SUICIDE OF NANA SAHIB.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1089, 4 December 1857, Page 3

SUICIDE OF NANA SAHIB.

The following 5* contained in & letter from Cawnpore, dated the 22nd :— " The fourth and last fight we had was about tw^ miles out of Cawnpore, where we took several large 24-pounder guns and howitzers. We had severe firing from the fort of the enemy from two p.m. till seven p.m., when we lost in killed and wounded about 150 Europeans and Seikhe. The loss of the enemy we cannot tell, but we afterwards came across a house where 300 sowars and sepoys lay wounded, and we saw a tank full of dead bodies. We had to encounter about 12,000 of the enemy with only 2000 Enropeans and Seikhs ; the latter behaved most gallantly, and lost ten kiled and wounded. The same evening of this affair we encamped outside of Cawnpore, and next morning we entered the town straight to where we heard the 175 ladies and children were confined, but on our arrival there, awful to behold, there were all their clothes, &c, strewn about the blood-stained ground. The pi ace was a paved court-yard, and there were two inches of blood upon the pavement, and from the report that we got from the residents of the place, it appears that after we had beaten the enemy the evening previous, the sepoys and sowars entered the place where the poor victims were, and killed all the ladies, and threw the children alive, as well as the ladies' dead bodies, into a well in the compound. I saw it, and it was an awful sight. It appears from the bodies we saw, that they were stripped

of their clothe* before they were murdered. We have picked up three women who had fled »nd were protected bv a native. "We'loit poor S. Carr, he wts shot dead from his horse in a charge we had to make among 300 to 500 infantry. he fell, h<? was hacked about the head to «uch an extent, that we could hardly recognise him. The Moulvie of Allahabad was killed at Futtehpore by our shot. Yesterday we went with a small force into Btthoor,, where the 'Nana Sahib' was, »nd walked into his palace without firing a shot. We fired the whole of the place, and burnt the whole of his houses and property, and took iifteen guns from there. The Nana has drowned himself, with hib family, fte had an intention of going to Lucknow, but when he got as fur as the river, the cavalry and infantry deserted him. They are all gone off, after destroying their arms, to their different homes. Cawnpore is now as quiet as Allahabad. We arc now crossing the river to Lucknow, and should it please the Almighty Providence to bring me back frem there safe, I intend coming to Allahabad and will then let you know all the news verbally.''

We give the the following additional particulars fiom our files of indian papers, —

Bombay, Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 a.m. Report came in from Jemapore by express to Government. Our troops occupied the entire city of Delhi on the 20th. No details ; report at Ahmedabad, on letters from Ajmeer, that the King had been captured. Official Bulletin.— Lahore, September 17th.— Magazine itormed on 16th, and five mortars opened thence on the palace. Private intelligence of final fall had reached the Commissioner of Scinde. Officers killed : Lang, Engineers ; Macßarnet, 55th ; Murray, Jacob, Ist Fusiliers ; Ross, Carbineers ; Homfray, 4th Punjaub Infantry. About 40 wounded. This up toa'ternoon of 16th. Our total loss, killed, and wounded, to morning of the 15th, estimated at 500. Steamer England waiting at Kurrachee to bring further news. A few men of the Native Infantry at Shikapore mutinied on the 23rd ; emeute suppressed. Report of the Neemuch force having' defeated rebels and taken guns.— Ceylon Times, Oct. 21. Colonel Beecher describes operations at Delhi, thus : —"The troops entered at the breach, near th* Cashmere Gate, without serious opposition, ana gained possession of the large building in itp neighbourhood, and advanced along the ramparts to the Mooree Bastion and Cabal Gate, in progress to -which the resistance was Tery obstinate, and the loss consequently has been severe, but we are advancing gradually within the city. Large bodies of the enemy have been seen retreating both in the direction of the Kotub and over the bridge. Arrangements are making for batteries to be made in the city, and their heavy guns have been turned against them. Many officers wounded, included General Nicholson, Colonel Campbell, 52nd ; Major Reid, Sirmoor Baitalion ; Lieutenant Bradshaw, 42nd ; and Fitzgerald, 75th, killed."

Bombay, Tuesday, September 23. News from Delhi to the 6th of September. The siege train arrived on the 4th, and was being got into position. The town is to be shelled, so it is said. It is reported that mutineers of regiments who had not murdered their officers had reparated from the others and left the place, in number about five thousand. A flag of truce was sent out, proposing to hang up the actual murderers. All overtures, however, were strongly repelled. A company of Bombay Artillery has been disarmed at Hyderabad, Seinde. The report of a revolution at Gwalior has been contradicted . The following intelligence, received from the Commissioner at Umbpllah and dated September 5, was communicated to the press yesterday evening:— All quiet in the Cis Sutlej and in the Punjaub. The siege train with its escort arrived in Camp yesterday, and active offensive operations will now commence. The Cashmeer Contingent is at Kurnaul. The soldiery inside the city are clamouring for pay and the plunder of the city hourly threatened. The manufacture of powder by tne rebels is suspended for want of sulphur. Messengers from Lucknow and Bareilly have lately arrived at Delhi to confer with the King, and the state of affairs there has has greatly surprised and mortified him. Tht 'Phoenix' of September 10th has the following from Cawnpore : — "A letter from Cawnpore, dated 3rd September, states that the troops there are in *he very highest spirits, and anxiously looked out for reinforcements to enable them to advance to the relief of Lucknow. Officers, men, and all, were huddled together in the bullock sheds, and though there was no grumblings, affairs wore a very democratic aspect. The enemy, appnrently in strength, could be seen on the opposite bank of the Ganges. They were fortifying their camp, and making their position such, that in all probability the ve-passage of the river would have to be attempted elsewhere. They were working most actively, and could be noticed at work at lftte hours in the night. All Oude is up in arms, and according to native opinion resolved to fight to the last. Eveiy village is a fortress, and every villager, a brigand and of the worse description. "The Nawab of Futtehghui has blown from guns one gentleman and three ladies, whose names were Mr. and Mrs. CirA, Mrs. Eckford, and Mrs. Defontaine ; also, that at Moradabad four persons, Messrs. Powell, Hill, Macguire, and Dorrington, with their wives and families, amounting in all to 36 persons, in order to save their lives, became converts to Mahomedanism." The King of Oude and his Minister.— Government are in possession of the most complete proofs of the guilt of the King and of his prime minister the artful Ally Nukhee. Seditious documents, with the seal and signature of the latter, are in the possession of Government. He of course denies that they are genuine ; but to call them forgeries is the only possible defence he could make under the circumstances. Of his guilt there is not the slightest doubt, and the only question requiring the decision of the Governor- Goneral is when and how Ally Nukhee Khan, the arch traitor, shall be executed. — Phoenix, September 8. Allahabad. — The following is from Allahabad, dated sth September, 1857 -.—This morning a party started for Cawnpore, and to morrow the rematnder are to follow. Major Eyre's battery came in yesterday, and left to-day. In all there are 1450 or 1500 men, exclusive of the artillery anß volunteer cavalry. One lac of En field rifle ammunition occompanies the force, exclusive of what each detachment takes. The detachments are composed of men from the sth Fusiliers, 64th, 78th, 84th, and 90th, and 800 Spare Enfield Rifles accompany them; also, 3 platform carts laden with ammunition (grape, &c.) all ready for the two 8 inch howitzers, in case of instant necessity. Two days ago about 260 sick and wounded came in from Cawnpore. The following affecting incident has been related to me by one of the men :—: — "When we were going round the station after the re capture of Cawnpore, a female voice was heard by us, when passing over the bridge, exclaiming, 'Thank God, I see a white face.' On going down under the bridge we,found two girls, the oldest about 9 years, and the other not more than 2 ; the former had put bricks together for her little sister to sit on, and high enough to keep her little feet out of the water. "In reply to our question she said : 'My father was killed, and my mother was dragged by the hair, and I caught v-> my little sister and ran under a bridge, and did what I could to save her.' " — Madras Atheneeum. The 'Sindi n' of the 21st instant, thus notices the disaffection of the Bombay Native Artillerymen at Hydrabad of which we had tidings, by electric telegraph on the 23rd :-■ "On Tuesday night, the Bth, the suhadat of the battery reported to his commanding Officer^ Lieutenant Battiscombe, that something was going wrong with the men ; that several meetings had been held amongst them, and from what had come to his .knowledge, it was not safe to allow the gnns to remain with them. Lieutenant Battiscomhe reported the circumstance to the Brigadier. The following day the Brigadier, in concert with the civil authorities proposed that Lieutenant Naylor, the Lieutenant of Police, with 400 of his foot, 100 horse, and 100 picked men of the 13th Regiment N. 1., should proceed by two different roads to the Artillery lines ; and so suddenly did they come upon them that the artillerymen were taken completely by surprise, and submitted quietly to the guns being removed into the fort, and all their arms taken from them. The whole of the European inhabitants have been desired to go into the fort. We are happy to learn that all is now quiet again at Hydrabad. The highest praiie is due to the Brigadier and the Collector for the very energetic measures adopted, as also to Lieutenant Naylor and the police, together with the detachment of the 13th Regiment N. 1., for the promptitude with which the disarming was effected." There Mare no European troops at Hydrabad at the time, nnd the fidelity of the 13th Bombay N. I. is matter for joy and thankfulness.

A letter from Delhi dated the 20th August mentions that Mrs. Leeson when she m*de her escape from Delhi was disguised as »n Affghan, her hands and f«iee being browned so as to resemble a native. As she had been compelled to remain in complete seclusion while in the city she necesiarily had very little to say with regard to what was going on there, but she firmly believes that there are several Europeans, both men and women kept in concealment. The same letter alto alludes to an affair which reflects the greatdst credit on a native prince. It appear* that Lieutenant Hodson was about thirty miles from Delhi on the xoad to Rohtuck, that he had given the rebels a sound drubbing but was being gradually overwhelmed by their large numbers. Under these circumstance* he expressed to the Delhi camp for reinforcements but although they were despatched immediately, he was relieved by the Jkeend Rjtjah, before they had gone half way.

A letter from General Van Cortlandt's camp dated the 22nd August state* that the action of the 19th at Hissar had afforded "a little employment to 'Jack Ketch,' several men having heen hanged and some s«rar* and sepoy* «hot. A 'short account of this action appwtrs elsewhere, from which it will he seen that the rebels were led by one of our horse patrol*. It is Btated in a letter from Gwalior dated the Bth August, that from nine to ten thousand mutineers from Indore had arrived there, and that the Rajah had. had great trouble to keep them in order. He had, howevtr, mannged to do so by promising *o supply them with conveyance, and they Were expected to leare for Delhi or Agra or Cawnpore. The 'Bombay Gazette' calls attention to a divisional order issued at Meorut requesting all commanding oflicers or senior surviving officers to make out a-Hst of the »en belonging to their late regiments who have made themselves conspicuous as ringleaders in the rebellion ; the list is to be forwarded to army head-quarters. The •Englishman ' quoting a letter from Singbhoom, states that the rajah has kept all quiet in that neighbourhood, that workmen had returned to their labour, and that the natives were evidently beginning to think "that the British rule would still remain supreme in India as heretofore." The same journal informs us that the rebellion has extended to Upper Ai»am where the sepoys have burnt . several tea plantations ; five of the planters have left their plantations and were in Gowhatty on the Ist September. -Ibid The 'Punjabee,' of the 27th ultimo state* that Mrs. Gleeson, the wife of Mr. Glee^on, deputy collector, made her^sctpe on the morning df the IPrhfrom Delhi, where she was kept in a sort of a 'dungeon, and was almost reduced to a skeleton. Two chupprases, who, it appears, have all along been faithful to her, aided her in making her attempt to escape. They passed through the Ajmere gate, but not wholly unobserved by the muntineers (entries, as one of the chupprases was shot by them. It being dark at the time, J-he laid hidden among the long web grass until the dawn of the day, when she sent the chupprase to reconnoitre, and as luck would have it, he came across the European picquet stationed at Subzie Mundie. So soon as he could discover who they were, he went and brought the lady into the -picquethouse amongst the soldiers, who did all they could to procure her safety. When she arrived inside the square, she fell down upon her knees, and offered up a prayer to heaven for her safe deliverance. All she had round her body was a dirty piece of cloth, and another piece folded round her head. She was in a terrible condition, and some shed tears of pity when they heard the tale of woe that she related. After being interrogated by the officer* for a short time, Captain Bailey provided a doolee for her, and sent her under escort safe to camp, where all her wants have been attended to.— Madras Spectator. "A rather novel proposition" says the 'Sindian,' "has been made by Mooral Kan, contractor at this station. He engages to convey the regiments expected from England, at Kurrachee to Mooltan in 12 days. He proposes , to lay a Dawk of 100, of 1 50 camels at each of 25 chowkies, at intervals on the road. Two soldiers with arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, with water, will form the load for one camel, to proceed to the first halting place, where fresh camels will carry them on to the next*tage, and so on. The first lot of camels will return at night, and the next day a fresh batch of soldiers will proceed ; thus the whole of the regiments will be on the advance together in batches of 300 each. The men on each camel will be provided with a cajawah, made quite convenient for them to lie down on. The contractor will only require Government to supply biscuits and grog, he guaranteeing a regular and good supply of mutton, eggs, poultry,, milk, butter, &c , the whole of the way.