General Franks had taken the field in the end of December, with a strong brigade under him, intending to operate on the southern and eastern frontier, in harmony with the Goorkhas under Jung Bahadoor. He marched from Benares with a troop and battery of Royal artillery. a wing of H. M.’s 10th and H. M.’s 37th and 17th. Having twice gained brilliant victories over the enemy, he marched on the 10th to Chanda, a village about 12 miles from Chegra Mhow. When about eight miles on the way the enemy suddenly opened fire on our advanced guard from behind a vast mound of earth which concealed them. Our 18-pounders were immediately brought to bear upon them, when they quitter their strongly intrenched position and fled, leaving eight guns in our hands, with sixty or eighty killed. Our skirmishers and Horse Artillery pursued for about 3 miles, when they found themselves getting too far a head of their supports. The main body of the brigade followed and encamped where the country had every appearance of being clear around.
The ground had hardly been marked out when they found themselves, to their astonishment, attacked in front and flank by about 1000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. It was now three o’clock, when our troops—overcome with fatigue, heat, and thirst were completely knocked up. They were not, howerer, to he taken by surprise: the Horse Artillery guns were unlimbered in a moment, and in less than half an hour the whole were put to flight, the firing continuing for hours after dark. The baggage had not yet come up, so the wearied force had to sleep on the ground supperless. The enemy now endevoured to get into the strong fort at Badshagungur.
The enemy’s force appears now to have been augmented to 35,000 insurgents with 25 guns—how, does not appear. On the 23rd, General Franks managed to outflank them. He attacked and dispersed them with treat slaughter, capturing 20 guns, with the whole standing camp, baggage, and ammunition, and killing shout 1000. Rajah Hoosein All Khan, and other of the leaders, were wounded. Our casualties consisted of 2 killed and 16 wounded in this and the two preceding actions. This victory cleared the road betwixt Fysa ad and Lucknow, a distance of 80 miles, opening up the path for the advance of the Goorkhas.
General Franks now pushed on towards Lucknow, clearing the country as he went. He was in communication with the grand army advancing under the Commander-in-Chief from the opposite side on the 4th. The Goorkhas had been detained at Sultanpore partly for want of ammunition, in part from the means of crossing the river. Supplies of the former were sent them from Benares, and the bridge for their use was completed by the 2nd, when they began to cross.
They would still he in time to share in the grand operation commenced on the 6th, and would very efficiently assist in cutting off the retreat of the enemy. Brigadier General Hope Grant had meantime pushed on from Oonso: he seized and blew up the fort of Futteypore Chowdrassee, and, proceeding upwards in the direction of Futteyghur, cleared the Oude bank of the river. On the 23rd he took Mungeereeji by storm, capturing four guns and killing 500 of the enemy. He seems since to have doubled back to join the grand army before Lucknow. — Bombay Standard.
Brechin Advertiser, Brechin, Angus, April 6, 1858