Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-28
THE INDIA NEWS.
SCENES AT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE ISIAUM-
BARRAH

| From the Times corTespondeat-Mr. Russell
HEAD QUARTERS, BEFORE LUCKNOW, March
| Pony last dispatch brought the narrative
of events up the close of the 18th of March.
We had then attacked the Imaumbarrah or
Imambara with such vigor that the enemy,
dsmayed by the sicrn onslaught, by the fire
of our artillery, and by the lesson they had
received at the storming of Begum's Palace,
abandoned thier position, and, flying in
disorder into the Kaserbagh so entirely dis
heartened the garrison, already decimated by
the bombardment. that they gave up the key
of the position almost without struggle.
The news took every one by surprise. Every
one was on the spot as speedily as possible.
The air was still heavy with gun-powder !;
bullets were whstling around from the des-
perate men shut up in the works, and from
the enemy in the inner line of offences Our
men were just crashing through the rooms of
the palaces which were as yet filled with the
evidence of barbaric magnifcence and splen-
dour, and the cries of the dying were not yet
stilled as we entered. The kaiserbagh cannot
be described. The place is a series of palaces,
kiosks, mosques all of tanciful Oriental arch
itecture-some light and graceful, others mere
ly fantastic and curious, and connected gen.
orally by long corridors arched and open in
the 'front.' or by extensive wings, which en-
close the courts and gardens contained with
the series there was prOfusion of mirrors in
ponderous gilt frames. A universal gliding
ofcornice, furniture, and everything that would
bear the process. seemed the prevailing taste
of the Royal Court. From every ceiling
hung glass chandeliers of every age. form,
color and design. AS to the furniture, in
many instances it looked like collections from
the lumber-rooms of all the old palaces in
Europe-Louis Quatorze clocks and cabinets,
A.Rh Id
ebony chests, gilt all over but these were re-
leved by the richest carpets, by sumptuous
divans, by cushions covered with golden en-
broidery. by rich screens of Cashmere shawls,
and by table covers ponderous with pearls
and gold. In some of the rooms there were
few good pictures, said to be by Sir Joshua
Reynolds, Lawrence Zoffany, and Beechy, but
| did not see any traces of Sir Joshua on the
walls when | entered, and there was only one
picture which looked at all like Lawrence.
There were numerous portraits of the present
and former Kings of Dude, and oil copies of
the portraits of Governors-General, of Well
ington. Nelson, George w., and Bonaparte,
many Chinese drawings French crayons, and
English engravings of all sorts, even those
from IViNidmson's Wild Sports of The East, an
old and almost forgotten book on tiger hunt
ing, in gorgeous frames, but the hand of the
spoiler was heavy among them all. Those
0uup out OF tue FeaCn OF the HluSket STOCK
and bayonet were scarcely safe from a bullet
or the leg of table. Down came chandeliers
in a tinkling, Gait ring rain OF glass-crashl
crash! crash door and window. and mirror
and pendule! Sikh and soldier were revealing
in destruction aud dclirious with plumber and
mischief. Those who could not get in ut
once to carry on the work searched the cor
ridors, battered Off the noses, legs, aud arms
of the statues in the gardens, or, diving into
cellars, either made their fortunes by the dis
coyery of unsupported treasure, or lost their
lives at the hands of concealed fanatics. There
was no time TO guard indiscriminate plumber
inasmuch as il never was expected that the
Haiserbagh and all its treasures would have
fallen that day into our hands. Ii was storm
ed at once, but il could scarcely be said that
any great resistance was offered by the enemy.
As they fed from the Imaumbarrah, with
Brasier's Sii<hs and the 10th Regiment in fast
pursuit, they rushed in such confusion through
the detached houses and courts between il aud
created aud The sth enered BY p 16e ramSs
and gateways along with the enemy. They
were supported by men of the corps engaged
in the assault of the lmaumbarrah. At the
very aspect OF these men inside the detences
Sepoys aud Nujeebs lost heart and fled out
of the courts aud buildings. Some were shut
up or secrrted themselves In rccesscs, and
in the mysterious apartments of an Eastern
palace. All who remained In arms were
shot down or bayonetted on the spot. The
Kaiserbagh was ours before IL clock Brig
adler Napier, | have said. sent up word
at once TO head quarters, where the fall OF the
lmaumbarrah was just made known. mount
and away" was the word. How the soldiers
cheered when Sir Colin made his appearance
In the Imaumbarrah and proceeded through
them TO the stairs which led up or to the roof
of the Palace, from which good view could
be obtained of portions Of the Kaiserbaghl
Ii was rather hot place at times. for the
enemy in minarets and in the buildings all
round us kept up constant fire, and the peo-
pie Mt the other side of the kaiserbagh were
firing at our men; but still hotter was il from
the Burning sun, which blazed tercely over
the smoke and tamult in the courts below
The road TO the Begum's Palace and on 70
the lmaumbarrah Was thronged with dhooly-
bearers, some returning with heavy filters fnil
OF grooming wounded men; others in a stream
trampling through the dust 10 join their regi-
ments, each dhooly with its little distinctive
flag, aud the number Of the regiment con-
splenoasly upoa IL. Artiiierymrn, sailors
and great trains OF oxe,4 were dragging up
heavy guns aGd niortars 20 secure our new
possession. A wing Of the Ssth under Colonel
Kelly; the Doth, the 9th. dnder poor Ingram;
the Esd iiighlanders, Ghoorka regiment, in
SCARLET aud yellow, aud the hardy Sikhs, were
up rapidly towards the kaiserbagh,
Or were already IA the courts and streets
around IL. The Imaumbarrah has bern
preached In very extraordinary manner
Two s. FOUNDERS NAVAL Brigade guBsl we're
brought mp into courtyard close TO the In
Irenchments and fired through the wall In
'front.' OF them, preaching the work beyond
them, which was invisible 10 tho gunners.
The iatt.r were OF course protected from the
:nemy's nnskeiry by the brick walls, through
shleh the cannon shot made only q clear |
'ound hole the fize OF itself. A very short |
ime suff.ced % batter the parapet. and outer |