Page:The tourist's guide to Lucknow.djvu/192

Rh there, which did no practical harm; and the mining was then continued on both sides for three days, till the enemy was blown in and defeated. Finally, a gallery of the enemy's fell in from the heaviness of the rain on the 29th August, and the garrison, early in the following month, completed the needful mines to foil any other such attempts that might be made there.

This post consisted of an extensive upper-roomed house between Anderson's and the Post Office, and was a most important position. It was barricaded on all sides with furniture, &c, and was much exposed to the enemy's fire from the east, also from the turret on Johannes' house on the west: an earth-work and a wall of fascines protected it on the roadside. It was garrisoned by Uncovenanted Civilians (whose families also found shelter here) and the Sikhs of the 13th N. I., commanded by Captain Germon, of the same Regiment.

This post is described as having been almost battered out of the perpendicular, and the walls were so crumbled away, and eaten into by the incessant rain of bullets, that it is hardly too much to say that it was breached by musketry. The enemy's position was just across the road, and they assaulted frequently with great determination. More hand-to-hand conflicts took place here than in any other post in the defences. The enemy commenced an elaborate mine for the destruction of this building, but a counter mine was sunk, from the well still existing, which resulted in the destruction of about 20 of the rebels.

This important position was the head-quarters of the Engineers and Artillery. It commanded the Havalat, Jail, and Mosque to the right, also Clock Tower and out-offices of the Tehri Kothi to the left, besides protecting the Financial outpost and Sago's garrison below. It was defended by a party of the 33nd Regiment, commanded by Captain McCabe of the same corps, who was killed on the 29th of September. Mrs. Kavanagh had the calf of her leg shot away at this post, but survived. Its defence consisted of two 18-pounders and a 9-pounder, pointing in different directions: also two mortars playing on the Cawnpore road.

There was a workshop attached to it for the manufacture of tools and preparation of shells and fuses during the first siege. The wall bounding the south side communicated