moment we arrive, I should hope there can be no doubt you will be in time to relieve the Lucknow garrison, even if their utmost limit is the 28th.

Sir J. Outram to General Neill.

Camp, Kurreeon, 10th September.

I am in your debt two letters the last, dated yesterday, and this instant received. I can only hastily thank you for them, as the dâk is waiting; but I am anxious no delay should occur in carrying out the measure you suggest, of opening communication with Captain Gowan, and authorizing him to draw money on Byjinath or other bankers for the purpose of organizing the Kearee Thakoor's troops as you propose. I will take upon myself to give authority to Captain Gowan to draw to the amount of 50,000 rupees to that end; and I beg you will give the requisite sanction on behalf of Government on my responsibility.

I do hope Havelock will be in possession of the opposite bank, with the means of crossing, by the time we arrive on the 15th, so that not a moment may be lost in our advance to Lucknow.

I have overtaken Major Simmons's column here, with a view to detach a party from it to disperse some Oude zemindaree rabble, who, with two guns, have crossed to this side, and are plundering in the Doab. But this makes only the difference, that we shall all reach Cawnpore on the 15th, instead of half of us on the previous day.

Sir J. Outram to Colonel O'Brien.

Camp, Thurriaroon, 11th Sept. 1857.

I received an express last night from Armstrong, stating that 700 men and four guns had crossed from

Oude, and were about to attack his post. I had heard of these fellows (about half the strength reported by Armstrong) having crossed the river at a point 15 miles due north of Khaga (on the Grand Trunk Road), their object being supposed to be the plunder of Hutgam Koss and Khaga; not likely they would attack any post where no plunder and only bullets were to be met. As it is of importance to disperse this body at once, I yesterday despatched against them a party of 150 Europeans (mounted on elephants) and two guns, under Major Eyre; and in the evening he was joined at Hutgam Koss by thirty of the 12th Irregulars, under Captain Johnson, from our yesterday's camp, where they had arrived in the morning. As the rebels could not have been above five miles from the point of rendezvous, I trust Eyre may have surprised and given a good account of them. If not, he is doubtless now following them up. This has necessarily detained us a day.

Simmons's column went on to Futtehpore this morning, taking on the company of the 78th; and I follow with the Europeans to-morrow. Eyre will overtake us by the time we reach Cawnpore. The 90th will be the better for this halt, their sick amounting to fifty-two. But though the Oude people may now be driven back, they would probably return shortly after this force passes on; or the Dinapore and Rewah rebels may cross the Jumna with a view to plunder the Doab and interrupt our communications. It is absolutely necessary, therefore, that a post be established between Allahabad and Cawnpore, sufficiently strong to detach against any parties of rebels crossing either the Jumna or Ganges. Futtehpore offers the most convenient position, and I beg, therefore, you will cause preparations to be made for passing on to that place all the men of the 90th and

64th (except their sick) now coming up from Benares, either by bullock train or marching, as you think most advisable. But the first detachment (which is to reach Allahabad to-morrow) should be despatched by bullock train at once, to take charge of the tents, which I shall leave there, for upwards of 500 Europeans, intended for the accommodation of the Futtehpore force when all are assembled there.

Even that small detachment, magnified as it will be by rumour, will suffice to keep the Oude rebels dispersed by Eyre from again venturing to come across the Ganges; and long before they learn the real force of the detachment, it will have been reinforced by further details. This post would, moreover, tranquillize the Futtehpore district, which is becoming utterly disorganized from the absence of any European supervision, if an experienced civil functionary could be sent to assume charge of it.

I beg you will inform Mr. Chester how absolutely indispensable it is that he should depute the most experienced magistrate he has. Reduced as the civil duties at Allahabad now are, surely one of the several civilians he has with him may be spared without much inconvenience; but, convenient or not, such great interests are involved in preserving the tranquillity of the Futtehpore district at present, that I trust Mr. Chester will not grudge any inconvenience that may be caused him, by assuming for the present the control of Futtehpore, through such officers as he may depute to manage it. I shall urge on the Lieutenant-Governor the expediency of attaching Futtehpore to Allahabad with this view.

Until relieved by the first detachment of Europeans, the havildar's party of Sikhs, who came in charge of the dooly bearers and bheestees, will remain at Futteh

pore in charge of the tents. You will, I trust, send an experienced officer of our army to aid the senior officer who may be in command of the Queen's detachment at Futtehpore, until you can assume the command there yourself when relieved by Colonel Otter. The garrison and convalescents now at Allahabad must suffice until the Naval Brigade arrives; and they should be ample while a force of 500 Europeans are passing through to be established so near as Futtehpore. These detach ments, so frequently passing up from Benares to Allahabad, should suffice to preserve the communication between those places; and I trust the Goorkhas are by this time in occupation of Jaunpore, which will effectually shut out the Oude rebels from that quarter.

Mr. Sherer, now at Cawnpore, belongs I believe to Futtehpore, and I may find, perhaps, that he can now be spared to return there, and place himself under Mr. Chester's orders. But I hope Mr. Chester will not rely on this, as possibly he may be too necessary at Cawnpore just now to be spared immediately; and at any rate an experienced civilian should come up with the first detachment, and remain till Mr. Sherer arrives; if not, to continue there with Mr. Sherer. It may be convenient to have a telegraph station at Futtehpore, if it can be managed.

Sir J. Outram to the Commander-in-Chief.

Camp, Thurriaroon, 11th September, 1857. I last night received your Excellency's letter dated 5th instant, from which I much regret to learn that you have been unwell. Your Excellency's illness at this time would, indeed, be a national calamity. I trust the telegraph message I sent from Allahabad will have relieved your anxiety regarding the rifle ammunition,

a considerable supply having arrived subsequent to Colonel O'Brien's report of the deficiency. With what you mention as being sent in addition, we shall have an ample supply for some time to come.

The 185 cavalry organized from the waggon train will be invaluable. General Havelock has only about seventy volunteer cavalry, to whom I have about a dozen to add, besides a troop of the 12th Irregulars (under Captain Johnson), who being Affghans may, I think, be depended on. This comprises our whole cavalry force on this side Agra.

With regard to the proposed measure of employing the Madras 17th Regiment, with 300 of her Majesty's 10th, and two guns from Dinapore, I should have thought it excellent had I not supposed that the 17th Regiment was, by the time I received your Excellency's message on the subject, close to Benares, which induced me to reply" As the 17th Madras Regiment must now be close to Benares, it would be a pity to send it down to Chupra, where the detachment of the 10th Regiment from Dinapore will answer for the present; and Benares appears to be the most convenient position from whence to operate generally." This was assuming that your Excellency might have sent orders to Dinapore direct, to detach the 200 of her Majesty's 10th and two guns for the protection of Chupra, as I had suggested on the 31st August, in consequence of Mr. Hamilton's information.

As the only means of communicating with Dinapore by telegraph is via Calcutta, I thought that the quickest and the surest mode of ensuring your Excellency's and the Governor-General's views, on learning the fall of Goruckpore, being at once carried out. And I at the same time sent by post to Mr. Hamilton, and through him to Mr. Samuells, copy of my telegraph message to