Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-01-09
THRILLING ACCOUNT OF The RELIEF OF
q EUCKN0WE5 4

81 81 i, 0ALtUfrAs Thursday, Oct. 8, 1857. Fl
II eiye yon tie following account of the relief Of
Lucknow is descriked bya lady, one of the rescued
party On every side death stared us in the face
no human skill could avert it. We saw the mo-
ment approach when We must bid farewell to earth,
vet without feeling that unutterable horror which
must have been experienced by the unhappy vic.
Tins at Cawnppre. We were resolved rather to die
than to YIELD and fully persuaded that in twen
.y.four hours all would be The engineers had
aid so. and an Knew the worst We women strove
to encourage each other, and to perform the light
duties which had been assigned to us such as con-
veying orders to the batteries and supplying the
men with provisions, especially cups of coffee, which
we prepared day and night. l had gone out to try
and make myself useful, in company with Jessie
Brown, the wife of corporal in my husbands reg.
iment. Poor Jessie had been in state of restless
excitement all through the siege, and had fallen
away visibly within the last few days. constant
fever consumed her, and her mind wandered occa-
sonay, especially that day, when the recollectlons
of home seemed powerfully present to her. At last,
overcome with fatigue, she lay down on the ground,
wrapped up in her plaid. l sat beside her, promis-
ing to awaken her when, as she said, her father
should return from the blowing" She fell at length
into profound sumber, motionless and, apparent
ly, breathless, her head resting in my lap myself
could no longer resist the inclination to sleep, in
spite of the continual roar of the cannon. Sudden.
" was aroused by a 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. look of intense delight
broke over her cOuntenance, she grasped my hand,
drew me towards her, and exclaimed, Dnna ye
hear it ? dinna ye lear it? Ay, Tn no dreamn',
it's the slogan O. the Highlanders! We're saved,
we're saved!" Then, fingng herself on her knees,
she thanked God with passionate fervor. felt ut
tery bewdered: my English ears heard only the
l heard her cry necessarily to the men, Courage!
courage bark to the slogan-to the Macgregor the
grandest of them a. Here's help at last!" To de-
scribe the effect of these words upon the soldiers
would be impossible For a moment they ceased
firing and every soul listened in intense anxiety
Gradually, however. there arose murmur OF bitter
disappointment, and the wailing Of the women who
had hocked to the spot burst out anew as the Colo
mel shook his head. Our dull lowland ears heard
nothing but the firing of the musketry. A few mo-
ments more Of this death.like suspense, OF this ag
onizing hope and Jessie who had sank on the
ground, sprang to her feet and cried, in voice so
clear and piercing that it was heard all along the
line Will ye no believe it moo? The slogan has
ceased indeed, but the Campbells are comm! Dye
hear, dye hear!" At that moment seemed in
deed to hear the voice Of God in the distance, when
the pibroch of the Hghlanders brought us tidings
of deliverance, for now there was no longer any
doubt Of the fact That shrill, penetrating cease
less sound, which rose above all other sounds could
come neither from the advance of the enemy, nor
from the work of the Sappers. No, it was indeed
the blast Of the Scottish bagpipes, now shrlll and
harsh, threatening vengeance on the foe, then in
softer tones, seeming to promise succor to their
friends in need. Never surely there such
scene as that which followed. Not heart in the
residcncy of Lucknow but bowed itself before God.
All by one simultaneous impulse, fell upon their
knees, and nothing was heard but bursting sobs ard
the murmured voice of prayer. Then all arose. and
there rang out from thousand lips great shout of
joy which resounded far and wide, and lent Wig
or to that blessed pibroch. To our cheer of God
save the Queen" they replied by the well known
strain that moves every Scot to tears, "Should auld
acquaintance be forgot" &c. After that nothing
else made any impression on me. scarcely remem-
Der what followed. Jessie was presented to the
General his entrance into the fort, and at the Of
fcers, banquet her health was drunk by all present,
while the pipers marched round the table playing
once more the familiar air of "Auld lang syne."-
Lie Pays Of Paris.