New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
THE SIEGE OF LUCKNOW.
THE SIEGE OF LuCKNOW-A WOSAN'S
CHRONICLE.

Co.. London. Imported by Charles Scribncrs Sons,
New-York
History has recorded in grave phrases and with
many statistics the story Of tie famous Siege of
Lucknow vet we venture to say that no historian,
however brilliant and accurate, can convey
realistic an impression of that thrilling episode
does this simple journal Of woman. month
before the siege began-no'v thirty-fve years ago
Lady Ingls's husband was the colonel of his rcgi-
ment. Kind old Sir Henry Lawrence died from
his wounds on the third day of the siege and
Inglis found himself in command, with a deadly
load Of responsibility and anxiety upon his Shout
ders. For eghty-seve days lie defended the
place with rare COURAGE and ingenuity, until
Havelocll and OutrapI with reinforccments
70 share his task and 1t is Of these eighty-seven
days that his brave wife writes The very sim
plicity of her style makes the horrors she describes
stand out with marvellous clcarncss from her
pages and her accompanying acceptance Of in
evitable suffering lively admiration in the
reader In Of her daily records during the
first week Of the siege, size says quietly IL felt
very down TO- day"-aDd she allows herself through.
ont no more emphatic expression of her fear and
trouble
One Of the most cruel phases Of the siege was
the incessant activity Of the mutineers The weary
garrison kept on the defence until nature al
most tainted under the strain. The encmy's fire
continued night and day. and with fiendish cum
ming, they were constantly employing new devices
to harass the beseged. The heat was terrible;
the bodies OF the killed were buried imperfectly,
and the smells were sickening; there was plague
of flies of rats and mice. II necessary TO cut
down the rations, and scurvy crept in, cholera and
smallpox following It's train There were too
many women and children and sick and wounded in
the city to make retreat possible; there moth
ing to DO but TO endure and 10 hght-and this the
garrison did with splendid fortitude and courage
note by Captain Birch, General InGliss aide-de-
camp, which Is included in the diary. ought 10
be quoted AS IN example of brilliant courage,
he says. which to my mind made him one Of the
heroes of the siege, I must instance Private Gu
ney II. NJ 32d. His exploits were marvellous:
he was backed by Sepoy named Randall, who
simply adored him. Single-handed and without
orders Quincy would go outside position, and
he knew Of the enemy's movements than
any else. 1t was impossible 70 he really angry
with him. Over ana over again he was put into
the guar 1room for disobedience Of orders and as
often let out when there was fighting 10 be done
On one occasion hc surprised one OF the cnemy's
batteries, into which he crawled, followed by his
faithful, Sepoy, bayonctlng four men and spiking
tho guns. II ever there was man deserving the
" c., it was Quincy He seemed to bear a charmed
left his bed 10 volunteer for sortie. lie loved
fighting for its own sake After sIrviv,ng all the
perils Of the siege. he at last killed in sortio
made after General Hivelock's arrival" There
were many instances of reckless bravery on the
part Of the English soldiers during the investment
of the place. They Continually exposed them
selves to the mutineers fire-"its not the way OF
Englishmen,," said OF them to fight behind
walls. Not the least wearing device OF the enc
my their constant undermining, for they had
skilled sappers and miners. and the position of
the garrison particularly adapted 10 the work.
There was, in fact, all through the siege. I'M
derground campaign, fCr the English were, OF
course, compelled TO construct defensive passages
and c0untermines. This added immensely 10 the
abors of the defence. Lady Jngis records one
day in matter -Of-cOursc way, that the enemy
were mining under the room where most of the
ladies lived One OF the men Of the 32d was
solely employed in listening for mining and be
came very acute in detecting the sound. i'm two
instances the mutipecrs' mines were successful,
but they failed to effect a Judgment inside On
one occasion native officer Of the irregular cav
airy was shot dead as he led his troops through
a breach in the entrerchment This was the first
and only tine that a the foot Of the foe" ever
came within the Notifications. Bullets
stantly falling in the courts Of the houses and the
children Of the garrison not at all afraid Of
them Lady Ingls notes that her little boys
quick ears detected Immediately when bullet
fell and he would run and pick it up whilst it
was warm. II was curious to see how the chill
dren's plays and amusements harmonized with
| what was going on around u.s. They would make
| balls of earth and, throwing them against the
wall, would say they shells bursting. Johnnie
fell down one day and, getting up very dusty;
said They'll say have been mining They
slept sonndy in the midst Of the heaviest cannon
aiding. and never appeared frightened To all
the other suIerlrgs borne by the Englshwomen
shut up within the Entertainments, was added the
loss Of their loved ones; for the little children
died by the score killed by the deadly atmosphere
| and the lack Of proper food
The women Of the garrison would sometimes
sit together and calmly talk Of what it would be
best to do in the event Of the enemy getting in;
| there was no question as to what that meant for
| them Several of the ladies mad poison at hand
| and one of tho subjects much discussed the
| iustifability OF suicide. The strain upon Brga-
der Inglis during those eightyscven days was ter
| rible and he grew old and gray under it. Il
seldom had the pleasure of quiet conversation
with him" says his wife, and | often used to
| watch his door for an hour to try and catch him
| alone | felt had so much TO say to him John
| had wonderful escape tonight" she says in
| another entry. lie was in Mr.. Gubbins's gar
| rison looking through embrasure with Mr..
| Webb and soldier he saw the encmy's gun-port
open, and calling oyt 'Stoop.' bent down himself
| The round shot came through the wall. covering
| his head with dust; but he jumped up and said,
| All right No. said sergeant. it's not all
| right, SIR Mr. Webb and the soldier lay dead
| felt awcd IA it were, by Gods mercy 10 me and
| mine" To he wounded in that awful camp
| meant death in most cases, for the wounds would
not heal In the bad air, and amputation was only
| an added pans and no means OF safety.
| II is half lifetime ago that the great Indian
| mutiny took place, and 10 the present generation
it Is only picturesque story. IL is o story, too,
of bravery and endurance such 60 far 10 glorify
| the name of Englishman: and nowhere will the
reader find il wildly presented than In Lady
Inalis's touching and modest paQee