The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-28


il IL the fiction and not the
two in parallel columns
THRIIIISG IScrpE,rIsr Hy RE-
IIEr OF THE REsIpENCY OF
LUCKNOW
ICalcutta Letter ,0ct.S, 1857. ]
On every side death stared
us in the face; no human
skill could avert it any long
err. We saw the moment
approach when We must bid
farewell to earth, yet with
out feeling that unutterable
horror which must have
been experienced by the IN
happy victims ut CawnpoYe.
We we're resolved rather 70
die than 10 yield, and we're
fully persuaded that in
twenty -four hours all would
be over. The engineers had
said so, and all knew the
worst. We women strove
10 encourage each other, and
10 perform the light duties
which had been assigned to
US, such as conveying or
deTs TO the batteries and
supplying the men with pro-
visions, especially cups of
coffee, which We prepared
day and night. i had gone
out 10 try and make myself
useful, IN company with
Jessie Brown, the wife Of a
corporal in my husbands
regiment. Poor Jessie had
been In a state OF restless
excitement all through the
siege. and had fallen away
visibly within the last few
days. A constant fever con-
sumed her, and her mind
wandered occasionally espe-
ciaily that day. when the re.
collections Of home seemed
powerfully present 70 her.
Al last, overcome with IA
tigue, she lay down on the
ground, wrapped up in her
plaid. | sat beside her,
promising 10 awaken her,
whsn, as abe SAID, "her
father returned from the
ploughiDe > she fell at
length into q profound slum-
Der, motionless and appa-
reity brea;hless, her head
resting in my lap. l my
self could no longer resist
the inclination TO sleep, in
spite Of the continual roar Of
the cannon. Suddenly !
was aroused with a wild I'M
earthly scream close 10 my
ear; my companion stood up
right beside me, her arms
raised, and her head bent
forward la the attitude OF
listening. A look OF intense
delight broke over her coun.
tenance, she grasped my
hand, Drew me towards her,
and reclaimed
"Dinna yc hear itf--dinna
ye beu ~ Ay, I'm no
dremin; it's the slogan o.
the llighlsnders We're
sayed-were saved ~
Then, fiipsinp herself on
her knees. ahe thanked Cod
with passionate fervor. /
ielt utterly bewildered; my
Epglish cars heard only the
roar OF artillery. and !
thought my poor Jessie was
still raving, but she dsrted
10 the batteries. and lheard
her cry necessarily to the
men
courage : courage bark
10 the slogan-to tho Mac
Rregor, The grand eat OF them
a.. Bere's help ut last ~
To describe the effect OF
these words would be i'm.
possible. For a moment
hey ceased firing, and eve
ry soul listened In intense
anxiety. Gradually, how
ever, there arose q murmur
OF DISAPPOINTMENT and the
waiting OF the women who
had locked 10 the sp<tburst
out anew "a the colonel
shook bis head. Our dull
Low land ears heard nothing
but the rattle OF the mus
ketry. A few moments
more Of this death Ike srs.
pense, Of this agon!zing
hope, and ice IL, who had
again sunk on the ground
spang 10 her feet, and
cried, In q voice 50 clear
and piercing that 70 was
heard along the whole line,
"Wl ye no believe Il pooY
The slogan has ceased 10 b
decd, bet the Csmpbells are
comm n'ye hear, dye
hear" ~ that moment we
zee med indeed 70 hear the
voice of God in the distance,
when the pibroch OF the
GiRhlaDccrs brought us
tininfs Of dcliveranco, for
now there was no longer any
doubt Of the fact That
sbrill, penetrating, cease
icrs Eornu which roFc above
sll other sounds, could come
pcither from the advance Of
the enemy, nor from the
work Of the sappers. No,
Il w@ indeed the bias, Of
the scottish b,gpires. now
sbrill apd harsh, 10 threat.
eninr vengeance on the foe,
then, IN softer tones. seem.
igg 90 promise succor 80
their friends In need Never,
surely. was thsre such a
scene ae that which follow
I'd. Not n heart in the resi-
dcncy az INcknow but bow
cd itself before Cod. Al,
by one Simultaneous i'm
pulse, fcli npon their knees.
and nothing vas heard but
bursting sobs and the muir.
INJURED voice OF Irnver
Then all arose, and there
'apr out from n thousand
ps \ great fho ut OF Joy
which rcsoundcd Tar and
vide, and lent mes vigor 10
hat blessed pibro Oh. To
ur cheer Of oGod 4 ave the
'ocen," they replied by the
rcli Known strain that
1ores every Scot ~ tears.
aud aoquain, snce
Q forgot" &c. After ..ha,
othiBg else made an IN
rcssion on me. Tscarce,y
member what followed.
,ssie was presented 10 the
neral on his entrance into !
. fort, and 1T the officers y
nsuet her health was n
sk by all present, while V
Sfnora marChad round 4.