Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-05-29
MBgOgaaANY.
The Siege of Lucknow.


The Siege of Lucknow.
The war In India isnot wanting in the
character ofintoresting and thrilling incii
dents as thefollowing from theLondon Times
shows:
The SToRNlING OF TIE BEGUM's PAL-
AcE.-As we approached the Begun Pal
ace the cnemy's bullets, varied by round
shot now and then, came kissing overhead
and announced that they were still fighting
IN che front. The read, which is lined by
high walls ON both sides, enclosing the res
Idences of some wealthy people, now in
ruins, above which rise continuous groves
ottrecs and eastern shrubs. leads from the
broken canal bridge, and is met just in front
OF the Bcgums Palace by another road of
similar kind but little moro omen
which passes by the bridge near Banks
lousc to Dilkoosha, Externally, all We
could see OF the Bcgum's Palace were some
gllttering domcs, the cupolas and miuarcts
of mosque on the left and the balustradcs,
around the fotrooGs of the numerous build
ings inside. a high wall, forming the out
er barrier, loop -holed at evel5 inch. cn6los-
cd the buildingall around, but it bore fre-
quent marks of our cannon. In front of
tins wall there was a high parapeto of Garth,
with scarp apd ditch some fifteen or six
teon feet deep, and two small bastions with
cmbrafures Tor two guns, which swept the
approaches to the palace, or were intended
to do so, The embrasurcs, however, had
with sand nnd ~ ;,lL,,@ Lo,,.@ l,-lse .s fh.i.+I
guns, just in front of us, within some
eighteen or twenty yards of the ditch, there
was large hole in the ground, caused by
mine Which the scpoys sprung when it was
too late TO do them any good or us any harm.
In the ditch itself there lag a heap of the
dead bodies of the enemy, which our men
were dragging out Of the palace and fling
ing over the trench Theencmy had lit
orally dugtheir own graves AS we cross.
ell the narrow ramp of earth leading to the
gateway, VIC could not but feel astonshed
at the small loss by which We had gained
such a position. Along the front of this
wall, in addition to the guns, there were
loopholes for at least 1000 muskets, and it
seemed scarcely possible to effect an en-
trance at the point where one portion of the
93d and of the Sikhs had rushed through,
with bayoncts at the charge, Gu the astound
ed foe The gateway to which the ramp
led was protected by looploled turrets at,
the sides, and by a considerable fire from
the walls of the palace. The breach made
by our guns was on our left of a gateway,
but when our troops entered, it was only to
find themselyesin front,of.a similar wall,
directly under the fire of the enemy, who
were concealed from them at half.pistol
shot. The only way of getting at,the enc.
my was by hole, miScallcd breach. and
batteringin tho door by our euns,. so mar
roNHNpd SO low that not more than one man,
could enter at time, and tbcn only by
bending his head Butte avail themselves
even of this mode of entrance oat mcnhad
to struggle through tie onter breach, or to
Chamber up the steep bank of the ditch,
where, impcdcd by their numbers in the
narrow space, as they made for the inner
breach, they were held in check under the
epeny's irc till some of them forced their
way In through the bricked-up windows,
which led them into small dark rooms filed
with Scpoys. Held tysuch troops. as chose
who assaulted the place the BegunI's Palace
had been imprcgnabie to inantrv.
AgTEH THE ASSAULT Entering with
s'tlfSNttsy sfiFVtfysSts bAt skulIOCublDG OfeaCn,
raIs with hot air, gunpowdeg and dead
bodies, passed into the firss Of the court
yards in which the fight took place. It
was filed with exulting HighIanders, still
flushed y3ltb the heat of victory SikRs
burning gold and silver tissue and lace, for
the sake of the enetals, Gen. I3ueard, seat
! cd In the midst Of them, was busy giving
orders 70 a group Of officers. Brigadier
Adfian Hope, an excellent and gallant Off
Ger, was eleS. tlare, and he pointed cut to
me the narrow window through which he
had leaped ID upon the enemy. How a.
man could have eseapod whoentcred ia shoh
afashion Is beyond 10y comsrohension.
Butthere were few slain ontJight, for thc /
aEparidop otthese hlayay soldiers alone
unDeryed the hands Of their lsnonfes. -
Many fed at once, end we're pursued and
aiot down IL the eonrtyards without offer
ing resistancq; otnors fred their mnskets
or lnstchloeks once, made 4 viii thrust
With theblyonat, aud ran aIso$ others, sui.
pfisca 10 nolcs and corners, fought With
sap sefooiW Of wild beasts One officer 6f