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    734 ;TH'E. ,L;EADEB/ [No. 436, July 31, ...

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    THE CAPTURE OF THE PEIHO FORTS. A supple...

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    The Indian Revolt.. —» The News From Ind...

    " Bengal . —The rebels , under Ummer Singh , -who were driven out of the Jugdespore jungles by Sir Edward Lugard , and had at first made for the Gawleepore district , have retraced their steps , and are spreading over the eastern side of Bengal , plundering and burning all villages the inhabitants of which , they supposed to be well affected [ to the English Government ] . The station of Gyahas has been reinforced by three hundred Madras Bifles . Her Majesty ' s 77 th Regiment , five hundred and ninety-nine strong , has arrived from Australia , and -will be immediately moved up to Dinapore . A . wing of the 2 nd battalion 60 th Rifles has been sent to Dacca .

    " Gwalior . —On the 16 th of June , the Central India Field Force from the east , and the Seepree Brigade from the south , were concentrated around Gwalior . On the 17 th , four guns were taken by the Seepree Brigade . On the 18 th , the Ranee of Jhansi was killed . On the 19 th , the town and palace of Gwalior -were taken by Sir Hugh Rose , after an action which lasted five hours and a half . The fort was successfully stormed next day by a detachment of the 25 th Bombay Native Infantry . Their brave leader , Lieutenant Rose , was killed . A column of horse artillery and cavalry , under Brigadier-General iNapier , was sent in pursuit of the rebels ; and Colonel Riddell ' s column from Dholepore was directed by Sir Hugh Hose to cross the Ghumbul and pursue the fugitives . Brigadier-General Napier overtook them on the 21 st near Goura-Alipore , on the

    old Bombay road , defeated them , captured twenty-five guns , and cut up a considerable number . Brigadier Napier has continued the pursuit towards Jubbulpore . On the 20 th of June , Sir Hugh Rose and Sir Robert Hamilton conducted the Maharajah of Gwalior to his palace . The streets through which they passed were lined by immense crowds , who received the Maharajah with every appearance of attachment . The Baiza Baee , ¦ with the family of Scindia , returned under the escort of the Seepree Brigade , and are now in the palace with the Maharajah . The rebels from Gwalior , with Tantia Topee , arrived at Sincemon on the 24 th . of June . On the 26 th , their numbers , with carap followers , were estimated at 15 , 000 . They still retain a few small guns , mounted on elephants . They appear undecided as to whether they shall attack Jeypore or 'Ch . urp . ore .

    "JirrpORB . —A . flying column , under General Roberts , from Nusseerabad , advanced towards Jeypore on the 27 th of June . The first intelligence of the movementa of the rebels caused great excitement at Jeypore , which has since greatl y subsided . Brigadier Showers marched for Futtehpore Sikri on the night of the 26 th , He was to be reinforced by a detachment returning from Batpore to Agra . ¦ " Mhow . —A flying" column is in progress of organisation at Mhow , for service wherever it may be required . : " Bombay P-Residency . —No event of importance has transpired within the limits of this Presidency since the departure of the last mail . " Nagpore . —Yenfcut Rao , the rebel Zemindar of Arpeglee , in the Chanda district , has been captured by the followers of the Zemindar Ahirae .

    • " Patna Division . —Colonel Atwng (?) and Captain Sotseby , B . N " ., detached with a small force by Brigadier Rowcroft , attacked ftTohamed Hoosein , five miles west of Captaingunge , on the 26 th of June , and . completely defeated him , taking all his camp equipage . The rebels have entered the Shabah district , their path being marked by rapine and murder ; all those well affected to the British are sufferers . "

    OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OP THE PALI . © 1 ? BAE . E 1 XLT . A . supplement to the Gazette , published on Wednesday night , gives many despatches relative to the operations against the rebels , with which the public are already familiar . Among them is one from the Coinmander-in-Chief , dated Bareilly , May , 8 , and reporting operations in Eohilcund . Sir Colin says : — " On the 5 th insfc ., a movement was made on Bareilly The information which hadi been furnished me from various quarters was most conflicting 1 , and to place reliance on it was utterly impossible . In short , in spite of the assumed friendship of the Hindoo portion of the population , I have not found it easier to obtain information in Rohilcund on which trust could be put , than has been the case in dealing -with the insurrection in other part ? of the empire .

    ; Very early on the morning of the 5 th , the advance having been made from Furroedpore , the force was formed in line of battle about six o ' clock a . m . The first line consisted of the Highland Brigade , supported by the 4 th Sikhs and Belooch Battalion , with a heavy field battery in the centre , with how © artillery and cavalry on both flanks , under the respective brigadiers and commandants . . " The second line was wholly employed for the protection of the bnggage and siege train , this precaution appearing to bo necessary , owing to the very numerous rebel cavalry . The enemy who had come out from the city with much boldness , and taken positio n on the left bank of the Nuttea Nuddee , having that stream in hia rear , flred his first guns about seven o ' clock a . m .

    " His guns were well placed , advantago having been taken of tho road along which wo were advancing , and of certain sand hills . The horse artillery and cavalry advanced At the trpt from both flanks , -while the heavy

    field battery , with infantry in line , pressed up along- the centre . "In a short time , the enemy was driven from his gnns , the left part of our line taking position on the river , while tie right crossed the bridge , and advanced about three-quarters of a mile towards the town . The heavy guns were rapidly passed over in succession , and placed in a position from which they raked the centre of the enemy ' s second line , which he had taken up in the suburbs . A considerable distance had now been traversed by the troops , and it became necessary to clieck the advance , to allow time for the siege train and baggage to close up .

    " About eleven a . m ., great activity was observed in the enemy ' s ranks ; and , while the attention of my right was occupied by a considerable body in the suburbs , the most determined effort that I have seen made in this war , to turn and break through the left , -was executed at this time by the enemy . " Some old . cavalry lines had been occupied by a Sikh regiment . Siich was the vigour with which this regiment , a most distinguished one ( Major Wilde ' s ) , under command of Lieutenant M'Queen , was attacked by a large body of fanatical Ghazees , that they gave way for a few minutes . The Ghazees , " pursuing their advantage , rushed like madmen on the 42 nd Highlanders , who had been formed in . line in rear of the village , to support the Sikhs , as soon as the hostile movement was described . These men were all killed in the very ranks of the 42 nd Highlanders in a most desperate hand-to-hand encounter .

    " Ihe 42 n-d , supported by the 4 tli Sikhs and a party of the 79 th Highlanders , then advanced , sweeping through the various lines for about a mile and a half , into the cantonments , where they -were placed in position for the day . " Whilst the Ghazee attack had been going on to the left of the fiist line , a very large body of the enemy ' s cavalry , some sis . hundred or seven hundred in number , coming round our extreme left , attacked the baggage . They were quickly encountered by Lieutenant-Golonel Tombs ' s Horse Artillery troop , which , after the first advance across the river , had been left to meet such a contingency , by her Majesty ' s Carabineers ( 6 th Dragoon Guards ) , the Moultanee Horse and infantry of the rear guard ; their instant dispersion took place .

    the country itself may be said to be in possession nt « T " rebels . Delhi , Agra , Jhansi , BaremJ SeW ^ Calpee , Lucknow , Cawnpore , and AlfiffiftK * tected by European troops ; but our authority scarS extends beyond the reach of our guns , and the inter vemng districts are overran by rebels and budmaX « " who move about as they please , marking their cooS by plunder and destruction of property , and setting a ? defiance every attempt to restore order and trancmillifl Indigo factories , public and private bungalows 3 railway depots , have been , burned , and we are thankfw that these deeds have not been accompanied by th murder of Europeans , though , doubtless , not for want 7 , p inclination on the part of the rebels , but want of om ™ tunitiesIt will be that

    . seen our troops have aeain been engaged on several occasions with the enemy and although in each instance perfectly successful yet the majority of the rebels have , as usual , managed to escape . This , however , can hardl y be wondered at for in the absence of adequate cavalry and with the dread ' f « l heat of the season , pursuit of the fugitives would have been useless , and in . all probability only added to the frightful mortality of our brave men , who fall daily victims to the sun . We are not overstating the fact by lmentionuig that sun-stroke and heat ( apoplexy ) are regularly decimating the several corps engaged in the suppression of the rebellion—an apprehension which , we have frequently expressed , and which , uuhappily is fully realised . " THE ACTION AT NAWABGUNGE . The Times publishes the annexed letter from IiUcknow ( dated June 15 th ) , describing the fight at Nawabgunge : — " Since I wrote to you on Sunday , General Grant has made a good example of a large body of the rebels at -Nawabgunge ( Boree Bunkee ) . Of the fact you will have heard by telegraph , but some of the details may interest you , which I briefly give you . bur force ^ -the two brigades of Rifles , flOth , 5 th . Punjab , 18 guns , and some 1500 cavalry—left Churhut at eleven at night , came to the bridge across the nullah before daylight , and here the action commenced . The enemy defended the bridge with two guns . Our fire soon silenced them , and the rifle skirmishers did the rest . The enemy fled precipitately towards the jungle on this side , and when they had secured their retreat , turned and sent in an illdirected fire of grape and round shot . Our guns replied , and they retreated altogether , Leaving one guu . This party did not lose many men . In . the meantime , their guns opened on the right , and all the mob 3 who were in the topes round Nawabgunge advanced and attacked in front , our right , and rear , all at once . Some of these did not fight at all , but others showed great pluck , and stcod to their guns obstinately . One body for an hour and a half stood their ground , in perfectly open ground , within four hundred yards of our guns , -which were firing grape and round shot . The rebel loss here was very great ; all their gunners were killed . A party of infantry stood in the open agaiiist two companies of the Rifles , and received tlxeir charge ¦ without running ; they were all either bayoneted or killed with clubbed muskets . Some forty footmen received a charge of the 7 th Hussars , -who rolled them all over ; all but one man got up again , but the Hussars came back and killed the whole of them . I mention these instances to show you -with what determination some part of the rebels fought . Their loss has been consequently heavy , and is estimated at six hundred , and six excellent guns . The fight lasted from half-past four to half-past seven a . m . The rebels were utterly routed , and have fled across the Gogra , at Bairam Ghaut . Our loss was six killed and thirty wounded , I believe ; but , alas ! the sun afterwards , I hear , knocked over a number of men . There seems to have been some mistake in keeping the Hussars exposed , for they lost a number of men . There was no long pursuit , and General Grant was most careful of his men ; l ) ut these new men—some of them—do not know what it is even to get into a tope of trees . The engagement was most creditable to out troops , for they were actually surrounded by twenty thousand of the enemy , who evidently relied on their numbers . Some chiefs are killed and wounded . Tui * engagement will havo a good offoct , I hope . "

    " This was the 3 ast effort made by the enemy . A short time afterwards , the 79 th and 93 rd were directed to seize all the suburbs in their front , and the troops were put -under shade as far as possible , the action having lasted for about six hours , and the troops laving been under arms , frctn two A . m . " Early on the next morning , the 6 th inst ., the whole force advanced into the cantonment . At the same time , I had the pleasure to hear Brigadier-General Jones ' s guns on the , Moradabad side of Bareilly- This officer had obeyed his instructions with great judgment and spirit , defeated a portion of the enemy on the 5 th inst ., taking three guns , and , finding himself resisted in his approach to the town on the 6 th , took three more which were in position against him , entered the town , and took three advanced positions without delay .

    " On the morning of the 7 th , the town was finally reduced , and the ftTussulman portion of it , where there were still detached bodies of Ghazees remaining with the intention to sell their lives as dearly as possible , was cleared ;"

    THE OEHERAI , SITUATION . la its summary of recent events , the Madras Athencewn of June : 25 th says : — " The news from , Qude is very unsatisfactory . In Northern Oude , the Fyzabad Bloulviea with , it is said , eighteen thousand inen and twenty-five guns ; are still undefeated . Also in the same districts are the Begum ' s forces ; and to the north-west are located the Moulvio ' a forces . In addition to these bands of rebels tliere are some thousands under different leaders to the south of Lucknow . In Lucknow itself , although ail attack from

    the rebels ia not anticipated , preparations to repel one , if made , are going on . The stone bridge over the Goomtee has been Wowji up , so that now there is enly the iron bridge to defend . To contend against those numerous rebol hosts we have the garrison iu Lucknow , and Sir Hope Grant ' s column . According to the last accounts , this column was at Bunnee ; but , as wo have no official ne-vrs of its movements , and as the letters in the newspapers are not very clear , wo do not know what has been done . On tlio -whole , it would seom that we are acting on the defensive .

    14 In Behar , the rebels aro still at their old work . They have looted and destroyed tho factories at Buxar , and Mossrs . Barn and Co . ' s railway works havo shared tho same fate . Qteneral Lugard has proceeded to Uuxur . The jungle , to which we alluded in our last a 8 giving shelter to the Jugdcspore rebels , is as yet undestroyod ; but tho -work is going on , although slowly . Nishun Singh , tfio Commander - in - Chief of tho lato Kooer Singh ' s armj ' , was blown away from a guu at Sussoram on the 7 th instant . " A very lucid statement is mado in tjio Calcutta EnffliahtiMin , which , says : — . ^ ,.

    "Our present position -will bo best understood whon we state , that , whilst tho British lrold every fortress and pjaco of importauco throughout tho dlsallcctod provinces ,

    734 ;Th'e. ,L;Eadeb/ [No. 436, July 31, ...

    734 ; TH'E . , L ; EADEB / [ No . 436 , July 31 , 185 ft

    The Capture Of The Peiho Forts. A Supple...

    THE CAPTURE OF THE PEIHO FORTS . A supplement to Tuesday night ' s Goxefte contains tho following despatch from Admiral Seymour , detailing tho fight with the Chinese at the mouth of the Peiho river , in the Gulf of Pccheli : — " I lost no time in consulting with Hoar-Admiral lligault de Genouilly , and making tha necessary arrangements , and wo proceeded with nil the English gunboats across the bar to tho mouth of tho riv « r , where tho gunvesBola and French gunboats had been previously stationed , to givo weight to tho negotiations . The Slnnoy , Firm , Staunch , and Bustard , conveyed our landing parties , and tho Loven and -Opossum those of the French .

    " From tho arrival of the ambassadors on tlio l 4 tli April , tho Chinese havo used every oxertion to strengthen tho forts at tlio entrance of tlio Peiho ; earthworks , siindbng butteries , nud parapets for tho heavy gin gal Is , luivo boon erected on . both , sidca , for a dlattinco oi aourly ft

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 31, 1858, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31071858/page/6/