Part 3

Monday, June 15th. Charlie came again, and promised another visit in the evening. My Ayah also came, and seemed overjoyed to see me; it was agreed that she and her family should have a house in the bazaar: the only drawback was, that now something must be done with the poor doggies, and they were under their charge. Poor Prince had such a sore back from the heat, living in the tents with Charlie, that Charlie had bought strychnine to give them before he came away, but had not the heart to do it. At 11, in came Charlie, unexpectedly, to say he had been ordered off to the Muchee Bawun with his Sikhs. I was greatly disappointed, hoping to have had him here. It was agreed that the poor pets were to be sent to him to the Muchee Bawun to be killed. I felt so wretched all day, and the heat was intense--all was quiet.

Tuesday, June 16th. The first news we heard was, that Major G----, who had gone off in disguise with despatches, had been betrayed by his men--ten of his own selecting--and killed at Roy Bareilly; and while we were at breakfast, Captain W---- brought news that a letter had come by a messenger from General W---- at Cawnpore, dated the 14th, 11 o'clock. They had held out till then, but had lost a great number of men--Captain W---- would not say how many--so I fear it was very bad news. The Ayah came, and the poor doggies were taken to Charlie. I had not the heart to take a last look at them. Charlie and the cook drowned them in the river. Poor Charlie! it was hard for him to have to do it. The day passed quietly, but bad news was arriving from the district constantly. Mrs. B---- and some others killed at Sultanpore. She in a Rajah's fort!--but one hears now of nothing but wholesale massacres! Charlie came in the evening, and it did my heart good to see him.

Wednesday, June 17th. We heard to-day of Mr. C----, the civilian, being killed; he was engaged to Miss D----; her wedding things had arrived just before these troublous times, and the marriage had been postponed. We heard that Mr. B----, of the 48th, had been shot in the trenches at Cawnpore; his servant brought in the news. News was also brought that the Futteyghur people, 160 in number, had been murdered on the parade ground at Cawnpore, in sight of our people. They were going down the river in boats, but were stopped and taken to Cawnpore and there blown from guns. The day was quiet here. They are building a wall up against our windows to keep off musket shots; it is loop-holed, also, for our troops in case of necessity. The Fyzabad Rajah has joined the rebels, and is said to be very near us with his guns. Charlie came early in the evening.

Thursday, June 18th. I paid my bearer his account, and he went off to be with Charlie. Major B---- came in several times. All garrison officers were ordered to their posts this morning, to receive orders what they are to do when the enemy arrives. The Martinière boys were brought in. Just before breakfast, the groom brought me seven rupees, saying he had sold the poor buggy horse. I felt much inclined for a good cry; I have driven him myself so often. We were obliged to sell him. Charlie came about half-past 6; one of his Sikhs had taken an immense quantity of churrus, and become quite frenzied, and then stabbed another Sikh; they called on him to put down his arms, or he would be shot, and he threw down his musket with such force that he broke it in pieces; the other poor man died.

Friday, June 19th. A quiet day. Charlie could not come to see me, as he was on duty at one of the gates of the Muchee Bawun; there are five gates, and four officers to each gate. Charlie takes it morning and evening, while the others are at gun drill. All, nearly, are obliged to learn the gun drill from some Artillery Sergeant, to be ready if wanted. Our entrenchments, they say, are now very strong; we have several mortars, and two 18-pounders are placed at the entrance to the Cawnpore road. A reconnoitering party went out, and returned in the evening, saying there was not an enemy to be seen for miles round. This evening there was a fire seen in Cantonments, but it was accidental; however, they got an alarm in the night, as several Sowars were seen riding about; they also had an alarm at the Muchee Bawun. Captain C---- woke them up and said a party of the enemy were coming, but it ended in nothing.

Saturday, June 20th. Charlie came about half-past 7, and stayed nearly an hour. After breakfast Dr. P---- read "Guy Mannering" to us while we worked. I cut out and made a flannel shirt for Charlie, as I could get no durzie. We are forbidden now to go over to the Residency or the Begum Kotee, as there is small-pox in both. In the former Mrs. B---- has it, and one of Mrs. B----'s children. Mrs. B---- is removed into a tent, in all this heat! To-day a letter came from General W---- at Cawnpore, saying they still held out, but had provisions and ammunition for only one fortnight longer; that no reinforcements had reached them, but that their greatest enemy was the sun: more had died from sunstroke than had been killed by the enemy, and that their greatest consolation was that they were keeping the enemy from us. It is most distressing that we cannot send them any troops; but if even we could spare them, they could never get across the river at Cawnpore, for the enemy have both sides of it; firing, both musketry and artillery, was heard all day in the district. The landowners are fighting amongst themselves, to get back what was taken from them at the annexation. A fire was seen burning in the district all night.

Sunday, June 21st. Rose at daybreak as usual, and went into the garden for a breath of air; the heat at night is fearful. Charlie came in at half-past 7; he is looking better, he is not so exposed at the Muchee Bawun as he would be here; still, he has never taken off his clothes at night since he went on guard the week I left Cantonments; he is always sleeping at some gate or other: but he looks better than could be expected, and says his appetite has returned. We had service in the drawing-room--Mr. H---- performed it--for the church is filled with stores. In the evening, service was performed in Mr. G----'s garden, the two Padres reading and preaching under a tree; but the heat was so great I could not go. In the night we had the first fall of rain, and welcomed it accordingly.

Monday, June 22nd. Rose at daybreak and took the air in the verandah, as it was raining. However, it cleared in time for Charlie to pay me his visit. The day passed without a word of news, or any alarm. Dr. P---- went on with "Guy Mannering," and I worked at Charlie's flannel shirt. Miss N---- came over in the evening and said Sir M---- J---- and his two sisters were hourly expected. I had a note from Mrs. R----, at the Begum Kotee; her baby is very ill with dysentery, and she said the room was so filled with ladies and children with fever that when the poor little thing wanted to sleep it could not. She ended the note by saying she felt her child's illness and her anxiety for her husband's safety were almost too much for her.

Tuesday, June 23rd. Charlie came as usual; he has been present at two hangings: the day passed without news, either good or bad.

Wednesday, June 24th. Charlie came late; I was quite proud to show him his flannel shirt, and sent it for him to try on. I went down with Mrs. F---- to her go-down (store-room) and saw all her stores in case of a siege--rice and flour--all in large earthen jars, that reminded one of the jars the forty thieves were put into, in "Ali Baba." Certain news reached us to-day that the enemy are closing round us; there are eight regiments with six guns at Nawab-Gunge, twenty miles from here; it is said they intend coming here, and encamping in the Dil Koosha.

Thursday, June 25th. Another day without a word of news, good or bad; even gentlemen begin to croak.

Friday, June 26th. The first news in the morning was good. Mrs. B---- heard of the safety of her husband. I went in, as usual, at 7, to take my bath, that I might be ready for Charlie; and Miss S---- came running in with the good news, sent by Sir H. Lawrence, that Delhi had fallen on the 13th--that Futteyghur, Mynpoorie, and Etawah were quiet--the telegraph open to Delhi--and the dawk to within twenty miles of Cawnpore.[6] Glorious news! a salute was fired. Charlie came, but would not stay; he wanted to take back the news to the Muchee Bawun, and have the salute fired before ours. We cannot be too thankful! the insurgents at the best, are cowards; and this news will quite quell all spirit in them. Charlie had been to gun-drill--all in the garrison have to learn it. The rest of the day passed as usual, Dr. P---- reading to us till 4 o'clock dinner; after that I generally lie down till 6 and then take the air in the Compound--at 8 they generally bring tea and ices, and then Mr. H---- reads prayers and we all go to our rooms.

[Footnote 6: This was a _ruse_ to deceive the enemy and keep them off a little longer--which we were not told at the time.]

Saturday, June 27th. It was little Bobby F----'s birthday; he was one year old. Charlie came at a quarter to 8, and told us Capt. H----'s murderer had been captured at Allyghur; also that it was reported the 12th N.I. had mutinied at Jhansi, and killed every one of their officers; a letter came from Col. W----, at Cawnpore, with a list of the killed--about half their number; he said that their sufferings had surpassed anything ever written in history, and that their greatest enemy had been the sun; many ladies and children had died from it: but now they had dug underground places and put the women and children in. Brigadier Jack and his brother had both died from sunstrokes. In the course of the day came a pencilled letter from a Mr. M---- at Cawnpore, to his father, Col. M----, here, saying that they were treating with the enemy; this threw us all into consternation, for we thought General W---- would have stood out to the last; however, it is said to be the Rajah of Bhitoor (the Nana), who has commenced the treating with them. A lac of rupees has been set on his head, if brought in within a week. I suppose he had heard of this and became frightened, for he offered General W---- to conduct them all down to Allahabad safely, if they would lay down their arms and give him a lac of rupees. This Rajah is a Mahratta, a notedly treacherous race, so that we were very glad to hear firing had commenced again at Cawnpore;[7] proof that, of course, Gen. Wheeler would not agree to such a treaty.

[Footnote 7: This must have been the firing into the boats instead. Poor creatures! we little thought it was the horrid massacre going on.]

Sunday, June 28th. The rain had been pouring down all night, the first regular rain we had had; there had been nothing but a storm before, and now I was rather disappointed at its coming, for Charlie had agreed to come at half-past 5 and take me to Mr. I----s' house to get some things out of a wardrobe we have placed there, and he was to be back in time for service at 7 at the Muchee Bawun; however, he could not come, and we could not go to service here in the mess-house on account of the rain. About 2 we got a slight alarm, hearing that two guns, some Europeans, 13th Sepoys, and 71st Sikhs, had been ordered off somewhere; however, it turned out that they had been sent to the King's palace for all the jewels. Two Nawabs were sent with them (I forgot to say we have five Nawabs prisoners in the Muchee Bawun), and they were made to understand that if there were the least disturbance they would be shot. Some fighting was expected, as there were armed men in the palace. Charlie came about 3, and stayed an hour. About 6, as we were going to church, we saw all the party returning, the carts filled with great boxes, and the golden throne, said to be worth a crore of rupees! Captain W---- told me some of the crowns were most elegant, the designs really beautiful, and also some of the necklaces, in one of which the diamonds are set in rays; one crown is silver set with amethysts. The King kept his own European jeweller, a man from H----'s in Calcutta. We set off walking to church, which was held in the Thug hospital belonging to the Thug goal; it is now the mess-house for all the infantry and cavalry officers. We had to enter by innumerable little arches of curious architecture, and up and down lots of steps and through two quadrangles, and then came in front of what appeared to be a Musjid,--the whole side open with beautiful arches,--they had begun service; rows of chairs had been placed for the congregation on either side of the mess-tables; the reading desk had been brought from the church. All round appeared to be little dark rooms, in which the officer's beds had been placed; also the large platform outside was filled with chairs, and beds were standing about in all directions. It was a most extraordinary scene; there was an immense congregation, and the whole place was filled with ladies and gentlemen. Mr. P---- read prayers, and Mr. H---- preached; the poor people at Cawnpore were prayed for; also Dr. S---- of the 32nd, who is very ill; and all in hospital, sick and wounded: and then those who had lost relations in these frightful massacres. It was a most imposing service, and one could not but feel thankful for having been so mercifully preserved. Some officers came in late, all booted and spurred,--I fancy from the party that had just brought in the jewels. We had a thunderstorm during service, and at the end were rather alarmed at hearing three guns fired, but it must have been in the district; they are fighting and quarrelling amongst themselves. It rained when we came out of church, and was very dark, so I and Miss S---- stumbled on the best way we could over the steps and uneven ground, hardly knowing which way to take; it was such a novelty walking to church in India, and especially under an umbrella. Soon after our return it poured down famously; we had tea and ices, and then Mr. H---- read prayers, and we retired for the night.

Monday, June 29th. Sir H. Lawrence and his Staff came while we were sitting in the garden, to take a survey of Dr. F----'s defences. Charlie came at 7, and I went with him to Mr. I----s' house, to my wardrobe. I could not recognise it for our old guard-house, where I had been so frequently with Charlie on city duty. All the buildings are thrown down round it; it is in the outer entrenchment. The Compound was filled with tents with Crannies and their wives; the day passed without alarm.

Tuesday, June 30th. I rose early, and found Dr.---- all booted and spurred for service. I then heard a detachment had been ordered off to meet the enemy, who were five miles off. Three hundred Europeans, nine guns, and an 8-inch howitzer, and 150 of the 13th N.I., &c., went out. I sat, as usual, in the garden, till 7, and then went in to bathe and dress, and be ready for Charlie. However, to my surprise, he never came, and I sent off a note to the Muchee Bawun asking the reason. While the servant was gone with it, some came flying back saying our troops had been surrounded by the mutineers, who were in great numbers, and that several of our officers had been killed. Just then, to my horror, came back the note I had sent with a message from Captain F---- that my husband had gone out with the detachment. I never shall forget that dreadful suspense as the news was brought in that Col. C----, Capt. S----, Mr. T----, and Mr. B----, of the 32nd were killed. The latter had always paid us a visit, mornings and evenings. At last came Dr. P----, saying they were sorely pressed by the enemy, but that he had seen my husband all right. Soon after came a Sepoy, sent by Charlie himself, to say he was all safe; and immediately after a 13th Sepoy, of his own accord, came to tell me he had seen Charlie coming in on a gun as he was very faint, and that Major B---- was wounded. I was frightened, thinking Charlie had got a sunstroke. He told me, afterwards, he had had a most narrow escape, as he was far back in the retreat. It had proved far different to the expectations of the morning, for the Native Artillerymen had proved faithless; and, the enemy being in far greater numbers than our spies had led us to expect, our little party was almost surrounded, and it was only a wonder any escaped to tell the tale. The sun also was so overpowering that many fell down from sheer faintness, without a wound, and were cut to pieces by the enemy, for few had any horses to return with. The officers had dismounted to fall in with their men, and the horses disappeared; either the enemy or the servants made away with them,--poor Charlie's dear old charger amongst the rest; the poor horse that was shot in the nose the night of the mutiny. It was a fearful morning, never to be forgotten, this affair of Chinhut! Another providential escape for dear Charlie, for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful! The siege now commenced, the enemy began firing on us as they followed the retreating party. Our gates were closed, we got a cup of tea and something for breakfast as best we could, sitting behind the walls to escape the balls; not that I fancy any of us had very much appetite. At last the balls came so thick that we were all ordered down into the Tye Khana (underground room), and kept there. Towards evening the firing slackened a little, and we sat in the portico to get a little air. There were twenty-four of us in the house--eleven ladies, six gentlemen and seven children. Captain W---- was the commandant of our garrison, which consisted of an officer and some twenty of the 32nd Queen's, with some Native Pensioners, and a mixed party of men to work the 18 and 9-pounder guns in the garden. At night we purposed sleeping in our own rooms, but Dr. F---- considered it not safe to do so; we therefore all stretched our bedding on the floor of the Tye Khana, putting the children in the centre for the benefit of the punkah. We took it by turns to watch for an hour.

Wednesday, July 1st.[8] We just managed to get to our rooms and dress, when the firing got very sharp--round shot and shell; already we began to distinguish the different sounds as they whizzed past: in the afternoon the enemy got into a building very near and fired away at us till evening, when they slackened again. I got a note from dear Charlie, saying he was all right again I felt so thankful. Shortly after came Capt. W----, to whom I read it; he begged me to copy it for Sir Henry as there was more news in it than in any that had been received from the Muchee Bawun; he also said they had paid 100 rupees for getting one carried there. I copied it, and he told me that I should soon see Charlie; and we heard the garrison of the Muchee Bawun had been ordered to come in that night at half-past 12, evacuating the fort as silently as possible, and blowing it up. We all expected they would have to fight every inch of the way in, and were in great anxiety in consequence; however, we went to bed, and I even slept, when about half-past 12 we were awoke by the most horrible explosion. It shattered every bit of glass in the house! There were four doors to our Tye Khana, half glass, and the concussion covered us with the glass, and shook one of the doors off its hinges. I believe all of us thought our last hour was come; each started up with a kind of groan, for we had been expecting the enemy were mining, as we had fancied we had each night heard strokes of a pickaxe, about half a dozen at a time, and then a stoppage as if they feared to make too much noise: the gentlemen had been down to listen and heard it distinctly, so that when the explosion came, I certainly expected to go up into the air; and the inexpressible relief it was to hear Dr. F----, at the head of the stairs, calling out "It is all right! The whole party are in safe, and the Muchee Bawun blown up!" No wonder the explosion was so terrific, there were upwards of 20,000 lbs. of powder, besides a vast quantity of musket ammunition!

[Footnote 8: Miss Palmer had her leg taken off by a round shot in the Residency this day, and only survived it twenty-four hours.]

Thursday, July 2nd. The attack on the Bailey Guard Gate and our Compound was tremendous, and while we were at breakfast we were all inexpressibly shocked and grieved to hear poor Sir Henry had been mortally wounded; a shell from the very 8-inch howitzer the enemy had taken from us at Chinhut, had burst in his room in the Residency, and given him a fearful wound in his hip! He was brought over into our verandah, and Mr. H---- administered the Sacrament to him. Sir Henry then sent for several whom he fancied he had spoken harshly to in their duty, and begged their forgiveness, and many shed tears to think the good old man would so soon be taken from us. Our only earthly hope in this crisis! Sir Henry then appointed Major B---- his successor. The firing was fearful; the enemy must have discovered from some spies that Sir Henry was at our house, for the attack on the gate was fearful. We all gave ourselves up for lost, for we did not then know the cowards they were, and we expected every moment they would be over our garden wall; there was no escape for us, if they were once in the garden! We asked Mr. H---- to read prayers, and I believe every one of us prepared for the worst; the shots were now coming so thick into the verandah where Sir Henry was lying, that several officers were wounded, and he was obliged to be removed into the drawing-room. We gave out an immense quantity of rag to the poor soldiers, as they passed up and down from the roof of the house wounded. Towards evening the fire slackened, but we were not allowed to leave the Tye Khana. At night Mr. H---- came and read prayers again, and then we (ladies and children) lay down on the floor without undressing.

Friday, July 3rd. When we awoke we found all the servants had deserted excepting my Kitmagar and Mrs. B----'s, and one or two Ayahs. The F----'s had not one servant left, so we were obliged to get up and act as servants ourselves, and do everything, excepting the cooking, even to washing plates and dishes; and perhaps it was a good thing, for it kept us from dwelling on our misery. Dear Charlie came to see me in the afternoon, and brought a jug of milk for the poor children. I was glad to hear he had had a good luncheon, for the day before when he came he said he had had nothing for some days but dal (peas) and rice; we happened to be at dinner, and I gave him a piece of meat, but he seemed too much done up to eat it, and actually carried it away in a piece of paper to some other gentleman who could get none. No arrangements have been made for messing at present, and no one can tell where to get anything.

Saturday, July 4th. Firing had been going on all night, and it continued all day, but we were so engaged in kitchen duties we scarcely noticed it. Poor Sir Henry died in the morning; he had been in great agony from his wound! He was buried with the rest at night, but even he did not have a separate grave; each corpse is sewn up in its own bedding, and those who have died during the day are put into the same grave at night.

Sunday, July 5th. The firing was incessant, and after breakfast Mr. H---- arranged all our duties, for up to this time they had been rather unequally performed; after that we had service in the Tye Khana, and the Holy Sacrament was administered. I so wished dear Charlie could have been present, it seemed so solemn and yet so comforting while the firing was going on around us!--nothing else occurred worth noting.