Gould Weston, Gubbins's house, and the brigade mess-house. At one time the rebels nearly succeeded in setting fire to the Residency house by means of carcasses.[1]
The difficulties the garrison had to contend with were enormous. They had, in addition to the work of active defence, to dig out and carry stores, to shift the guns, to dig trenches, to sink shafts for mines, to bury the dead, especially the dead animals, whose putrifying carcasses contaminated the air, to repair damages. In all these duties the officers shared equally the labours with the men, and all exerted themselves to the utmost.
Sometimes they made a sortie. They attempted the first on the 7th. The sallying party succeeded in driving out the enemy from a position they held commanding the defences. Lieutenant Lawrence, who led it, obtained for his cool daring the coveted Victoria Cross.
I have given the casualties of the officers and others up to the 20th, because on that day the rebels made their first grand assault. Their movement began at half-past eight in the morning, was sustained vigorously for several hours, and was finally beaten back at four o'clock. Several officers and men covered themselves with glory. Conspicuous amongst them was Ensign Loughnan of the 13th N. I., against whose post, Innes's house, the weight of the attack was directed. The garrison here consisted of twelve men of the 32d Foot, twelve of the 13th N. I., and some clerks. They repulsed an enemy vastly superior in numbers. Another attack, made simultaneously against the Redan, was repelled with equal courage and equal determination.
Of this general attack, the first grand assault against the garrison, it has been remarked that it was a triumph of British coolness and pluck over Asiatic numbers and
- ↑ A carcass is a hollow vessel, filled with combustibles.
