The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-02-24
A Thrilling Moment at Lucknow.

The British war in India has been attend
ed with many scenes of thrilling interest
and there have not been wanting pens to
picture them with startling effect. The fol-
lowing grapic description Of the scene at the
moment of the arrival of the relief, so long,
SO painfully awaited by the rescued party,
equals in dramatic intensity the best des-
criptive passages of Sir Walter Scott:
death stared us in the face. We were
fully persuaded that in "a hours all would
be over. The engineers had said So and all
knew the worst We women strove to COM
f~rt each other, and to perform the light du-
ties which had been assigned us; such as
conveying orders to the batteries, and sup
plying the men with provisions, especially
cups of coffee, which we prepared day and
night. had gone out to try and make my
self useful, in company with Jessie Brown,
the wife of corporal in my husbands regi-
ment. Poor Jessie had been in a state of
restless excitement all through the siege, and
and she had fallen away visibly within TIE
last few days.
\ constant fever consumed her, and her
mind wandered occasionally on that day,
when the recollections of home seemed pow
erfully present to her. At last overcome
with fatigue, she lay down on the ground,
wrapped up in her plaid. l sat beside her,
promising to awaken her when, as she said
her father should return from the plough
ing" She at length fell in profound slum-
Der, motonless and apparently brea:hless,
her head resting in my lap. I,myself could
no longer resist the inclination to sleep. in
spite of the continued roar of cannon. Sud
denly was aroused by wild unearthly
scream close to my ear; my companion
stood upright beside me, her arms raised
and her head bent forward in the attitude of
listening. "a look of intense delight broke
over her countenance, she grasped my hand,
drew me towards her, and exclaimed, Din
ma ye hear it Dinna We hear it' Ay, I'm
no dreamin', its the slogan O the Highland
ers ! We're saved, we're saved!' Then,
fl'nging herself on her knees, she thanked
God with passionate fervor.
felt utterly bewidered my English ear
heard only the roar of artillery, and thought
my poor Jessie was still ravng, but she dart
ed to the batteries and heard her cry in
cessantly to the mon, Courage! hark to the
slogan-to the Macgregor, the grandest of
them all. Here's he p at last" To describe
the effect of these words upon the soldiers
would be impossible. For moment they
ceased firing and every soul listened in in-
tense anxiety. Gradually, however, there
arose mnmnr Of bitter disappointment, !
and the wailing Of the women who had flock
ed out began anew rs the Colonel shook his |
head. Our Gull lowland ears heard nothing
but the rattle OF the musketry.
a few moments more of this Geathlike
suspense, of Ibis agonizing hope, and Jessi,,
who had again sunk on the ground, sprang
% her feet, aid cried in a voice SO clear and
piercing that i, was heard along the whole
Inc, Twill W no believe it moo! The slo-
,an has ceased, indeed, but the Campbells
are comm! Dye hear, dye hears Z" At
hat moment we seemed indeed to hear the
;oice of God in the distance, when the bag
pipes of the Highlanders brought us tdings
If deliverance, for now there was no longer
my doubt of the fact. That shrill, penetra-
ing, ceaseles, sounds, which rose above all
other sounds, could come neither from the
advance of the enemy nor from the work of
he sappers. No, it was indeed the blast of
he Scottish bagpipes, now shriIl and harsh, =
IS threatening vengeance on the foe, then in
ofter tones seeming to promise succor to
heir friends in need. Never. surely. was
here such scene as that which followed
Not a heart in the residency of Lucknow
,ut bowed itself before God. All, by one
imultaneous impulse, fell upon their knees,
md nothing was heard but bursting sobs and
he murmured voice of prayer. Then all
rose, and there rang out from thousand
ips great shout Of joy which resounded
ar and wide, and lent new vigor to that bless
d bagpipe. To our cheer of "God save the
lueen!" they replied in the well known
train that moves every Scott to tears, .
Should auld acquaintance be forgot" &c
After that nothing else made any impression c
N me. ! scarcely remember what followed. 5
essie was presented to the Genera! on his c
ntrance into the fort, and at the officers
anquet her health was drunk by all present
lille the pipers marched around the table, t
laying once more the familiar air of "Auld :
ang syne." II
Who can read that without tingling of t
ne blood 1t reminds us of Byrons splen e
id description of the exciting scenes at i
,russels inst before the battle of Waterloo j..