Page:The tourist's guide to Lucknow.djvu/191

Rh the musketry fire of the enemy. It was still more dangerous to leave the position, as the noise made by the falling bricks, displaced by the departing soldier as he nimbly scrambled up the ascent, attracted the attention of the insurgents, which brought on him a sharp fire.

This was a most important post, and was one of the two great objects of the enemy's third grand attack on the 5th September. Between the 1st and 5th they ran three mines in succession against it, but were foiled in each attempt. During the attack the enemy rushed up to the barricade that ran along the front of the verandah, but were driven back by hand grenades, and by the flanking fire from the Post Ofﬁce. The number of mines that were blown up in front of the Financial Garrison had so broken up the ground as to render this position quite impervious to further attacks of this kind.

This is described as a small lower-roamed house (the property of Mrs. Sago, a school-mistress) separated by a wall from the Financial out-post. The enclosing wall and compound were abandoned, and the defence confined to the building itself: although higher than the road, yet it stood low and was much exposed. This position was commanded by the two 18-pounders and a 9-pounder at the Post Ofﬁce, and was held until ruined on the 14th August. It was garrisoned by a party of the 32nd Regiment, under command of Lieutenant Clery of the same corps.

On 10th August the enemy sprang a mine against this post, which fortunately broughtdown only a few out-houses, and "two European soldiers who had stood sentinel at one of the out-houses picquets were blown into the air, but both escaped with their lives. One, who fell within the compound, was slightly bruised, and the other was thrown into the middle of the road which separated us from the enemy. He no sooner found himself unhurt, than he got upon his legs, jumped over our wall and made his escape in perfect safety, notwithstanding the shower of bullets that whistled past his ears."

This was one of the principal points of attack on this date. It was begun by the springing of an enemy's mine