(Dated) Lucknow, 19th August, 1857.
Yesterday morning, between the hours of 5 and 6, the enemy sprung a mine
at the Seikh Square, blowing down the corner house, on the top of which
Lieutenant Mecham and Captain Orr, with two sentries, were on the look
out from the loopholes, Lieutenant Soppitt being below at the time.
A few minutes before the explosion not a single individual was to be
seen in the quarter occupied by the enemy. Suddenly, however, one man
was discovered by a sentry, and Lieutenant Mecham fired at him, but
missed; and immediately after the mine exploded, sending four of us,
viz., Lieutenant Mecham, Band-sergeant Curtain, of the 41st Native
Infantry, Drummer Ford, of the 13th Native Infantry, and Captain Orr up
in the air, and burying underneath the ruins of the battery six drummers
and one sepoy, _i. e._, Wiltshire, Williams, 13th Native Infantry, E.
Curtain, A. Nugent, Rowlan, 41st Native Infantry, Fife-major Shipley,
4th Oude Irregular Force, and sepoy Heerah Sing, 48th Regiment Native
Infantry. Of the former, I regret to state that Band-sergeant Curtain
was thrown on the enemy's side and killed; Lieutenant Mecham and Drummer
Ford were almost unhurt, and Captain Orr escaped with a few bruises.
Every precaution had been taken by Lieutenants Mecham, Soppitt, and
Captain Orr to guard against all contingencies, Lieutenant Mecham
remaining at night with the sentries, Lieutenant Soppitt and Captain Orr
being below with the guard, and occasionally visiting the sentries.
Since on duty at the Seikh Battery we had already discovered two mines,
one of which we countermined, and the other we found to be an abortive
attempt at one. The above discoveries had the effect of making us doubly
vigilant on this point.
The new mine, which occasioned the calamity of yesterday, must have been
worked by the enemy with sharp and noiseless tools; as--though a shaft
was already sunk beneath the battery, over which a sentry was posted,
and into which, during our respective tour of duty, we each occasionally
descended for the purpose of listening whether mining was carried on by
the enemy--not the slightest sound which in any way led us to suppose
the same was the case, ever reached us.
There was never perfect silence in the square, owing to the Seikhs'
horses being picketed therein, the tramping of whose feet on the ground
had more than once previously deceived us.
The smoke and dust thrown up enveloping us for some moments in complete
darkness, and the sudden shock of the explosion, prevented my personally
knowing what subsequently happened.
No. III.