The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-12-09
The Relief OF lucknow.

The London News of November IL, says
The story of the relief of Lucknow will form
one of the brightest pages in the annals Of
British heroism. Hayeoek had to fight his
way from the frontier of Dude, with only two
thousand five hundred men, through country
in which every man was in arms against him,
and every town, village, and house had been
converted into q fortress. There was but one
practicable. road along which he could advance
on either side Of it there was nothing but
succession of quagmircs. The bridges over
the intervening riyers-swollen at this season
to their utmost magnitude-had been blown
up; and on the further banks were entrenched
disciplined regiments, far outnumbering his
small band Of Englishmen, with an ample sup
ply Of heavy artillery in position. These means
of Obstruction--natnr and artificial-must
have been turned to account with will for
the relieving party took six days to advance
the fifty three miles of distance from the bank
of the Ganges, opposite Cawnpore, to Luck
now. The enduring yalor of the beseiged is
equally admirable with that displayed by their
liberators. Through three weary months they
had resolutely repealed assaults from over
whelming odds in impoverished entertainments,
with very inadequate supplies of everything
that was necessary for defence and the support
OF existence. Yet, borne up by their own high
hearts, and by their faith in the anxiety of their
own countrymen for their relief no feeble vail
Ing was heard, though the women and children
outnumbered the fighting men; while the
Counter attacks Of the garrison repeatedly made
the assailants reel backward in dismay, and
afforded opportunity to drive into the residency
the herds and other stores Of provisions col
lected by the mutineers. Every nerve has
been strained to the utmost, both by our be-
leaguered countrymen and by those who have
fought their way through hostile myriads to
relieve them. One day perhaps few hours
longer, and most probably the unsurpassed
passive and active heroism displayed on both
sides would have proved unavailing. The mines
OF the assaiing force had been advanced be-
yond the lines Of defence, and short time
would have seen the extemporized bulwarks of
the residency blown into the air, and the infl-
rated Sepoys and their yet more brutal abet
tors from the bazaars, pouring over the ruins
to overwhelm the defenceless inmates. We
read this denouement and draw long breath
of relief at the close, as if we ourselves had
just made some hair-breadth escape. But not a
moment is left us to pause on this reflect on.
We are Immediately hurried on by the tale
which tells how English promptitude and res
olution forthwith assumed the aggressive, and
put the assaiants on their own defence. On
tn 18th of September the residency was en-
tered by the succoring force; on the 26th the
entertainments of the be,caguering army were
stormed and during the next three days the
foe was driven from one post after another
through the narrow and tortuous streets Of
Lucknow. Further we know not. At the last
moment to which our information is brought
down the greater part of the city had fallen in
to the possession of our troops, and doubtless
the rest would soon follow