Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-05-13

Of the palace enclosure 40 ladies and chill
dren were massacred in cold blood ten days
before the outbreak During this massa-
ere the king sat in state opposite a great
! gateway which opened on the scene of the
slaughter, and one Of his sons was the first
to fire on the wretched victims
The very day of my arrival went all
over the ground that had been occupied
by the English army, and examined the
positions selected for the preaching batter
| les, &c. | then examined in detail the
effects Of their fire on the different parts
OF the defences. 1t is only on the ground
itself that one can obtain anything like an
adequate idea of the difficulties to be over
come i'll such operations as were carried on
here, and after seeing all was amazed at
the boldness of that handful Of Europeans
In attempting to enter Deihi. The defen-
ces are most formidable, and the number Of
the defenders of the city were at least ten
to one Of the attacking army. The Eng
lish artillery had, however, done tremen-
dous execution. The Cashmere and Moree
Bastions were heaps of rubbish, and all
along the side of the city exposed to the
fire there was fearful evidence of the havoc
made by the preaching batteries. The
guns Of the mutineers had suffered very
severely. Very few of them were left
whole. So well directed had been the
English fire that great many Of the guns
were rendered quite uscless-their muzzles
being knocked off, their staunchions bro
ken, or their carriages destroyed. During
the six days after the English entered the
city their position was most critical Many
Of the European soldiers gave themselves
up to drink, as the enemy, knowing their
thirst for such things, had left large guam
titles Of brandy, champagne, &c. at every
corner; street after street, nay, even house
after house had to be contended for. In
these parts Of the city the walls everywhere
show even now how terrible the struggle
must have been
THE CITY DESERTED AND DESoLATE.
Some houses are in ruins and all along
certain streets the bullet marks on the walls
appear as close as the stars in the armament
on clear night. But it was not these
marks Of active operations that struck me
most. 1t was the general appearance Of
this immense city. When the English
army entered at one side the inhabitants
fed at the other, leaving every house emp
ty, believe, only a few wretched cringing
Hindoos remaining behind. The vast mass
of about two hundred thousand souls fed
from the place, carrying whatever they
could with them. The whole city was then
Systematically plundered by the army. In
discriminate robbery was prevented as far
as possible, but it was difficult to prevent
the wild soldiers of the Punjab from graf
flying their natural thirst for plunder.
Hence, although prize agents were appoint
ed to collect all the property, to be equally
divided among the soldiers, there was
nevertheless great deal taken by private
individuals. Even during the period of
my visit, which was nearly three months
after the assault, the prize agents and their
hands were busily engaged i'll digging and
otherwise searching for treasure, &c,
In consequence of the dcsertion and
plumber of the city, its aspect was most
melancholy. l walked through long streets
and could see nothing but desolation Oc-
casionally a starved looking cat would be
seen crawling over fiat roof or stealing
round the corner of some dark alley
When / thought of all that had been en-
acted within those accursed walls during
the previous six months, together with all
the enormities committed there from time
immemorial, | felt that its present desola-
ton was but the award of justice for all
that its wicked inhabitants had done. [
visited the house that for nearly forty years
had been occupied by the Rev. Mr.. Thomp-
son, (Mr Caldwells father-in-law,) } and in
which his wife and two daughters were
brutally murdered. | saw the font in
which my guide told me Mr.. Thompson
used to "make the Christians" and the
little chapel in which he preached many
vernacular sermon, as few could preach.
Around these premises I found portions OF
our tracts and books strewed in the mud,
but I could find no trace Of any native
Christian, or any one of those who had
lived in Mr.. Thompson's family. felt
sad to look on these, the only remaining
emblems of the mission so long conducted
there but knew that it was easy for our
Heavenly Master to raise up even there
abundant witnesses to the truth as it Is IN
| Jesus.
~ 7 -, L1,,,s-.a.,f p57,s;c5o7 -