Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-05
Account Of the Relief of Lucknow.

Account of the Relief of Lucknow.
A letter dated Calcutta, October Sth, gives
the following thrilling account of the reliet o.
the besieged at Lucknow
81 give you the following account OF thu
relief Of Lucknow, as described by LADY
one of the rescued party :-"On every SIDE
death stared us in the face; no human skill
could avert it any longer. We saw the mo
ment approach when we must bid farewell
10 earth, vet without feeling that uuutterable
horror which must have been experienced by
the unhappy victims at Cawnpore. Wewere
resolved rather to die than to yield, and were
fully pursuaded that in twenty-tour hours al
would be over. The engineers had SAID So
and all knew the worst We women stroVe
TO encourage each other, and to perform the
light duties which had been assigned 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. | had gone out to try and make my
self useful, in company with Jessie Brown
the wife of q corporal in my husbands reg
ment. Poor Jessie had been in state OIL
restless excitement all through the seige, and
had fallen away visbly within the last few
DAYS. A constant fever consumed her, and
her mind wandered occasionally, especially
that day, when the recolections of home
seemed powerfully present to her. AT last
overcome with fatigue, che lay down on the
ground, wrapped up in her plaid. sat be
side her, promising to awaken her when, as
she said, cher father should return from the
blowing" She fell at length into a pro
found slumber, motionless, and apparently
breathless--her head resting In my lap. l.
myself, could no longer resist the inclination
to sleep, 10 spite Of the continual roar of tho
cannon. Suddenly was aroused by wild
unearthly scream, close to my ear; my com
panion stood upright beside me, her arm;
raised, and her head bent forward in the att
tude of listening. A look of intense delight
broke over her cOuntenance, she grasped my
hand. drew me towards her, and exclaimed
"Dinna We hear it? dinna We hear 1t? Ay,
I'm no dreamin'; its the slogan o. the High
landers. We're saved we're saved" Then
finging herself % her knees, she thanked zoo
with passionate fervor. felt utterly bewll
dered my English ears heard only the roal
of artillery, aud | thought my poor Jessie
was still raving, but she darted to the bate
res, and / heard her cry necessarily to the
men, Courage, courage! bark TO the slogan
to the Macgregor, the grandest o them a
Here's help at last"
To describe the effect of these words upon
the soldiers would be impossible. For mo
ment they ceased firing, and every soul lis
tened in intense anxiety. Gradually, how
ever, there arose murmur OF bitter dlsap
pointment, and the wailing Of the women
who had focked to the spot burst out ane"
as the Colonel shook his head. Our dull low
land ears heard nothing but the rattle OF tht
musketry. A few moments more of this
death-lik suspense, OF this agonizing hope
and Jessie, who had sunk on the ground
sprang TO her feet and cried, in voice 81
clear and piercing that it was heard along
the whole linc-"Will We no believe it moo
The slogan has ceased, iadeed, but the Camp
bells are coming. Dye hear? dye hear
At that moment we seemed, indeed, to hea
the voice of God in the distance, when th'
pibroch of the IIighlanders brought us tiding
Of deiverance, for now there was no Longer
any doubt of the fact. That shrill, penetra
ting, ceaseless sound, which rose above al
other sounds, could come neither from thu
advance of the enemy, nor from the work
the sappers. No, it was indeed the blast o.
the Scottish bag pipes, now shrill and harsh
as threatening vengeance on the foe, then II
softer tones seeming TO promise succor t
: heir friends in need. Never, surely, was
tfhere such a scene as that which followed
Not a heart in the residency of Lucknow bu
bowed itself before God. All by one stimuli
taneous impulse fell upon their knees, anc
nothing was heard but bursting sobs and thu
murmured voice of prayer. Then all arose
and there rang out from thousand lips
great shout of JOY, which resounded far anc
wide, and lent new vigor to that blesse'
pibroch. To our cheer Of God save thu
Queen" they replied by the well-know'
strain that moves every Scot to tears-"Shoul(
aud acquaintance be forgot" &c. After that
nothing else made an impression ON me.
scarcely remember what followed. jessie
was presented to the General on his entrance
into the fort, and at the officers banquet bel
health was drunk by all present, while the
pipers marched around the table playing
once more the familiar air of Aud lanG
syne.'"
Our readers, however, will remember tina
since Lucknow was relieved by Gen. Have
lock. the Sepoy force from 10000 to IO,O0'
strong, had again surrounded the residency
and, al later dates, were threatening the gal
LIANT Havelock and his little army with des
truction. Sir Colin Campbell at the head o
10000 men, was, however, quickly advancing
to the rescue.