Note 178 — SIEGE OF DELHI. 30th. May to 14th. September, 1857.

Sir John Lawrence, the able chief commissioner of the Punjab, by his wise and prompt measures secured the tranquility of that portion of India. The necessary steps to disarm the Native Regiments were ably carried into effect by the 81st., the only Queen’s regiment at Lahore. Putteeala, a powerful Sikh chieftain, also gave zealous aid, not only by sending troops to replace those who had marched from Umballa to join their comrades before Delhi, but also by affording protection to fugitives, and exercising his influence to keep his countrymen faithful to the British; his relative, the Jheend Rajah also proceeded to Delhi with a body of his own troops, and bore an active share in the subsequent operations. The authorities at Peshawur, where fourteen thousand men were stationed, only about one-fourth being Europeans, were on the alert; the fort of Attock was at once provisioned for a siege, the 57th. Queen’s regiment forming the garrison, and the 64th. Native Infantry were distributed in the frontier forts, the treasure being deposited at Peshawur. The Guides were sent to join the army before Delhi, where they arrived in June, after a march of about six hundred miles, pronounced by Sir Henry Barnard to be without a parallel. Colonel Edwards, of Punjab fame, also by his appeals caused several bodies of Sikh troops to uphold British rule, and they were found most welcome at Delhi, above all, the great object of disarming the suspicious regiments was carried out. Colonel Ellice with three companies of the 24th. regiment, had an affair with the 14th. Native Infantry, at Jhelum on the 7th. of July; in which he himself was dangerously wounded; and a flying column, under Brigadier-General Nicholson, encountered the mutineers about noon on the 12th. of July, as they were crossing the Ravee; in this action the 52nd. Light Infantry, under Colonel Campbell, maintained their high character. After another attack on the 16th. of that month, the Brigadier proceeded to several disturbed parts of the country, and eventually joined the troops before Delhi on the 14th. of August. The column from the Punjab comprised the 52nd. Light Infantry, a wing of the 61st., No. 17 Light Field Battery, 2nd. regiment of Punjab Infantry, a wing of the 7th. Punjab Police Battalion, 4th. Sikh Infantry, two hundred and fifty Mooltanee Horse, with siege guns and ordnance stores. The 52nd. were six hundred and eighty strong, with six sick, but on the 14th. of September, owing to the ravages of fever and cholera, they only mustered two hundred and forty effectives of all ranks.