The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-01-28
THRILLING ACCOUNT OF THE RELIEF OF
LUCKNOW.

N lady OF TIC rescued party has given a
most interesting description of the events
in Lucknow, prior TO and at the arrival of
llavelock's forces. She says:
con every side death stared us in the
face. We were resolved rather to die than
yield, and were pursuaded that in twenty.
four hours all would be over We women
strovc to encourage each other and to con-
vey orders to the batteries and supply the
men with provisions, especially cups of
coilec, which we prepared day and night.
| had gone on: to make myself useful, in
company with Jessie Brown, the wife of
corporal. Poor Jessie had been in state
of excitement all through the siege. A
constant fever consumed her, and her mind
wandered, especially that day, when the re-
collections of home seemed present to her.
Overcome with fatigue, she lay down on the
ground, wrapped i'll her plaid. She fell into
slnmber, apparently breatlless, her head
resting on my lap. myself could 20 lon
ger resist the inclination to sleep, in spite of
the continual roar Of the cannon. Sudden.
y | was aroused by wild, uncar,hly
scream close to my ear; my companion
stood upright beside me, her arms raised,
and her head bent forward in the attitude
OF listening. y look of intense delight
broke over her countcnancc, she graspcl
my hand, drew me towards her, and en-
claimed, "Dinna ye hear it dinna yc hear
it! Ay, I'm not drcaming-it's the slogan
O the IIilaudcrs! We're saved, we're
saved " Then tlinging herself on her
knees, she thanked God with passionate
iervor. | felt utterly bcwildered my Eng
lish ears heard only the roar of artillery.
and | thought my poor Jessie was still raw
ing, but she dartcd to the batteries, and
heard her cry necessarily to the men
" Courage! Courage! Iark to the slogan
to the Macgregor, the grandcst of them
a. Here's help at last" 10 describe the
effect OF these words upon the soldiers
would hc impossible. For moment they
ceased firing and every soul listened in in
tense anxiety. Gradually there arose a
murmur Of disappointment, and the vail
ing of the women who had flockcd to the
spot, burst out anew as the Colonel shook
his head. Our dull lowland ears heard
nothing but the rattle Of the muskctry. A
few moments more of this death. like sus
pense, of this agonizing hope, and Jessie,
who had sank OH the ground, sprang to her
feet, and cried, in voice, so clear and pier
cling that it was heard along the whole line
-" Will ye no believe it noo9 The slogan
has ceased, indeed, but the Camphells are
comm! Dye hear, dye hcar?"
AT that moment we seemed indeed to
hear the voice Of God in the distance, when
the pibroch Of the Highlanders brought us
tidings Of dcliverance. That penetrating,
ceascess sound, which rose above all other
all other sounds, was indeed the blast of the
Scottish bagpires. Never surely was there
such scene as that which followed. Not
heart in the residcncy Of Lucknow but
bowed itself before God. All by one 81.
multaneous impulse, fell upon their knees,
and nothing was heard but bursting sobs
and the murmurcd voice of PRAYER.
Then all arose, and there rang out from a
Thousand lips great shout Of Joy which
rcsounded far and wide, and lent new vioor
to that blessed pibroach. 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"
tSc. After that nothing else made any i'm
preston on me. scarcely remember what
followed. Jessie was presented to the Gen
eral OH his entrance into the fort, and at the
officers banquet her health was drank by
all present, while the pipers marched round
the table playing once more the familiar air
Of "Auld lang syne."
BesFrank and Determined.-Neycr affect
to bcsother than what you are. Learn to