Part 1

Transcriber's Note:

The following handwritten dedication and letter were included on the front leaves of the original book. They were written by Miss M. A. Garratt, sister of Mrs. R. C. Germon.

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Given to Herbert Litchfield by Miss M A Garratt sister of Mrs Germon the Authoress

You ask about the "Diary of Lucknow" My sister never intended publishing them--but she was so continually pressed to do so by a few friends who thought it such a pity the manuscript should get lost or injured--two in particular, M^r Burham a friend here, the one who wrote his Father's Biography which I gave you--& an old Admiral an old friend here (since dead) that at last she had it done, but only for private circulation--& only she and I had the copies--I shall send one to you ^{to}day by Post & hope it will reach you all right--she wrote it entirely for my dear mother & myself

& the report of each day is perfectly correct--I suppose if nothing unforeseen occurs we shall be going to London as usual the end of May--but it depends upon the time of the "Lucknow dinner"--so as to bring that in during my sister's & Colonel Germon's stay in London--it is the old Garrison--the Officers who were shut in all the time--& year by year the party becomes smaller, partly from some being removed by death & others not able perhaps to be in London at the time When in London I shall hope to see something of you--& with kind love believe me your affec^{te} Cousin M A Garratt

my sister & the Col. send kind remembrances

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A DIARY

KEPT BY

MRS. R. C. GERMON,

AT LUCKNOW,

BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF MAY AND DECEMBER, 1857.

LONDON: WATERLOW AND SONS, CARPENTERS' HALL, LONDON WALL.

1870.

ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.

PREFACE.

The Writer of the following Diary has frequently been requested to have a few copies printed for circulation amongst her friends; she has now acceded to their request, but wishes it to be understood that the Diary is in its original wording, as it was written by her day by day at Lucknow, with no attempts at embellishment. The names of those who were actors in the fearful scenes have been omitted, from a feeling of delicacy towards some who are still alive.

The writer is also indebted to her husband, who commanded one of the outposts throughout the siege, for the accuracy of the statements of some of the events that did not come immediately under her own observation.

THE SIEGE OF LUCKNOW.

1857. May 15th, Friday. I spent the day with the B----'s of the 71st N.I., he acting Brigade-Major of Lucknow: while sitting at dinner he told us of the horrible news from Meerut and Delhi; it was rather alarming for one living alone as I was, my husband being on city duty. Mr. B---- walked home with me about half-past 8, at 9 I went to bed, taking good care to have a shawl and dressing-gown close to the bed. Charlie's orderly slept in the verandah with the servants, as he had done all the week; the B----'s had kindly offered me a bed, but I had declined it. I had one door, as usual, open close to the bedroom at which the punkah-wallah pulled the punkah; the other two were sleeping by him; the watchman, bearer, orderly, and two doggies, forming quite a guard round the door: the Ayah and her child slept in a room adjoining; and, notwithstanding the alarm, I think I never slept sounder in my life.

Saturday, May 16th. I rose soon after gun-fire, and sent off Charlie's provisions for the day, bread and butter, quail, mango-fool, and a few vegetables, and then sat in the garden and had my coffee; at 7 went into the house and prepared for a visit to the city, breakfasted at 10, and started at 11. I found Charlie had been with Sir Henry Lawrence, who was making admirable preparations in case of a rise here; Charlie said the old man was resting by a watercourse in the garden with quite a little party around him, he telling them all he knew, but advising them to spread the bad news as little as possible; and then consulting with them about precautionary measures, not objecting to a suggestion from even a captain, but catching at anything he thought good. I could see that Charlie felt perfect confidence in him; but I also saw that he thought very seriously of the state the country was in, for his remark was that we were in the position of a man sitting on a barrel of gunpowder. I sat talking with him till 1 o'clock, and then went over to the G----'s, as I had promised to spend the day with them. I found them in an awful state of alarm--talking of these murders at Delhi, and wondering if So-and-So had escaped. Miss N---- had a violent sick headache from the fright. At 2 Charlie came, and at 3 we tiffed; but Mr. G---- was so busy he could scarcely stay two minutes, and all the time was talking of the preparations. The Residency was being turned out to form a place of safety for the ladies and the sick. Charlie had to leave early to superintend arrangements also. About half-past 5 I returned to his quarters, for I longed for a little talk with him before I went home. The heat had been intense all day, and the constant talking about these murders had made me feel quite uncomfortable. Charlie was still with his guards and did not return home for some time, so I lay down quietly on his bed. I felt so nervous that, when he did return, I begged him to let me stay in a chair by him all night. However, he talked and reasoned with me and I got better. He told me two companies of the 32nd Queen's were just coming into the banquetting house, and the sick from the hospital; also a lot of women and children into some rooms under his quarters. He made me a cup of tea and then would not let me stay any longer, as it was getting dusk, and Sir Henry just driving up at the moment, I started, as Charlie had to superintend the arrival of the troops. Just outside the city my carriage had to wait to let a regiment of Irregular Cavalry pass--Captain Gr----'s. They were to be stationed at the Dawk Bungalow between the city and Cantonments, to keep up communication between the two. Instead of going home I drove to the B----'s, for I was afraid of getting nervous again, sitting by myself. They were very glad to see me and again offered me a bed, but after taking ices with them I returned, telling them in case of alarm I should rush over to them, as our bungalows adjoined each other. At home I had another cup of tea, for the heat and excitement gave one intense thirst. About 9 I went to bed, taking care to have an Affghan knife (a kind of dagger) close to me. I started at a few noises, but soon slept soundly, and fortunately heard nothing of an alarm that was given by an artilleryman of Captain Simons'--a Native--that the 13th were up in arms and were going to murder their officers. The Brigadier rode off to the lines and sent for the Adjutant and Captain Wilson, when it was discovered that the report had been caused by the preparations making for a company going off with Captain Francis to the Muchee Bawun. They walked through the lines and saw that all was right, and the Brigadier returned home; but it caused such a panic amongst some of the ladies that several rushed off to the Cantonments Residency and slept there.

Sunday, May 17th. I rose at gun-fire, and after sending off provisions to Charlie, went to church at 6, and while there seven companies of the 32nd Queen's entered Cantonments. I breakfasted at 10, and then finished my overland letters. While writing them there came a note from Mrs. A----, asking me to spend the day and night with them if I felt nervous; but I declined. Sir Henry had forty of our men (the 13th) up as a guard at the Residency, after the false report of them during the night, and told them he was perfectly satisfied with them; that he had been so much pleased with them since he had been at Lucknow that he intended writing to Calcutta and stopping all the Raviel Pindee affair. At 3 I dined, and then lay down intending to go to church, but just before the time there was an immense deal of riding and driving about, and I saw a horse battery gallop off, which I took for the European battery, that I expected something must be up in the city. I wrote off to the B----'s for news, and also sent a note off to Charlie, but I got such a headache with the start that I did not feel fit for church. It proved to be an Oude Irregular battery going off to be stationed at the Dawk Bungalow. The B----'s again pressed me to sleep at their house, although the Padre and his wife (Mr. and Mrs. Harris) were already there. While taking tea about 8, the bearer came in to tell me the subadar of Charlie's company had sent his salaam, and would send up two Sepoys to guard my house at night. I hesitated a little, but agreed at last to have them, thinking I had better not show any want of confidence in the men, although it might be a great risk in these treacherous times. However, I wrote off to Captain W----, asking if he thought they might be trusted? Captain W---- was from home, but the Adjutant wrote and said I need not hesitate--he felt perfect confidence in the men; so they came and I retired to rest, making my usual defensive preparations, and slept soundly.

Monday, May 18th. Rose at gun-fire, and while I was arranging my flowers and taking coffee in the garden, the Adjutant called to see if I were all safe--and then came a note from Mrs. P----, saying she had heard we were to be turned out of our house to make room for the troops--and offering us two rooms. I declined, having received no orders to turn out. The Adjutant had told me the 13th mess-house had been given up to the European soldiers, and that several of the bachelors had offered their houses. About half-past 7 Charlie came home, to my great delight; the Europeans took possession of the mess-house and houses all round us, and we were well guarded: the day passed off without alarm.

Tuesday, May 19th. Charlie rose early, and went off to the lines to see after the Sepoys; on his return we went and took chota hazree (early breakfast) with the A----'s, and heard there that Mrs. Chambers, wife of the Adjutant of the 11th N.I. had been murdered at Delhi by a butcher out of the bazaar; but that the wretch had afterwards been caught by a sweeper, and roasted alive. We are beginning to receive a few reports of the sad massacre, but at present it is not known who have perished or who have escaped; it is true that Mr. Willoughby blew up the magazine at Delhi himself. This morning a bill was found stuck on some posts in the cavalry lines, calling on all good Mussulmen to join in this rise; the cavalry brought it to their officers.[1] After breakfast came a Sepoy to Charlie to tell him that there was a panic in one of the bazaars, and that the people were all shutting up their shops and running away. Charlie went to the Brigade-Major, and soon after we saw Sir Henry drive by, and could see from our drawing-room window that the 32nd soldiers in the mess-house were all armed and accoutred, and a sergeant was stationed at the corner of the house to give the word; but after a time it subsided, and we heard the people were returning to their shops: the officer who had charge of the bazaars had been down with them, trying to make them comprehend that there was no cause for alarm. It originated in a Chuprasee (a Government servant) buying melons; he tried to get more than he ought for his money, which caused a little hubbub, and there being an order now-a-days to take up any one who makes a disturbance in the bazaar, two mounted Sepoys rode up to take him; he rushed off crying out "Shut your shops! shut your shops!" and the poor frightened wretches did it without question; the man was made prisoner, and so it ended. I have only named it to show the state of excitement we were in. While this was occurring, Capt. W---- came in and brought us a budget of Delhi news, written down by the Allyghur magistrate; it is said a party of officers were seen going into Kurnaul, eighty miles north of Delhi; so it is possible they may be fugitives from Delhi--I trust so. Captain W---- also told us that Brigadier H---- was under arrest at Meerut. There must have been great delay and mismanagement there, for the insurgents were in Meerut all Sunday night, burning and murdering, and did not reach Delhi till 4 o'clock the Monday morning. Captain W---- complimented me on my remaining alone in the house during the panic; Charlie also seems well pleased that I have done so. In the evening we took our usual drive; our band was playing at the band-stand, but very few were driving about. We went to bed in peace--Charlie having his double-barrelled gun, loaded with a charge of shot, by the bedside; he says it is more useful than a bullet, for it would disable several, whereas a bullet might miss altogether: my weapon is the Affghan dagger, just suited to me, being neither too large nor heavy. I only trust we may have no occasion to use them, but one cannot be too guarded in these treacherous times.

[Footnote 1: This regiment afterwards mutinied to a man.]

Wednesday, May 20th. Charlie went off before gun-fire with Captain W---- to the city to see the Muchee Bawun, where Captain F---- is stationed. He is there with two companies of Natives, and there are also two Queen's officers and seventy men, also two guns in position besides field pieces, one to sweep the whole entrance street of Lucknow, the other the iron bridge; and then there are some Oude Irregular troops: an Engineer officer was making the place habitable for them. While there, Sir Henry drove up, and scolded first this one, and then that, and then away again to superintend some other arrangements. The day passed off without alarm. At the band in the evening Charlie went over to the G----'s carriage, and heard that the Sappers (Natives) sent from Koorkee to Meerut, had proved treacherous, but that they had suffered severely for it, for in the same regiment was also a great number of Europeans, who had killed and wounded great numbers of them. He also heard that the Commander-in-Chief was marching down to Delhi, that he was at Kurnaal on the 18th; that he would have eight European regiments, and that he was bringing with him all the officers who had gone on leave to Simlah. Delhi is on the Grand Trunk road from Simlah.

Thursday, May 21st. While Charlie was dressing, just after gun-fire, to go and inspect his company, there came a notice round that all officers were to assemble at Sir Henry's at half-past 6. It was to inform them that he (Sir Henry) had been made Brigadier-General in Oude; that he had all power entirely in his own hands to reward or punish as he should think fit, without appealing to any higher power whatever--the finest thing that could have been done, and we cannot be too thankful for having such a man over us. Last night a light was put into one of our Native officer's huts, but fortunately, it was put to leeward. No doubt the intention was for the fire to be carried to some bungalow; but one of our Sepoys saw it, and ran and pulled it off and smothered it, burning his hands in doing so--but it looked well of the man. The day passed without alarm, but at the band, our Doctor came up to the buggy, requesting us to take his wife and child in for the night, as he said there was going to be a rise. We went home and turned out Charlie's room for her, and placed a bed in it. Just as we were sitting at tea, the servants came running in giving an alarm of fire, and when we went out we saw the flames rising up from, apparently, the next bungalow to ours but one. The wind was high, and lay in the quarter to blow the sparks to us; Charlie sent several of the servants up on our thatched roof, each with a gurra of water. We quite looked for a disturbance now. Charlie took his double-barrelled gun, and told me, if there were any, to take my Affghan knife and escape at the back of the house over the garden wall to the Residency--it is only about four feet. There is only the road between us and the Residency, the garden wall of which is about five feet, but I could manage both with a chain. However, all seemed quiet, and, fortunately, it was the stables of a house which, being tiled, the sparks were not thrown up so high as they would have been from thatch, and in about an hour and a half we saw it subside. Then came the Doctor and his family, in a fearful state of mind. We tried to quiet them, for really we did not fear much now, the fire having passed off without any rising; it was a good sign, and several of our Sepoys had come to see if our house was all right. After arranging Mrs. P----'s room, Charlie and I went to bed; it was past 10, and he was asleep in a few minutes. I listened for a time thinking I heard noises in the Bazaar, but soon fell asleep, and the night passed without further alarm.

Friday, May 22nd. Charlie went into the garden early, just as Sir Henry was passing. Sir Henry called to him, and told him to go and learn all he could about the fire, and whether the Sepoys worked to put it out, and to come over to him at 7, when he would be back from the city. I found my visitors had had a good night, so they dressed and went home, and are to come again to-night. There are fourteen ladies sleeping at the Residency here in Cantonments every night.

Saturday, May 23rd. The day passed without alarm, excepting that in the afternoon I was by myself and heard such a tremendous noise that I was quite frightened. It turned out to be at our mess-house. The Colonel of the 32nd would have the thatched roof well saturated with water in case of fire, and in the midst of it all a fire-engine rattled up from the city (the first I ever saw in India), and in my alarm I took it for a gun.

Sunday, May 24th. We went to church early, and the day passed off quietly.

Monday, May 25th. We were aroused at 3 A.M. by a message coming for Charlie to go over to Sir Henry. He dressed and went over immediately. I waited till gun-fire, and then went into the garden to arrange my flowers, little thinking what was coming. Charlie came back about half-past 5, when, to my astonishment, he told me it was Sir Henry's express orders that all ladies should leave Cantonments and go down to the Residency in the city; so I suspected he had heard bad news.[2] I commenced immediately collecting what I thought I should require, and what I considered valuable, not knowing how long I should be from home. The heat was intense, and I had to hurry my packing, for Charlie had had an offer of a seat in the H----'s carriage for me, as he could not take me down himself, being Captain of the week; and they were to call for me at half-past 7. He made me take some coffee, and packed up what he could of eatables and drinkables, not knowing how we should fare at the Residency. At the appointed time the H----'s and Mrs. B---- called for me, and we drove to the city, passing innumerable coolies with beds and baggage of all descriptions, carriages and buggies filled with ladies and children, all off to the city--such a scene--and when we drove up to the Residency everything was looking so warlike, guns pointed in all directions, and barricades and European troops; everywhere nothing but bustle and confusion. We then heard there was hardly a room to be had--ladies had been arriving ever since gun-fire--so Mr. H---- went over to see if Dr. F---- could take us in. He came back saying he could, and away we went, thankful to get into such good quarters. Two ladies were there already, and five came after, with three children, so that every room was full. This house, as well as Mr. G----'s and Mr. O----'s (both also full) are within the Residency grounds, and are barricaded all round; still, in case of disturbance, we have orders to assemble at the Residency. Of course, there are all kinds of reports and alarms going about consequent on our flight. The heat was intense; I never experienced anything like it: at night it is fearful, I cannot sleep for it. Our beds are three under one punkah. I and Mrs. A---- are with Mrs. F---- in her room. In the other rooms they are as crowded, but it is nothing to the Residency. Our party here is a very agreeable one. We meet at chota hazree, and, after dressing, breakfast at 10. We then have working, reading and music--there are some very good performers amongst our party--lunch at 2, dine at half-past 7, and then the Padre reads a chapter and prayers, and we retire.

[Footnote 2: The Cawnpore troops were expected to rise, and then we had but little chance of remaining quiet ourselves.]

Tuesday, May 26th. The day passed quietly. Several husbands and fathers visited their beloveds, but mine could not leave his station duty. In the evening I went to the Residency to see Mrs. B----, whose baby was dying. I never witnessed such a scene--a perfect barrack--every room was filled with six or eight ladies; beds all round, and perhaps a dining-table laid for dinner in the centre--servants thick in all the verandahs--numbers of the 32nd soldiers and their officers; and underneath all, the women and children of the 32nd barracks--such a hubbub and commotion! It is an upper storeyed house, but the upper storey is not nearly so large as the under one, and yet in that, including servants and children, there are ninety-six people living! Poor Mrs. B---- was in great distress; she and another lady had a small room to themselves, with her five children. I was quite thankful I was not there: it was a complete rabbit warren. On my return I found Dr. F---- and Mr. H---- had been to Cantonments, and heard that the 13th Sepoys had taken up four city men, one of whom attempted to stab Mr. C----, the Adjutant.

Wednesday, May 27th. The day passed quietly. I went over to the Residency to see Mrs. P---- and Mrs. A---- in the evening, and found them in a small room with another lady. Mrs. P----'s child had bad fever--it was such a scene--they were having a punkah put up, and their beds were so thick you could hardly move, and scarcely a breath of air to be had. Such a hubbub all round--some parties were grouped in a circle in the verandah, some in the compound--but it is impossible to describe the scene; I can compare it to nothing but a rabbit warren.

Thursday, May 28th. The day passed as usual. In the evening two of us drove with Dr. and Mrs. F---- to the Martinière College, he taking with him a very small pistol, and concealed from view, on the coach-box, a double-barrelled gun. The part of the city we drove through seemed perfectly quiet.

Friday, May 29th. About 5 A.M. I drove with Miss H---- to Cantonments, and had the inexpressible delight of seeing Charlie again, and the poor doggies I thought would have eaten me up. I had chota hazree with Charlie, and we sat chatting till 7, when the H----'s carriage came for me again. The day passed quietly. Some of the party drove out with Dr. and Mrs. F----, in the evening, but I did not. Dr. F----'s elephant is brought every evening to the verandah, where we are generally all assembled, to have his dinner. He has large cakes made of 32lbs. of ottah (coarse flour). This evening he performed various feats: taking the Mahout upon his back by his trunk, then putting out his forepaw for the Mahout to climb up that way; roaring, when he was told to speak, and then salaaming and taking his departure.