Oh ! leddy dinna swoon awa!
Look up! the evil‘s past,
They're comin' now to dee wi' us,
Or save us at the last—
Then let us humbly, thankfully.
Down on our knees and pray,
For those who come through bluid and fire
To rescue us this day.
That He may o'er them spread His shield,
Stretch forth His arm an' save
Bold Havelock an' his Highlanders,
The bravest o' the brave !
86. On the morning of the 24th we heard the heavy guns of the relieving force. On this day there was not much firing about us, as the enemy's attention was diverted, and they could be seen busily at work removing guns to new positions elsewhere to check the British advance, but a desultory fire was kept up on our various posts during the night, evidently with the object of covering the removal of these guns. Finding that they could no longer resist the advance of Generals Outram[1] and Havelock[2] and their brave men, the enemy, becoming exasperated at their discomfiture, now wreaked a bitter revenge on the helpless European captives, men, women and children, who were brought out and ruthlessly murdered, on this date, in the open space in front of the north-east gate of the Kaiser Bagh Palace, where a cenotaph has since been erected to their memory.
87. On the 25th July, being the 26th day of the siege, a spy named Ungud,[3] who had been previously sent out with a message, returned with a letter from Colonel Tytler, Quarter-Master-General, informing us that General Havelock was advancing with a force sufficient to bear down all opposition, and would be with us in a few days; an anxious watch was kept for the promised relief, but the few days expired and it did not arrive. We did not then know, nor did we learn until the 29th August when Ungud returned with the intimation that the relieving force, consisting of 1,500 men, (1,200 of whom were Europeans) ten guns, imperfectly manned and equipped, after having fought most nobly to effect our deliverance, had been obliged to fall back
- ↑ General Outram died on 12th March, 1863. His remains were interred in Westminster Abbey.
- ↑ Sir Henry Havelock died at Dilkusha, on 24th November, 1857, and was buried at Alambagh.
- ↑ Ungud was a pensioned sepoy, a native of Oudh, who was employed in the Intelligence Department by Mr. Gubbins' assistant, Captain Hawes.
All communications were conveyed by highly paid spies. The letters were generally written in French, Latin, or Greek, and being wrapped in a quill or a small piece of bamboo, were carried and concealed by the spies In the most marvellous manner.
