as the Tye Khana and Go-downs were considered unhealthy; fortunately,
the firing was so slack, that we could sit at the front door. It was
quite delightful to have a little cessation from the constant noise.
Mrs. D---- joined us, and seemed quite calm and cheerful. Charlie
brought over six bottles of mustard, as we had very little and it was
in great demand in cases of cholera; in the afternoon he came and
chatted with me. Mr. H---- had only one funeral this evening.
Saturday, July 11th. There had been an alarm in the night, but I had
heard nothing of it. I rose and made the early tea; and while carrying
a cup to Mrs. F----, slipped down some steps and sprained my ancle:
it became so painful that Dr. P---- recommended my fomenting it with
hot water, and laying it up--so I was unfortunately _hors de combat_.
Charlie sold poor Capt. F----s' property, and made 500 rupees of a box
of second-hand clothes, such a great demand was there for them; he
afterwards brought me a box of his papers and rings, which I locked
up for his poor sister, in case I should ever be able to give it to
her. Very slack firing all day; the enemy occasionally fired pieces of
wood shaped liked nine-pins, and bound with iron. There was a report
that the Nana was this day coming to join the rebels. There were five
funerals this evening.
Sunday, July 12th. We had slept in the dining-room for the first
time--but the mosquitoes were fearful--as the punkah was too heavy
to be of any good. About half-past 10, Charlie came and stayed to
prayers; at 12 Dr. F---- made us all again dine in the Tye Khana,
as the dinner upstairs brought such swarms of flies. In the evening
the ladies sat under the portico and sang very prettily; Capt. W----
joining them just as they had sung one verse of the evening hymn: the
enemy commenced firing so sharply that there was a call to arms, and
the gentlemen all rushed off to their posts. The attack was first on
Mr. G----s' house, and then came round to ours; we went to bed, but
the firing was so loud and the mosquitoes so lively that we slept but
little; in fact, we all wished ourselves down in the Tye Khana again.
Monday, July 13th. Rose, feeling wretched. My face is becoming covered
with boils, but hardly any one is without them now. The firing still
very sharp; a European soldier was wounded in the corner of our
verandah. The enemy were said to be again in J----s' house; a Native
was shot dead, coming from the Begum Kotee to our kitchen: altogether,
eight were hit in our Compound during the day. Charlie could not come
till the evening, and then stayed only a few minutes. Mrs. T---- very
ill, with the small-pox, at the Begum Kotee.
Tuesday, July 14th. Dear J----'s birthday. I had slept soundly, though
the firing had been very sharp all night. The 17th N.I. were seen with
their colours amongst the rebels; there were all kinds of reports of
relief--none true! Charlie came over about dinner time, and sat some
time, but I could not offer him any: I drank J----'s health in sherry.
An attack was expected at night, and all preparations were made; we
ladies were sent down to the Tye Khana to sleep. The rebels had placed
an 18-pounder in position for our house; however, the ammunition for
the gun was blown up, and we passed a quiet night, with the exception
of a skirmish with the punkah coolies.
Wednesday, July 15th. Charlie came soon after breakfast, and told me
the narrow escape he had had, from the careless firing of a 9-pounder
by a sergeant who had been instructed by an artillery officer to fire
shrapnell into J----s' house; he fired one into Capt. C----'s quarters,
which Charlie had only a minute before vacated; he had been dressing on
the very spot where the shrapnell burst. There was very little firing
during the day, but Lieut. L---- was shot on the roof of Mr. G----s'
house; Capt. F---- came for Dr. F----; they could not find the ball,
but fancied it had touched the spine, as all the lower part of the body
was paralysed. Our party sat in the verandah, singing songs and glees.
It made me feel quite melancholy, for the round shots were whizzing
overhead, and no one could tell but that the next might bring death
with it!
Thursday, July 16th. We heard that our troops had had a fight with the
insurgents at Futtehpore, who had come from Cawnpore to meet them, and
that we had taken four guns. No one knows if this be true, but it is
possible, and that our troops are waiting there for reinforcements.
Mrs. T---- died of small-pox. The heat and flies were dreadful; in the
evening Mr. H---- had five funerals, one, poor Mrs. T----. He said he
had had a most narrow escape; going to the churchyard, a shot struck
the ground directly between the two dhoolies carried in front of him,
and covered them with earth! That night I rebelled against watching; we
had had quite a fight about it during the day.
Friday, July 17th. The enemy had an 18-pounder in position to fire
on an angle of our house. Mrs. S----'s eldest child died of cholera.
Dear Charlie paid me his daily visit. The firing was rather slack; the
heat during the day was so intense, that the soldiers were allowed
to lie down in the drawing-room. Mr. H---- had three funerals this
night;--Lieut. A----, of the Artillery and Captain B----, were both
wounded by a mortar that the former was superintending the loading of.
Lieut. B----, Artillery, was wounded yesterday. About 11 P.M. we were
aroused by a very sharp firing,--an attempt made again at the Bailey
Guard Gate, but was unsuccessful; still I got up and prepared for a
rush to the top of the house, as they say that is our safest place if
the enemy get in; the gentlemen can defend us up there.
Saturday, July 18th. I will write exactly my employment this day to
show how each day is passed. I arose a little before 6, and made tea
for all the party; then, with Mrs. A----'s assistance, gave out the
rations for the day--ottah, rice, sugar, sago, arrowroot, &c., &c.
While doing this a 6-pound shot came through the verandah above, broke
down some plaster and bricks, and fell at our feet; Mrs. B---- and some
children had a very narrow escape; they were sitting in the verandah
at the time, but no one was hurt. I then rushed at the Bheestie (the
water-carrier), who was passing, and made him fill a tin can with water
for me, which I forthwith "lugged" upstairs and bathed and dressed; it
was about half-past 8 when I was ready, so I went to the front door to
get a breath of air; at 9 down again to make tea for the breakfast,
which consisted of a small piece of roast mutton, chupattees, rice, and
jam. I then worked on some of Charlie's garments till nearly dinner
time--4 P.M.--when I felt very poorly, but it passed off.
Sunday, July 19th. The firing was very sharp; there had been an
attack during the night. Early in the morning two round shots came
into the long room through the drawing-room, and yesterday while the
ladies were sitting in the long room a 9-pound shot came in through
the drawing-room and slanted through a side door--breaking down the
door-post and covering several of them with dust. Charlie came in, in
time for prayers, which Mr. H---- read at 12 in the entrance hall;
we had been kept down in the Tye Khana till then: by dinner time I
became very ill. Charlie had given me a piece of ration biscuit, so I
had that with a glass of port wine, instead of dinner. This afternoon
an 18-pounder came into the drawing-room; we were all sent down to
the Tye Khana in a great hurry. It was after dinner this day that
Captain W---- gave us the particulars of the Cawnpore massacre. He
said it was Thursday, June 25th, when they began to treat; the Nana
required that they should leave everything--arms, ammunition, &c.--and
he would provide them boats; some lady in a dhoolie was carried over
to the Nana--it is thought to have been Lady W----. On Friday lots
of hackeries were sent down to the entrenchments to convey the party
to the boats, but were returned, and on Saturday a lot of elephants
were sent instead and the party mounted them; the sick, and ladies
who could not travel this way, were sent in dhoolies, and the whole
party was escorted by the Nana's force to a Ghaut about a mile from
the entrenchments, where the boats were waiting. However, it was
discovered that there were neither cars nor ropes to the boats, or
boatmen; nevertheless, they were told to get in and drop down the
stream; and two boats filled and got ahead of the others: the remaining
eight were loading when a battery, masked behind some trees, opened
fire on them, and the Sepoys rushed down and bayonetted the women
and children--selecting fifteen or eighteen of the young ladies and
taking them off to their camp! The two boats that had gone ahead were
first fired into from the opposite bank of the river and sunk. At this
juncture, they say, some of the 56th N.I. rushed to their rescue and a
few escaped. I had been so ill in the morning that I had been obliged
to have Dr. F---- to attend me,--and I was better towards evening,
when the pain came on so violently I fancied I had cholera coming on.
Dr. F---- gave me another dose of opium, but I was very ill all night
and fainted away; they called Dr. F---- to me, and he dosed me again
and ordered a mustard poultice, I went up and lay down in Mrs. H----'s
room--the only safe one upstairs.
Monday, July 20th. Towards morning the round shot began flying about
thickly--two 18-pounders came into Mr. H----'s room while he was
dressing; they came in high, and covered him with a cloud of dust:
the bricks and mortar fell thick around him, but he escaped unhurt.
Soon the attack became tremendous all around us: round shot flying in
all directions; musketry on the roof of our house incessant. Strange
to say, I never winced or closed my ears; however, I and Miss S----,
who was kindly fanning me, decided we had better go down to the Tye
Khana. Breakfast, however, all were too much engaged to come to. The
attack lasted more than four hours; and they say, at the least, we were
surrounded by 4,000; six of their guns were pointed at our house. About
half-past 12, Dr. F---- called down to us that it was all right; and
one by one the gentlemen came down to breakfast. They said the enemy
had been beaten back, with great slaughter: one 32nd Sergeant shot
fourteen of them, one had seen twenty killed here, another, thirty
there. They opened the attack this day by springing a mine at the
Redan Battery, but without harm to us. I continued very faint and weak
throughout the day. While dinner was going on, about 5 o'clock, Charlie
came over; I was so thankful to see him safe. One more providential
escape he has had, and I could not feel sufficiently thankful: a bullet
had entered his helmet at the side, gone out at the top, carrying
the ventilator with it! He and his Sikhs are in a large house--Mr.
O----'s kutcherry--and in a very small verandah, that they occupied
during the attack, twenty-two round shots had come in. Charlie said
they had attacked with the spirit of Europeans. Some Mussulmen Sowars,
carrying a green standard, had tried to cross the stockade, close to
his post; the leaders of the party were all killed, and the flag left
in the brushwood. At this crisis a plucky man rushed up, and although
his right arm was broken by a musket shot, he contrived to extricate
it, and carry it off with his left. After that, an attack was made
at the same point, by Sepoys, with muskets and bayonets, but also
unsuccessfully. Another account Charlie gave of Mr. L----, commanding
at our old guard-house--now I----s' post; they had the hardest work to
keep it. Mr. L---- considers, at that part alone, 100 of the enemy were
killed; so that all agree their loss must have been very great, whereas
we had only two killed, and very few wounded: amongst the latter, Mr.
E----, of the 32nd, at the Redan, and Mr. H----, 7th L.C. The 13th,
at the Bailey Guard, behaved splendidly. This day, Mr. P---- died of
cholera; his wound had been progressing nicely, when he was seized
with cholera. Towards night, the firing had almost ceased. Mrs. B----
fancied her child had cholera, so we were kept awake the greater part
of the night.
Tuesday, July 21st. I rose early, feeling better; while sitting at
the door for air, Major B---- called in and chatted with us. Charlie
came at breakfast to see how I was, and again at 1 o'clock, bringing
me a saucepan of soup and a bottle of port wine to enable me to get
up my strength again. Just after he left, the enemy made an attack,
principally on Mr. G----s' house, and word was brought that Major
B---- had been shot through the head on the roof of the house, and Dr.
D---- wounded; the times are awful! Major B---- is, indeed, a loss;
a tremendous attack was expected at night, but it passed off quietly;
probably, on account of the heavy fall of rain we had. The siege has
lasted, now, more than three weeks.
Wednesday, July 22nd. I made the early tea and breakfast; hardly any
firing going on. Charlie came over and read some of my journal; after
he left, he sent me over a saucepan of soup, and one of his ration
biscuits. About 1 o'clock, Capt. E---- came running over from the
G----s' for Dr. F----, as Mrs. D---- had been shot through the head
as she was sitting in a bedroom just off the G----s' dining-room; her
death was instantaneous. In the evening Mr. H---- had nine funerals.
Thursday, July 23rd. The first news in the morning was, that a Native
Pensioner had come in from Cawnpore, with tidings that a large body
of Europeans were at Cawnpore, and that they had crossed ten guns;
they had had three fights with the Nana, and had burnt his house.
Every one believes this; and we may expect them by the first proximo.
It is glorious news, indeed! The Pensioner was sent off again, with
a letter, and only one rupee (as he himself requested); but, if he
brings an answer, he is to have 500 rupees, and a double pension for
life. The man's name was Ungud. I now have to wash my own clothes, and
this morning had a scrimmage for water,--Mrs. H----'s Ayah having had
the impertinence to run off with my can of water, after I had had the
trouble of bringing it upstairs. Firing, slack to-day; it is supposed
many of the enemy have gone to meet our reinforcements. To-day, we
spoilt the bridge of boats over the Goomtee, by firing round shot at
it. The night was quiet.
Friday, July 24th. A grand scrimmage about the goats and milk for the
children. The reinforcements said to be fourteen coss off. A round shot
took off a portion of the roof of our house; but, the enemy's fire was
generally slacker: a number of them are evidently gone off to meet our
troops. Last night, as I was making tea in the store-room, the largest
Bandycoot rat ran through that I ever saw, the size of a little pig. At
night the Tye Khana was so disagreeable that we were obliged to burn
camphor and paper in it.
Saturday, July 25th. My morning duties were rather heavy, having a
large number of clothes to wash; and I have always to take up all the
water I require, and carry it down again when done--labour that I
thought I never could have been equal to, especially in this country.
Charlie sent me one of his flannel shirts to mend; the front of it
was torn to pieces. He had lent it to an officer of the 48th, who had
none, and who, while wearing it, had had a most narrow escape. A round
shot had come in and covered him with bricks, which had torn the shirt
in the way stated; but he was uninjured. Charlie paid me his daily
visit; he had been to Mr. P----'s sale. I told him how badly off poor
Mrs. K---- was at the Begum Kotee, no one either to get or cook her
rations for her. The day before yesterday her only food had been a
few chupattees, and a cup of tea without milk or sugar. The enemy are
shelling to-day. They sent one into the Dawk office; it made a hole
through the roof, and, falling on the table, smashed it; but luckily,
not bursting, it did no other harm. Some of Mrs. P----'s things came
round for sale, and I bought a silk dress for twenty-six rupees, as
I have lost every one of my own. Mr. T---- came with the order books
to-day; it is the first time I have seen him since the meeting in
Cantonments. Mr. A---- also came in the afternoon; both seemed pleased
to see me again.
Sunday, July 26th. A letter arrived from the Quartermaster-General of
the relieving force, saying that two-thirds of the force had crossed
the Ganges, and would soon come to our relief; that they had quite
demolished the Nana's force, and that they were strong enough to bear
down all opposition. Glorious news! The Brigadier sent down an order
for all officers to be more watchful than ever, and not to leave their
posts. Charlie has to ask leave to come down and see me for half
an hour. An attack is expected, as a last attempt from the enemy.
Lieutenant L----, of the Artillery, was shot through the head at the
Cawnpore battery. He had just stepped aside to escape a pool of water,
and was shot from a loop-hole. Mr. H---- was sent for to the G----s'
to administer the Sacrament to Mrs. G----, who was dying of cholera;
he returned, and we had service in the entrance-hall: in the evening
it was held at the Brigade Mess. The enemy was discovered mining,
to-day, towards the Cawnpore battery; so we commenced counter-mining:
our people could hear the enemy working a little above them. A
luckily-thrown shell of ours fell on top of their mine, and broke it in.
Monday, July 27th. There has been a sharp attack during the night, and
Lieut. S----, 7th L.C., was accidentally shot by one of the Europeans.
Charlie came in for half an hour, soon after breakfast; he had a boil
on his knee: he said our mine was progressing well--twenty-seven feet
dug. Dr. P---- was very busy all the morning, getting his galvanic
battery ready to blow up J----s' house; he has had fever for the last
two days. No news from the relieving force, though they said they
should send a letter; it is supposed that all the approaches to the
city are strictly watched. Charlie said that during the night a plan
had been sent out of the entrance to Lucknow, by the Dil Koosha, as it
is considered a more practicable route than the regular Cawnpore road.
Firing was very slack throughout the day. Mr. H---- had two funerals.
Tuesday, July 28th. My morning duties, including washing clothes, very
heavy. No news from the relieving force; firing slack. We left off the
Cawnpore battery mine--as the enemy had stopped theirs--and commenced
one in the Sikh square, where we found they had also commenced. In
the evening our people managed to dig direct into theirs, which we
destroyed with a small charge of powder. Col. H----, who has been laid
up with a carbuncle all the siege, was much worse to-night. While we
were at prayers this evening, there were several volleys of musketry,
so there was a call to arms, and Capt. W---- and the gentlemen rushed
off to their post. Nothing, however, followed. Col. H---- died during
the night; he has been in a small tent, in the garden, all through the
siege.
Wednesday, July 29th. I was awoke by a mouse running over my neck,
scratching me with its horrid little feet. Still no news! After
breakfast I took Miss H----'s duties for her; as, poor girl, she was
not in spirits for it. Charlie paid me his half-hour's visit. I am so
thankful each day to see him once more. After dinner, just as we came
upstairs, guns were heard firing from the Martinière, and upon the top
of the house smoke could be seen from two batteries; a regular royal
salute was fired--twenty-one guns. All became excited in the greatest
degree, considering it was our relieving force; but we were doomed to
disappointment. No one knows what it was for; but there is a report
that it was in honour of a boy who has been placed on the throne by the
soldiery. An attack expected at night; but all was quiet.
Thursday, July 30th. Nothing of importance to-day; no news of the
reinforcements. I felt very disheartened, in consequence. Two officers
of the 71st came on Col. H----'s committee of adjustment; they told us
many wounded men had been seen brought into the city.
Friday, July 31st. Another most disheartening day; no news!
Saturday, August 1st. Firing slack; no news!
Sunday, August 2nd. No news again! Mr. H----, 7th L.C., died to-day.
The relieving force ought to have been in three days ago. God grant it
may come to our assistance shortly! The poor children feel the want
of fresh air and proper food sadly; but, still, we have much to be
thankful for; for, we have, as yet, endured no hardships, and my dear
husband has so far been spared to me.
Monday, August 3rd. Still no news! Firing, during the night, sharp. The
enemy threw several shells, some of which exploded in the Begum Kotee;
but, as yet, without injury to any one. Dear Charlie came and gladdened
my heart. About sunset the shelling became very sharp again; one burst
over Dr. P----'s head, in the air, as he was going into Mr. G----s'.
About 200 of the enemy's cavalry were seen moving, which caused a
little excitement, by no means unpleasing to us in our present inactive
condition. The future is a perfect blank to us; we are not able to give
even a surmise as to what our fate may be: but, we have made up our
minds never to give in, but to blow up all in the entrenchments sooner.
Tuesday, August 4th. Another day without news. Firing sharp, during
the night. Our only consolation is, that, no news is good news; for,
if any reverse happened to our reinforcements, the enemy would quickly
let us hear of it, and be back upon us immediately. A fine young man
was shot to-day, at the 9-pounder, in our garden; he was shot through
the lungs--he has left a wife and four children. Charlie came for his
half-hour's visit, my only gleam of sunshine in the gloomy day. I had
an enormous rat in my bedding when I unrolled it in the Tye Khana for
the night.
Wednesday, August 5th. No news whatever; but very few of the enemy
to be seen round us. While Charlie was with me to-day, it came in to
heavy rain, so that I got more than my half-hour's chat; and sent him
home in my blanket shawl, tied in a knot on his head, and hanging down
all round like a cloak. Some of the enemy's regiments of cavalry and
infantry were seen to parade in front of the Redan, and then go off to
the Cawnpore road. Very little firing during the night.
Thursday, August 6th. Another night without news! Poor Mr. S----, of
the 32nd, had his arm broken in three places by a 24-pound shot, and
his side hurt so badly that they fear he will not recover. All are to
vacate the Residency to-day, as it is so unsafe.
Friday, August 7th, We were cheered by the news that a Sepoy of the 1st
Oude Irregulars, who had been sent out by the Brigadier, had returned;
he had lost the letter from the relieving force, but had been in their
camp, and seen General H----. He said they had four European regiments
and one Sikh one; and that one European regiment had a curious baja
(music) played in front of them--meaning the bagpipes: that our force
had had a fight with the enemy, the first march out of Cawnpore, and
taken eighteen guns. A little further on they had had a fight with
villagers, who had decamped, leaving five more guns in their hands;
and then our troops, hearing the Nana was collecting a force again in
their rear, returned to Cawnpore. However, the Nana took fright, and
was off and away; so they took in fresh supplies, and were coming on
again. He also said Shereef O'Dowlah was the head of the rebels in the
district. There were 200 cavalry with our force, principally volunteers
and officers who had lost their regiments. About 3 P.M. the Sepoy came
to see Mr. C----, and we heard all his tale. Whilst we were sitting in
the long verandah room after dinner, there was a call to arms, and the
gentlemen went off to their posts; and I went off to fetch the things
I should require at night, for I knew if there were an attack I should
not be allowed to go into the room where I dressed. A few rounds from
the guns were fired, and the supposed attack subsided.
Saturday, August 8th. Mr. H---- went over to baptize Mrs. K----'s child,
as it was dying. Mrs. B---- and her child are also very ill; indeed, so
are all those in that room at the Begum Kotee. Dr. M----, 41st N.I.,
and Lieut. B----, both died of cholera this day.