The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-02-05
A Thrilling Moment at Lucknow,

|
have not been wanting pens to picture them
with startling elect The following graphic
description ofthe scene ut the moment of
tue arrival of the relief, so long so painful.
'y awaited by the belcagurcd inmates Of
Lucknow, written by a lady of the rescued
party, equals in dramatic intensity the best
descriptive passage of Sir Walter Scott:
death stared us i'll the face We were
fully persuaded that in twenty-fuur hours
all would he over. The engineers had said
so, and all knew the worst. We women
strove to encourage each other, and to per-
form the light duties which had been as
signed to us, such as conveying orders TO
the batteries. and supplying the men with
provisions, especially cups Of coffee, which
we prepared day and night. i had gone
out to try to make myself useful, in coapa-
ny with Jessie Brown, the wife Of "a corpo-
ral in my husbands regiment. Poor Jcs-
sic had been in state of restless excite
ment all through the siege, and had fallen
away visih!y wilhinthe last few days. A
constant fever consumed her, and her lind
wandered occasionally, especially on that
day, when the recolections Of home seem.
cd powerfully present TO her.
AT last, overcome with fatigue, she lay
ca down on the ground, wrapped up in her
plaid. sat beside her, Promising to ava,
ken her, when as she said, "hcr father
should return from the pIonyh;ng." She at
leugth fell into a profound slumber, mo-
tion'ess and apparently brea,hless. her head
resting in sny lap. myself could no Ion
ger resist the inclination to sleep, in spite
Of the continual roar Of cannon. Suddenly
| was aroused bya wild unear,hly scream
close to my car my companion stood up
right beside me. her arms raised and her
head bent forward in the attitude of listen
ing. a look Of Intense delight broke over
her conn,cnance, she graspud my hand,
drew me towards her, and exclaimed, "Din-
ia We hear it? dnna We hear it! Ay, I'm
no dreamin,' IFS the slogan o'thc uighianderS..
We're saved, we're saved! Then, Ainging
herself on her knees, she thanked God Will,
passionate fcrvor.
Il felt utterly bewildcred: my English
cars heard only the roar Of artillery, and I
thought my poor Jessie was still raving, but
she darted TO the batteries, and l heard her
cry necessarily to the men, Courage! bark
to the slogan-to the Macgrcgor, the grand
est of,hem all. Here's help at last To
describe the effeet Of these words upon the
soLliers would be immpossible. For mo-
ment they ceased firing; and every soul list.
cned in intense anxiety. Gradually, how
ever, there arose murmur Of bitter disap-
poin'mcnt, and Tie wailing of tbe women
who had flocked out, began anew as the
Colonel Shook his. head. Our dull lowland
ears heard nothing but the Eal,le of the mus.
kerry.
"A few moments more of this deatliike
suspense, Of this;agouizing hope. and Jessie.
who had again'shnk on the ground. sprang
to her feet and cried, In voice so clear and
piercing that it was heard along the whole
!ine-'Will ye no believe it nooa The slo-
gan has ceased, indeed, but the Campbell$
are . comm! Dye hear? dye hear?' At
that moment we seemed indeed to hear the
voice Of God in the distanre, when the bag
pipes of the Highlanders brought us tidings
O, ,del'veran"e !; for now there was no long.
er any doubt of the fact. Tina. shrill, pene-
trat'ng, ceaseless sound, which rose above
all other sounds, coull come neither from
the advance of tl,eeneny, nor from the worl,
OF the sappers. No, it wasindsed the blast
ofthe Scottish hagpipes, now shriIl and harsh;
as threatening vengeance on The foe; then
Tin softer tones. seeming to promise sucsor TO
their friends IN needs
| Never surely, was there s,lcll scene MS
that which followed Not heart in the
residency Of Lucknow but bowed itsef.be-
fore God, All, by ane simultaneous i'm
pulse, fell upon theirknees, and nothing
was heard but bursting sobs, and the mur
INJURED voice of prayer. Then aII arose, and
there rang out from a thousand lips great
shout Of joy. Which resounied far and wide
and entnew vigor to that blessed bagpipe
To. opr cheer IF God save the Queen = they
replied in the well known strain that move,
every Scot to o.tears- SHOULD auldsacquaint
= =
ance be forgot &s. After 'tllat, nothing
else made any Impression on rf,e. II scafcelJ ]
remember what. followed, Jessie was pre-
sented to the General oD his entrance into
fthe fort, and. at the officers banquet hssii
q health was drank by all present. while the
! pipsfs marched round hetabie,n nlaying once
mere the familiar air Of ..Auld: lang syne.' (
Ess0RANaESPsEb ON THE sPAvRaEyr.--A