DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3909#0214
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afterwards boldly came alone into the Seikh. lines to parley and settle the preliminaries of the Treaty, In
virtue of it the Seikh force returned to Cashmere, but not as they expected, for they were continually haras-
sed by their supposed new frienda and allies, insomuch that they reached Cashmere with even less than 2-3rds
of the number they left with. As for the Treaty, all its stipulations were totally repudiated on the Troops
returning to Cashmere,
The Chylassee Chiefs referred the Governor of Cashmere to the old Chief Mussoo, whose signature
or seal was alone attached to the treaty, and he on being applied to, returned a courteously insolent reply to the
effect that<s if the old blind Kaffir at Lahore (meaning of course Runjeet Singh who had lost an eye when
young) required immunity for the Cashmere borders, let him pay for it; and you, my brother, if you require
gold dust,, come and take it." Thus matters remained till the late Maharajah Goolab Singh was introduced
into Cashmere by Sir Henry Lawrence in person, and on the part of the British Government, and was Installed
as "Maharajah of Jummoo and Cashmere." The story goes that Sir Henry, desirous of seeing the Borders
towards the W. and N. W., visited the Dhuriawah or Valley of the Kishun-gnngah River, and some of his
followers or private servants on their return seem to have been not very politely treated by some rude Chylas-
sees, who at the time were sent roaming in qne3t of loot. On their conduct being complained of, and it
coming to the ears of Sir Henry, he suggested to the Maharajah, that these rude villagers (as he understood
them to be) should be taught better manners in future. The Maharajah understood and appreciated the hint;
for in '54 or '55 the Chylassees becoming more than usually troublesome, he took an opportunity to coerce
them. An army of 4 to 5,000 men was despatched, which, as finding it necessary afterwards, he had to
increase to some 10 or 15,000 men of all arms (of course excepting cavalry) under the command of three
leaders, Dewan Hurree Chund, Vizier Zoroverao (son of Vizier Eeckputh, killed at the taking of Cashmere)
and Meean Ettooa. Numerous schemes were had recourse to, to reduce the fortress on this occasion, and
after a two month's close siege finding their other efforts of no avail, the besiegers determined to take the
place by storm. In pursuance of this resolve all preparations being made, and the various parties and divi-
sions told, off for each point of attack, the whole army quietly assembled about two hours before daylight.
The ladders were soon fixed, and up the Dogra Troops clambered with alacrity and will, at 6 or 7 different
points of the fort, but only to be met in every direction by a galling and murderous fire from within. How-
ever they returned to the assault again and again, till in fact the whole army, supports and all, now united and
massed under the walls, made a general and simultaneous effort to gain the crest of the parapet. Just at the
moment when their efforts were seemingly about to be crowned with success, the Chylassees hurled down
upon them immense beams, ponderous logs of wood, and even rocks and large boulders in such
quantities as to crush all before them. Hundreds of lives were lost in a few minutes, and heaps of dead,
mangled and wounded, lay scattered around the walls. The ladders were all smashed and broken, and after four
or five hours spent in ineffectual attempts to get possession of the fort, the troops were recalled to their
lines. The baffled besiegers now turned all their attention to deprive the garrison of water. They also took
counsel as to what could be done by mining so as to blow up some of the bastions of the fort, and
also to tap and drain off the water of the only reservoir within the fort. For these purposes—1st, the course
of a small stream of water which flowed into the fort, was diverted, which left the inner reservoir as the
only supply for the besieged, but this was sufficiently ample for the wants of a garrison for even three or four
months more. To deprive them of this now became the sole aim of the besiegers, and at the instigation of an
Adjutant of the Sappers and Miners, by name Shere Khan, operations were commenced for that purpose,
assisted by the native iron miners of Krewand Sing near Paampoor and Islamabad in the Cashmere Valley.
Not many days had elapsed when a sudden rush of a large body of water from inside the fort, carrying with it
)
afterwards boldly came alone into the Seikh. lines to parley and settle the preliminaries of the Treaty, In
virtue of it the Seikh force returned to Cashmere, but not as they expected, for they were continually haras-
sed by their supposed new frienda and allies, insomuch that they reached Cashmere with even less than 2-3rds
of the number they left with. As for the Treaty, all its stipulations were totally repudiated on the Troops
returning to Cashmere,
The Chylassee Chiefs referred the Governor of Cashmere to the old Chief Mussoo, whose signature
or seal was alone attached to the treaty, and he on being applied to, returned a courteously insolent reply to the
effect that<s if the old blind Kaffir at Lahore (meaning of course Runjeet Singh who had lost an eye when
young) required immunity for the Cashmere borders, let him pay for it; and you, my brother, if you require
gold dust,, come and take it." Thus matters remained till the late Maharajah Goolab Singh was introduced
into Cashmere by Sir Henry Lawrence in person, and on the part of the British Government, and was Installed
as "Maharajah of Jummoo and Cashmere." The story goes that Sir Henry, desirous of seeing the Borders
towards the W. and N. W., visited the Dhuriawah or Valley of the Kishun-gnngah River, and some of his
followers or private servants on their return seem to have been not very politely treated by some rude Chylas-
sees, who at the time were sent roaming in qne3t of loot. On their conduct being complained of, and it
coming to the ears of Sir Henry, he suggested to the Maharajah, that these rude villagers (as he understood
them to be) should be taught better manners in future. The Maharajah understood and appreciated the hint;
for in '54 or '55 the Chylassees becoming more than usually troublesome, he took an opportunity to coerce
them. An army of 4 to 5,000 men was despatched, which, as finding it necessary afterwards, he had to
increase to some 10 or 15,000 men of all arms (of course excepting cavalry) under the command of three
leaders, Dewan Hurree Chund, Vizier Zoroverao (son of Vizier Eeckputh, killed at the taking of Cashmere)
and Meean Ettooa. Numerous schemes were had recourse to, to reduce the fortress on this occasion, and
after a two month's close siege finding their other efforts of no avail, the besiegers determined to take the
place by storm. In pursuance of this resolve all preparations being made, and the various parties and divi-
sions told, off for each point of attack, the whole army quietly assembled about two hours before daylight.
The ladders were soon fixed, and up the Dogra Troops clambered with alacrity and will, at 6 or 7 different
points of the fort, but only to be met in every direction by a galling and murderous fire from within. How-
ever they returned to the assault again and again, till in fact the whole army, supports and all, now united and
massed under the walls, made a general and simultaneous effort to gain the crest of the parapet. Just at the
moment when their efforts were seemingly about to be crowned with success, the Chylassees hurled down
upon them immense beams, ponderous logs of wood, and even rocks and large boulders in such
quantities as to crush all before them. Hundreds of lives were lost in a few minutes, and heaps of dead,
mangled and wounded, lay scattered around the walls. The ladders were all smashed and broken, and after four
or five hours spent in ineffectual attempts to get possession of the fort, the troops were recalled to their
lines. The baffled besiegers now turned all their attention to deprive the garrison of water. They also took
counsel as to what could be done by mining so as to blow up some of the bastions of the fort, and
also to tap and drain off the water of the only reservoir within the fort. For these purposes—1st, the course
of a small stream of water which flowed into the fort, was diverted, which left the inner reservoir as the
only supply for the besieged, but this was sufficiently ample for the wants of a garrison for even three or four
months more. To deprive them of this now became the sole aim of the besiegers, and at the instigation of an
Adjutant of the Sappers and Miners, by name Shere Khan, operations were commenced for that purpose,
assisted by the native iron miners of Krewand Sing near Paampoor and Islamabad in the Cashmere Valley.
Not many days had elapsed when a sudden rush of a large body of water from inside the fort, carrying with it