On
July 4th Sir Henry Lawrence was killed by the bursting of a shell in a
room where he lay wounded; and his dying counsel to those around him
was, "Never surrender!"
On July 20th the rebel force round Lucknow heard of the advance of
General Havelock to Cawnpore, and attacked the residency in overwhelming
force. They kept up a continual fire of musketry while pounding away
with their heavy guns; but the garrison held their ground against shot
and shell, and before the day was over the dense masses of assailants
were forced to retire from the walls.
Between July 20th and 25th General Havelock began to cross the Ganges
and make his way into Oudh territory; but he was unable to relieve
Lucknow. His small force was weakened by heat and fever and reduced by
cholera and dysentery; while the enemy occupied strong positions on both
flanks. In the middle of August he fell back upon Cawnpore.
During the four months that followed the revolt at Delhi on May 11th,
all political interest was centred at the ancient capital of the
sovereigns of Hindustan.
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