life and that of his men should he spared ; but the offer has been strongly rejected, and the General is r said to, have replied that it was not- in his' power to listen to any offer but that of. 'unconditional surrender. The-siege continued slowly. ; -? / >• * Attock'had fallen, and Lieutenant.Herhjfrt, after a most. noble and gallant. resistance, had been conveyed as a prisoner to ChutteFrSing's camp. t)ost Mahomed has declared; for 'the Sikhs, and even fired into Attock '; this.ey.ent thVows the' whole., o/, the v , tfiirtrihesintpVlhe

balance against the British force, as he appears determined on another trial of strength. A detachment of 5000 Affghans had arrived at Quettah on their way to Scinde, and a proclamation of Dost Mahomed had been issued calling upon all the tribes to the northward to rise with a view of expelling the Feringhies (English) from the country. — Le M&uricien. Lord Goughs army was to retire thirteen miles on Dingee. A letter from Lord Goughs camp, received this day (20th January), states that in the action of the 13th we lost seventy or eighty officers killed and wounded, as well as 2400 men put hors de combat, while we only captured twelve of the enemies' guns, none larger than a nine-pounJe^, losing six of our own H. A. guns ! In entering the jungle several of our officers and European troops fell by the murderous aim of the enemy, who were lying concealed among the bushes, and in most cases supposed to be dead ! It was remarked that the enemy scarcely condescended to touch the Sepc^s, their sole aim and object being to kill the English officers and European troops. The Sikhs do not hesitate" to say they despise the Sepoys, who would not hold the Punjaub for an hour, were they not so strongly supported by the Europeans. " Goolaub Singh with ten or fifteen thousand men is close at hand, ready to profit | by affairs as they turn up, either for or against us, as the success of the cay shows. It is feared that Lord Gough will expose his fine army to unnecessary danger, and may lose it without any benefit. The GovernorGeneral is said to be very much troubled at the late unhappy result. " The Julunder force under Brigadier Wheeler were to commence the attack on the hill at Shahpore on the 15th against Ram Singh, who is entrenched and stockaded in the position. The 7th Cavalry and thelnegulars have been dismounted — so all the troops will have a fair share of fighting." — Bombay Gentleman's Gazette. The following is a synopsis of the melancholy list of the killed and wounded in the fighi o( Chillianwalla ; and surely its perusal, coupled with the facts that four of our guns were taken, and H.M.s 24ih ]«'oot lost their regimental colour ;* the 25th regf,, N, 1., lost a colour ; the 30th regt., N. 1,, lost a colour — some say two colours ! the sth regt., N. 1., lost the standard they took at Gwalior ; these misfortunes fairly justify us in staling that another such " victory will be ruin." 38 officers, 58 non-commissioned officers, and 507 rack and file were killed ; 94 officers, 108 nou-commissioned officers, and 1449 rank and file wounded ; which, with four sergeants and 101 rank and file missing, make a grand total of 2359 of all ranks placed hors de combat in this mcst apocryphal victory. There is no doubt whatever that some of the corps engaged experienced a panic ; indeed, the commander-in-chief 's despatch admits it took place, owing, he says, to misconstruction of orders. — Ceylon limes, 23rd Feb. * Since found enveloping the body of one of the slain on toe battle field. — Ed. M.