At this
crisis the guns opened fire. Round after round of grape made fearful
havoc on the mass of humanity that was heaving and surging round the
gates. At last the ammunition was exhausted. No one could leave the guns
to bring up more shot. The mutineers were pouring in on all sides.
Lieutenant Willoughby gave the signal. Conductor Scully fired the train;
and with one tremendous upheaval the magazine was blown into the air,
together with fifteen hundred rebels. Not one of the gallant nine had
expected to escape. Willoughby and three others got away, scorched,
maimed, bruised, and nearly insensible; but Scully and his comrades were
never seen again. Willoughby died of his injuries six weeks afterward,
while India and Europe were ringing with his name.
Still more terrible and treacherous were the tragedies enacted at
Cawnpore, a city situated on the Ganges about fifty-five miles to the
southwest of Lucknow. Cawnpore had been in the possession of the English
ever since the beginning of the century, and for many years was one of
the most important military stations in India; but the extension of the
British Empire over the Punjab had diminished the importance of
Cawnpore; and the last European regiment quartered there had been
removed to the northwest at the close of the previous year.
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