Page:Earl Canning.djvu/113

Rh up in a corner of a huge city, thick-set with defensible buildings, crowded with combatants, through which the rescuing force would have to fight its way. On July 25th Havelock's march began. After a fortnight's hard fighting he was forced to recognise that his strength was inadequate, and to fall back on Cawnpur, now seriously threatened by a rebel force advancing from Bithúr. Even at Cawnpur, Havelock's position became precarious, and he was obliged to warn the Government that, unless speedily reinforced, he might have to fall back on Allahábád. Not till the third week in September did Outram's welcome reinforcements enable the two leaders to start for the rescue of the Lucknow garrison.

The weeks during which Havelock was fast-held at Cawnpur were eventful at two other centres of interest. At Lucknow it had been felt from the moment of the outbreak at Meerut that a siege was inevitable. Sir H. Lawrence had been reluctant to endanger the tranquillity of the rest of the Province by disbanding the Sepoy regiments at Lucknow; but he had prepared to stand on the defensive. As the country round rose into rebellion, Lucknow became the one isolated position in Oudh where British authority was upheld. Its isolation was perilous. On June 30th a British force, which had started from Lucknow to meet an approaching army of the mutineers, was deserted, as the action began, by the native Artillery, and encountered a severe repulse; it retired with difficulty, and soon found itself actually besieged. Lawrence lived