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BOMBAY.

The Fall of Delhi. — We quote the following from the Times : — - "The news of the fall of Delhi, which arrived by the Ajdaha on the night of Thursday' • last, reached the Government while a large 'dinner was being entertained, at Government House. Lord Elphinstone immediately an- ■ nounced the joyful tidings to the assembled company, and called upon them to fill their glasses, and drink to the health of * General •Wilson and his brave army.' This was done with much enthusiasm, the band playing the -British Grenadiers.

" Mr. P. W. Hewit, inspecting post-master, in Scinde, arrived by the Chusan yesterday, in charge of despatches to Government relative to the operations of Delhi. The sudden departure of the Chusan from Kurrachee, without any of our papers or advices from Lahore, has prevented our receiving the details of the assault upon Delhi, and the successful capture of that place. This has caused no little disappointment to the public, who were anxiously expecting to hear the particulars of the conflict between the British forces and the mutineers, with the list of casualties among our troops. Our readers will therefore have to exercise their patience a little longer, as we hope that Government with its usual consideration, will favour the public with authentic intelligence, to allay the excitement which is felt by all classes as to the result of the assault upon Delhi, which, there is every reason to believe, has been completely successful." News letters from Kurrachee taken from the < Times.' The following is an extract of a letter from Kurrachee, dated 23rd September: — " Many arrests have taken place among the sepoys of the 21st N.1., subsequent to the date of my last letter ; seven have been hanged, and one transported for life, on account of his extreme youth. This evening one was blown away from a gun, and nineteen were sentenced to transportation for the term of their natural lives. The man blown away was the ringleader, and held the rank of havildar in the 21st. This man deserted his corps on the nipht of ihe 13th, when the regiment was disarmed ; he, with two others, wa3 apprehended about 20 miles west of Kotree. They had their muskets with them ready loaded, but by a stratagem on the part of the police authorities, they were first disarmed and then" arrested, which was effected on the 17th, four days after the 21st was disarmed. This gives a total of 43 mutineers disposed of — namely, fourteen banged, three brought in with their head 3 cut off, four blown away from guns, and twentytwo transported. From this you will be enabled to form'an idea of the amount of mischief these villains would have committed had it not been for the prompt and energetic measures taken by the authorities to put down the intended mutiny. At Hyderabad, the aspect of affairs is not better ; a havildar of the disarmed battery there was blown away, and three men transported. One or two arrests have taken place in the 13th at Hyderabad. Great doubts are entertained of the fidelity of this corps, as well as the 14th here. Some of the Christians liung in the vicinity of the sepoy lines quit their homes every night, and seek shelter in more secure places. We are anything but safe. No one is to be out after 10 p.m. under pain of imprisonment. A volunteer corps has, been raised of gentlemen and non-military men, including clerks and others; they patrol the camp all night. The services of the seamen belonging to the vessels in harbour, three of which are French, are put in requisition for guarding the treasury, and other duties. About twenty-five individuals have already enrolled their names as volunteers, all bachelors; the married men have been advised to remain at home to protect their families. The volunteers have been supplied with arms from the Government stores. We are anxiously waiting the arrival of the 95th, now hourly expected, from the Cape via the Presidency. When once they set font here we shall fancy ourselves safe. Notwithstanding the great consternation prevailing here just now, we attend our daily avocations." From the Calcutta Gazette Extraordinary. Fort William, 2nd October. The Right Hon. the Governor-General, in Council, has received, by a telegraphic message, the gratifying announcement that Delhi is entirely in the hands of Major-General Wilson's army. Delhi, the focus to the treason and revolt which for four months have harrassed Hindostan, and the stronghold in which the mutinous army of Bengal has sought to concentrate its power, has been wrested from the rebels. The King is a prisoner in the palace. The headquarters of Major-General Wilson are established in theDewan Khas. A strong column is in pursuit of the fugitives. Whatever may be the motives and passions by which the mutinous soldiery and those who are leagued with them have been instigated to faithlessness, rebellion, and crimes, at which the heart sickens, it is certain that they have found encouragement in the delusive belief that India was weakly guarded by England, and that before the Government could gather together its strength against them, their ends would be gained. They are now undeceived. Before a single soldier of the many thousands who are hastening from England to uphold the supremacy of the British Powers has set foot on these snores, the Rebel force, where it was strongest and most united, and where it had the command <>f unbounded military appliances, has been destroyed or scattered by an army collected within the limits of the NorthWestern Provinces and the Punjaub alone. The. work has been done before the support of those battalions which have been collected .in Bengal with the forces of the Queen in | China- and in Her Majesty's Eastern Colonies could reach Major-General Wilson's army ; and it is by the courage .and endurance of that gallant army alone; by the skill, sound judgment, and steady resolution of its brave commander; and by the aid of some native' chiefs true to their allegience that, under the blessing of God, the head of rebellion has been crushed, and the cause of loyalty, humanity, and rightful authority vindicated. ■' j The Governor-General in Council rejoices to

announce that information has been this day received from Major-General- Sir James Outram, G.C.8., showing that the residency at Lucknow was in the possession of Brigadier General HavKlock's force- on the 25th ultimo, and that the garrison was saved. Rarely has a commander been so fortunate as to relieve, by his success, so many aching hearts, or to reap so rich a reward of gratitude, as will deservedly be offered to Brigadier-Ge-neral Havelock, and his gallant band, wherever the triumph shall become known. The Governer-General in Council tenders to Sir James Outram, and to Brigadier General Havelock, his earnest thanks and congratulations on the jo)ful result, of. which a merciful Providence has made them the chief instruments. SUICIDE OF NANA SAHIB. The following is contained in a letter from Cawnpore, dated the 22nd: — " The fourth and last fight we had was about two miles out of Cawnpore, where we took seven large 24-pounder guns and howitzers. We had very -severe firing from the fort of the I enemy from two p.m. till seven p.m., when we lost in killed and wounded 150 Europeans and Seikbs. 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 Europeans and Seikhs ; the latter behaved most gallantly, and lost ten killed 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, awful to behold, there were all their clothes, &c, strewn about the blood-stained ground. The place was a paved court-yard, and there were two inches of blood upon the pavement, and from the report that we have 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 the ladies were stripped of their clothes before they were murdered. We have picked up three women who had fled and were protected by a native. "We lost poor S. Carr ; he was shot dead j from his horse in a charge we had to make among 300 to 500 infantr} 1 . After he fell he was hacked about the head to such an extent that we could hardly recognize him. The Moulvie of Allahabad was killed at Futtehpore by our shot. Yesterday we went with a small force into Bithoor, where the 'Nana Sahib' was, and walked into his palace without firing a shot. We fired the whole place, and burnt the whole of his houses and property/and took fifteen guns from there. The Nana has drowned himself, with his family, lie had an intention of going to Lucknow, but when he got as far as the river the cavalry and infantry deserted him. They are all gone off, after destro)'ing their arms, to their different homes. Cawnpore is now as quiet as Allahabad. We are now crossing the river to Lucknow, and should it please the Almighty Providence to bring me back from there safe, I intend coming to Allahabad, and will- then let you know all the news verbally."

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18571219.2.22

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 316, 19 December 1857, Page 6

Word Count
1,630

BOMBAY. Otago Witness, Issue 316, 19 December 1857, Page 6

BOMBAY. Otago Witness, Issue 316, 19 December 1857, Page 6