MADRAS. 3d Class. Henry Williams. It was afterwards announced, that the next term would commence on Thursday, the 3d of August, and that the students were required to return within the first four days of it. The chairman (G. A. Robinson, Esq.) then rose and addressed the students: He stated, that he had infinite satisfaction in announcing that the term had been marked by a propriety of demeanour and conduct creditable to the college. It was not, however, to be denied that there had been a considerable variation in the display of application and talent; he therefore could not doubt but those who had attained so high a literary reputation, would continue strenuously to support it by regular and persevering industry. He exhorted those who were finally to leave the college, and who had not paid such decided application to their studies, to embrace the opportunity which would be afforded them on their voyage, and to emulate the example of those who had pursued a more honourable course; that on their arrival in India a further field would be open to them, both for retrieving lost time, as well as for the exertion of more successful application. With respect to the students who bad to return to prosecute their studies, it was his confident hope that it would be the happiness of those who might on future occasions fill the situation he then held, to find that they had emulated the conduct of that portion who had so highly distinguished themselves. With this feeling, he said, he had only to wish them every happiness, and heartily to bid them farewell, Among the visitors to the college on this occasion were :-The Rt. Hon. Lord Biuning, Mr. Dowdeswell, Mr. Harrington, Mr. Vanderheyden, Dr. Fleming, Mr. Christian, Mr. Smith, juu. Mr. Reid, jun. Mr. John Fraser, Major Cameron, Mr. Strachey, Rev. Mr. Stanley, Mr. Sims, &c. Wednesday the 19th and Wednesday the 26th of July are the days appointed for receiving petitions at the East India House from candidates for admission into the college for the ensuing term. PAPERS RELATING TO THE EXECUTION OF THE KILLEDAR OF THE (Printed by Order of the House of Commons.) No. 1. Dispatch from Lieut.-gen. Sir Thomas Hislop to the Governor-general and Commander-in-chief, dated Camp at Talneir, 28th Feb. 1818. In my dispatch of the 23d inst. I apprized your lordship of my having taken possession of the fort of Sindwah, and of my intention to pursue my route to the southward on the following day. Having descended the Sindwah Ghaut without molestation from the Bheels, I reached the Kurrone on the 26th inst., and moved towards the Tapty at this place yesterday. On the march I received an intimation that the killedar of Talneir had determined upon resisting the occupation of his fort by the British troops; and this, on my arrival before the place, I found to be correct, as he had already commenced a fire from a few guns and a number of matchlocks from the walls, upon our advanced parties. On this I directed a reconnoissance to be made by the Quarter-master-gen. Lieut. col, Blacker, and the officers of engineers, with a company of light infantry; the deep ravines round the place prevented cavalry picquets. I sent at the same time its accessibility on the service by the a letter to the killedar, warning him of the consequences which would ensue from his rebellion, if persisted in; to this I received no answer, but I afterwards learned that it had been delivered to him. The reconnoissance being completed, I directed the 10 six-pounders (including the horse artillery guns) and 2 five-and-ahalf-inch howitzers, with some twelvepound rockets, to be brought into position, so as to knock off, in as great degree as such limited means would admit of, the defences of the gateway. These opened with admirable effect about 11 o'clock from the heights on which the pettah is situated, from about 100 to 300 yards distant from the walls, the enemy keeping up an occasional fire from his guns, and a sharp one from his matchlocks, by which several casualties occurred. A second reconnoissance having been made by Lieut.col. Blacker, who advanced to the outer gate for the purpose, I determined upon storming it, in the hope that, at all events, a lodgment might be made within; 2 six-pounders were accordingly brought, under cover, close to the gateway; and the flank companies of H. M. Royal Scots and Madras European reg., under Major Gordon of the former corps, supported by the rifle battalion, the 3d light infantry, and the picquets, under Major Knowles, were brought from camp for this purpose. Meantime the killedar, alarmed at these preparations, and at the effect of the bat teries, sent to solicit terms. He was desired to open his gates, and to surrender himself and his garrison unconditionally; which he promised to do, Some delay, however, taking place, and the day be ginning to decline, the guns and Europeans were brought up to the first gate, which was, however, entered by the Europeans at the side by single files, without requiring to be blown open; the next gate was found open, and at the third the killedar came out by the wicket, with a number of banyans, whom he had on the previous evening forced into the fort from the pettah, and surrendered himself to the Adj.gen. Lieut.col. Conway. The party advanced through another gate, and found the fifth, which led into the body of the place, shut, and the Arabs within still insisting upon terms. After some delay, the wicket of this gate was opened from within, and Lieut.col. Macgregor Murray and Major Gordon entered by it, with two or three officers and 10 or 12 grenadiers of the Royal Scots who were leading. I lament to state to your lordship, that this gallant band was immediately attacked by the treacherous Arabs within, before adequate aid could be given from the wicket; in a moment they were fired upon, and struck down with spears and arrows. The intrepid Major Gordon and Capt. Macgregor resigned their invaluable lives at this spot, and Lieut.col. Murray was wounded in several places with daggers, before he had time to draw his sword to defend himself. I have no common satisfaction, however, in acquainting your lordship, that this brave officer is doing well, as are also, I am happy to add, Capt. O'Brien, Assist. Adj.gen Lieut. Anderson of engineers, Lieut. Macgregor of H. M. Royal Scots, and Lieut. Chauval of the 2d Madras Native reg. who were wounded; the two former at the batteries, the two latter at the wicket. When the attack commenced at the inner gate, the outer one was directed by Lieut.col. Conway to be blown open, while the fire from the batteries covered the assault; 30 or 40 of the leading grenadiers having in the mean time succeeded in getting through the wicket, the garrison took shelter in the houses in the fort, whence they still opposed an obstinate resistance; but the remainder of the storming party having by this time got into the place, the whole of the garrison, consisting of about 300 men, of whom a considerable number were Arabs, were put to the sword: a severe example, indeed, but absolutely necessary, and one which I have no doubt will produce the most salutary effect on the future operations in this province. The killedar I ordered to be hanged on one of the bastions immediately after the place fell. Whether he was accessary or not to the subsequent treachery of his men, his execution was a punishment justly due to his rebellion in the first in stance, particularly after the warning he had received in the morning. Our casualties, besides the irreparable loss sustained in Major Gordon and Capt. Macgregor, your lordship will perceive by the accompanying return of killed and wounded, are much less numerous than might have been expected, from the desperate nature of the service on which the troops were engaged. The conduct of the whole of the general, personal, and divisional staff, on this occasion, merited, as usual, my highest approbation and best acknowledgments. I have the honour to refer your lordship to the enclosed trans-cript of my general order of this date, and to be, with the greatest respect, &c.-(Signed) THOMAS HISLOP, lieut.gen. No. 2. Extract Letter from Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop to the Marq. of Hastings, dated Camp at Talneir, 1st March 1818. I am sanguine in the hope, that the example of Talneir will give a new tone to the discontented; and, aided by the proclamation of which the enclosure is a translation, be the means of saving many lives in the course of the service. No. 3. Proclamation by Sir T. Hislop, in Camp at Talneir. Whereas peace having been established between the British Government and the Sircar of Mulhar Row Holkar Bahadar, there is no cause for enmity between these states: and whereas Mulhar Row Holkar Bahadar has ceded to the British Government his right and lands south of the Santpoora-range of hills, including the hills themselves, and for which the ministers have made over to me Choce Chitties, or orders of surrender; it behoves all persons, the subjects of Mulhar Row Holkar, immediately to comply with the commands of their sovereign, and to evacuate all the forts and towns in the said territory, which they will be at liberty to do, with their private property. At this time Toolseram Alama, the kille dar of the fort of Talneir, having refused to obey the order of his master, and to deliver up the above fort to the British troops, after being told of its transfer to that government, placed himself and his garrison in the condition of rebels, and subjected himself and all his troops to the punishment of death. It is contrary to the wish of the British government to molest in any way the subjects and servants of its ally Mulbar Row Holkar; but at the same time let it be perfectly understood, that whatever Comavesder or other person presumes to disobey the orders of that government, in delivering at once his trust, agreeably to the commands of his sovereign, will suffer the same fate as has befallen Toolseram Alama.-By order of his excellency Sir T. Hislop, (Signed) J. BRIGGS, Acting Political Agent to the Gov. gen. No. 6. Extract Letter from the Marq. of Hastings to Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop, dated 3d April 1818. I have already, in my despatch No. 21, of the 29th March, had the honour to convey to your excellency my approbation of your proceedings at Talneir. I have learned with much satisfaction, from your despatch of the 7th March, the submission of the remaining fortresses ceded by Holkar in Candeish; a result which has undoubtedly been materially produced by the example justly and wisely made by your excellency of the garrison of No. 4. Extract Letter from Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop to General the Marquis of Hastings, dated Camp Palakeira, 7th March 1818.. The good effects which the example of Talneir was calculated to produce are now distinctly visible in this country. The Killedar of Chandon has signified his intention to give up the place to the British troops; the Killedar and garrison of Galnah have evacuated that fort, which is at present occupied by the inhabitants of the Pettah; and Amulnair, which lay nearly on my line of march, and which at one time I had an idea of reducing, was found to be ready to be given up, had I had time or troops to take possession of it; but the more important object before us precludes all deviation at present from its immediate pursuit. No. 5. Letter from the Marq. of Hastings to Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop, Bart. and G.C.B., dated Camp near the Gogra, 29th March 1818. SIR-I have the honour to acknowledge you excellency's annunciation of your having taken the fortress of Talneir. -The vigour and policy of your determination to reduce that place must necessarily meet my praise. It is an additional proof of the judicious energy which has marked your excellency's conduct throughout this service. That such va luable men as those officers who fell on the occasion should have perished through an act of atrocious perfidy, augments my sorrow at their loss. Painful as it was to your excellency to exercise severity in such a case, you have the consolation of being satisfied, that you have by such an example diminished the probability of much wanton waste of blood in future.I have, &c. (Signed) HASTINGS. Talneir. No. 7. Extract Despatch from the Governor-gen. in Council to the Court of Directors, dated July 18th 1819. Sir Thomes Hislop has been called on to furnish further explanations respecting the execution of the Killedar of Talneir, and we have the honour to submit a minute by the Governor-gen, on the same subject. No. 8. Copy of a Minute by the Gover nor-gen., dated July 7th 1819. Till In obedience to the orders of the Hon. Secret Committee respecting occurrences at Talneir, we have written to Sir T. Hislop for a minute statement relative to the execution of the Killedar. that explanation shall arrive, I can only represent what my impression from the particulars which did come before me; but as even that degree of information may be desirable for the Hon. Committee, I lose no time in explaining it. was The Hon. Committee would seem to have adopted a conception that the Killedar had surrendered on some implied engagement for his safety, and that he even facilitated the entrance of the British troops into the fortress. The letter of Sir T. Hislop, evidently written in great haste, might possibly have led me to a similar misapprehension, had not other letters, which had been dispatched by officers present at Talneir, arrived at the same time. All those concurring accounts negatived the supposition that any plea, even constructive, existed to exempt the Killedar from the known consequences of unsuccessfully standing an assault. It appeared to me that the Killedar was thoroughly apprised of his situation; first, by the promulgation of the article of treaty assigning the territory to the Hon. Company; and secondly, by the special order of Holkar for the sur render of the fortress; notwithstanding which, he forced Sir T. Hislop to the risk of carrying the place by storm. It was undeniable, that the fortress was taken by assault, the defenders of the outer works having been driven from the ram part by our fire, and entrance being gain ed through a breach made by our cannonade against the jams of the gate. The Killedar then advancing to supplicate mercy, after having resisted till the place was actually carried, and opposition was no longer practicable, could not take him out of the fatal predicament in which he had wilfully and knowingly placed himself. The application of the penalty lay with Sir T. Hislop; and the humanity of his excellency's character claimed for him credit, that nothing but what he deemed a most serious exigency could urge him to the infliction. The forfeiture of pretension to quarter when troops stand an assault has been established by the laws of war, to prevent garrisons from wantonly subjecting besiegers to the heavy loss likely to be suffered by troops exposed in advancing to breach; a slaughter in which a garrison would, from false points of honour, always be tempted to indulge, if impunity could be obtained by throwing down their arms when defence proved ineffectual. It is to preclude unnecessary bloodshed, that the rigorous rule is acknowledged by universal military consent. When what had passed appeared to be strictly within the letter of the law, the Hon. Committee would probably think it would have been unadvisable for the Governor-gen, to throw a taint on the reputation of Sir T. Hislop, by raising a question as to the real amount of necessity for the severity. The greater or the lesser urgency of the considerations which constituted that necessity must at least have been disputable. A decision on that head was the immediate province of the officer who had the awful responsibility of effecting the submission of the districts with the least possible expenditure of his own troops; and it would have been an injurious return to an individual who had just rendered eminent services, to fix an apparent blot upon his conduct, by setting afoot investigations which might be expected to prove causeless, and which in that case would entail on the superior the charge of proceeding with indelicacy, if not with more essential injustice. This exposition is professedly from incomplete materials; yet I may say, that I have no reason to imagine more particular insight would alter the tenor of the reasoning which I have taken the liberty to submit. (Signed) HASTINGS. No. 9. Despatch from the Governorgen. in Council to the Court of Directors, dated Oct. 9, 1819. HON. SIRS:-In continuation of the subject of our letter of July 11th, we have the honour to transmit a copy of a dispatch from Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop, containing the detailed explanations required by your Hon. Court, respecting the execution of the Killedar of Talneir. We have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) HASTINGS, G. DOWDESWELL, J. STUART, J. ADAM. No. 10. Despatch from Lieut.gen. Sir T. Hislop, Bart. G.C.B., to the Gover nor-gen. in Council, dated Sept. 10, 1819. MY LORD:-I have bad the honour to receive, through Mr. Chief Secretary Metcalfe, a copy of a despatch addressed by the Hon. Court of Directors to your lordship in council, under date the 24th Feb. last; by some of the resolutions contained in which, their thanks, together with those of the General Court of the United Merchants of England trading to the East Indies, conformably with the unanimous votes of those bodies respectively, have been communicated to me, in testimony of their approbation of my services during the late war in this country, and particularly in the action fought at Mahidpore on the 21st Dec. 1817, by the force under my personal command. So distinguished a mark of approval as above signified, calls upon me individually in this place respectfully to request, that your lordship in council will do me the favour to transmit to the Hon. Court of Directors, and to the General Court of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies, the expression of my most grateful acknowledgments for the high honour thus conferred upon me, which I shall never cease most warmly to appreciate; at the same time I must beg leave to solicit your lordship in council to add thereto my assurances, that to the high state of discipline, combined with the undaunted valour of the officers and soldiers of the 1st and 3d divisions of the army of the Deckan, which composed the force employed on this particular occasion, is solely to be ascribed the victory of Mahidpore, of which such distinguished notice has been separately taken. The only merit to which, on that occasion, I venture to lay claim, rests on the great good fortune which enabled me to seize the opportunity of personally leading such a gallant body of troops against the enemy. It no less behoves me here to repeat my admiration of the famed achievements of every division which composed the army, placed by the supreme government under my special command, and thereby to do justice to the gallantry, abilities, and zeal of the several officers to whose immediate guidance their services were intrusted. The despatch above acknowledged having been referred to me by your lordship in council, for such explanation and elu cidations as I may wish to submit to the of the proceedings my public duty impehon. Court, the points to which my at-riously called on me to adopt. tention has obviously been drawn, is the qualification with which the vote of thanks of the General Court to me was accompanied; viz. "that this court "wishes it to be understood as not giving 66 any opinion relative to the circumstances attendant upon the capture of "Talneir, until further information re61 specting it, than is afforded by the pa"" pers now before the court, shall be "furnished;" and to the remarks of the Court of Directors on the subject of the execution of the Killedar; I shall therefore proceed to afford your lordship in council, for the information of those hon. Courts, a detail of all the circumstances which led to the measure. I have not thought it proper, on such an occasion, to confine the information which the hou. Court has called for, to my own personal explanation alone; but, confident that the more the transaction is examined, the more clear the imperious call for it will appear to the conviction of every impartial man, I have required from those public officers who were prominently employed during the service in question, statements, founded on the best of their recollection and solemn belief, of the circumstances alluded to in the despatch, which may have come to their knowledge or under their observation; and one of these officers being now in Candeish, a very considerable distance from hence, has occasioned the transmission of this address to your lordship being delayed to the present date. The statements above alluded to, and accompanying,*are from Lieut.col. Blacker, the quarter-master-gen. of the army; Capt. Briggs, the political agent of your lordship with my head quarters in Candeish; Lieut.col. Conway, the adjutantgen. of the army; and Lieut.col. Macgregor Murray, the dep. adjutant-gen. of his Majesty's forces, who accompanied the storming party. I beg the hon. Court may he referred to these documents as containing a mass of information which cannot fail to make them thoroughly acquainted with every particular connected with the reduction of Talneir, and which will show that the Killedar did not surrender himself to Col. Conway, as has been inadvertently stated, and that he never made any condition of surrendering the fort whatever; that a fair time was allowed him to discontinue his unlawful hostilities; that he did not avail himself of it, but carried on the utmost resistance in his power to the last, to the serious injury of my troops, and ultimately reduced me to the necessity of taking his fort by storm; that in the heat of that operation he fell into our possession, when he was fully aware his life had been forfeited, and when no expectation whatever was held out to him that it would be spared. I must here premise by observing, that a very erroneous view of the case in question has been taken at home, and that the misconceptions are imputable altogether, I am free to confess, to my despatch to your lordship of the 28th Feb. 1818, written at Talneir immediately after the assault of that fort, when I was most pressingly engaged in forming arrangements for the earliest possible prosecution of further operations, the more essentially demanded by the information which at that moment reached me, of the advance of the ex-Peishwa towards the Godavery. It had become of the highest importance, critically situated as Candeish then was, that the utmost promptitude should be observed by me towards intercepting Bajee Row, and that object calling for my sole attention, I was of necessity obliged to leave the drafting of the despatch to other hands. The capture of the place being only of a secondary class of operation, did not seem to require that I should have occupied myself individually at that moment with a report of it; and as your lordship was intimately acquainted with the disturbed condition of Candeish, and the obstacles which presented themselves to my occupation of that province, it appeared equally unnecessary for me, at such a season, to address your lordship ou those points: my directions, therefore, were simply, that the despatch should be concise, as to the reduction of the place; and I have since regretted to find, that it The hon. Court will probably before was signed and forwarded without re- now have become possessed of a full ceiving that attention which, under a less knowledge of the spirit of opposition and urgent state of affairs, it would undoubt- rebellion which prevailed in Candeish at edly have had. My regret is the more the period in question. That province, acute, because the conduct of the Killedar as your lordship is aware, was disturbed has been so represented as to produce a by chieftains in possession of its forts and wrong impression; and I rejoice in the strong holds, inimical to the new state opportunity now afforded me of submit- of things, determined not to abide by the -ting facts collected from the most authen- treaty of Mundissoor, but to throw off tic sources, which will place the whole their allegiance to their sovereign by retransaction in its true light, and must re-fusing obedience to his mandates; and in move every idea that may have prevailed - prejudicial to the correctness and justness See Nos. 11, 12, 13, and 14. |