The 13th Regiment of Native Infantry, 170 rank and file, came down from cantonments and encamped in the Residency compound. Ineffectual efforts to blow down the Furrahd Buksh Gateway. Three or four cases of cholera occurred at Fort Muchee Bhawun. Officers' servants began to desert. Intelligence was received from Fyzabad of the mutiny of all the troops there. Heat beyond endurance. Garrison in good spirits, and much elated at the brush after the Police Corps. Little reliance was placed in natives, and every possible precaution was taken to prevent any treachery. The native gunners, both in the Residency and at the Muchee Bhawun, were so posted as to be under the immediate fire of the Europeans, who watched them carefully both day and night. An officer was on duty at the gate all day long, to observe all incomers, and to prevent arms being brought in by others than those who had received passes.
June 14th.—Supplies of shot and shell brought in from Muchee Bhawun. Every exertion made to increase the defences of the garrisons. No reliable intelligence was procurable of the state of affairs at Cawnpore. Many idle rumours afloat, but not corroborated, with regard to a reinforcement of Europeans having arrived at that station from the north-west. Heat excessive. Several cases of cholera and smallpox. A few cases of the former disease proved fatal in Muchee Bhawun. Hardinge's corps still steady. About 200 of the Oude Irregular Cavalry deserted last night.
June 15th.—A hundred barrels of gunpowder brought from the Muchee Bhawun, and buried in the Residency enclosure. Shot and shell continued to be brought into garrison from Muchee Bhawun. Uncovenanted servants were drilled with muskets. A tragic event occurred this day:—Serjeant-major K., 7th Light Cavalry, shot with a pistol, Riding-master Edridge, 7th Light Cavalry, in the heat of an argument. The riding-master died a few hours after. No reliable intelligence was procured from Cawnpore, though vague reports were in circulation. The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher, commanding 15th Irregular Cavalry, by the hands of his own men, was reported.
Captain Gall's servant returned to the garrison this day, reporting his master's death, which took place by stratagem, and by the hands of his own men. Captain Gall was proceeding in disguise en route to Allahabad, with twelve sowars of his own corps, and had proceeded about fifty miles on his way, when his murder took place. All officers of the cantonments were ordered down to the garrison, with the exception of the commanding officers and regimental staff. Twenty-three lacs of rupees were buried close in front of the Residency, for security, and to avoid the necessity of guards and sentries over it. Rum and porter (one-half) was received into the Residency from Muchee Bhawun. Fever was prevalent. The Seikhs of the 13th Native Infantry, numbering about fifty men, were formed, at their own request, into a company, under the command of Captain Germon, and sent to Muchee Bhawun. Spare clothing of the 13th was brought in from cantonments. Continued efforts were made to blow up the Furrah Buksh Gate. The flooring of the first story fell in this day.
June 16th.—A quantity of shot and shells came in from Muchee Bhawun; also an 18-pounder gun. The shot was piled, as far as possible. On this date, there were seven 18-pounders in position. The whole day was expended in working hard at a battery in a position commanding the Cawnpore-road, and in unroofing houses, burying powder, &c. The gate leading into the Furrah Buksh came down in the course of the forenoon with a great crash, after many futile attempts had been made for its destruction. This was an important point gained, as the Residency compound was quite commanded from the top of this gate.
This morning, twenty-two conspirators, emissaries from Benares and elsewhere, who had been sent to corrupt the troops at this place, were captured in a house in the centre of the city. Information having been given to Captain Hughes, commanding the 4th Irregular Infantry, he directed two staunch native officers to put themselves on the watch, and to pretend participation in the disaffection. This they did, and by this means, with Captain Carnegie's assistance, Captain Hughes was enabled to effect the capture of these inciters to mutiny. They were forthwith brought to a drum-head court-martial and the whole of them condemned to death.
June 17th.—This morning, four of the men sentenced yesterday, were hanged at the Muchee Bhawun; the remaining eighteen were liberated, as some doubts were entertained of their guilt.
Vague and most contradictory rumours came in this day about Cawnpore, but no authentic intelligence could be gained. The intelligence department, under the supervision of Mr. Gubbins, with two assistants, seemed to experience great difficulty in procuring reliable intelligence. Amongst others, Colonel Palmer, commanding the 48th Regiment Native Infantry, came in from the cantonments, waited on the Brigadier-General, and reported large assemblies of men near cantonments, the immediate abandonment of which he most earnestly advocated.
Although there yet remained some twenty-five lacs in the treasury, the expenditure had been on such an enormous scale during the last week, that cash payments were suspended, unless in exceptional cases. The money rewards, &c., promised to men of the several infantry regiments, whose good behaviour had been conspicuous on the night of the mutiny, were discharged by promissory notes. Major Apthorp of the 41st Native Infantry had an advance made to him to pay up and discharge twenty-five of his men who had escorted in the officers and ladies from Seetapore; as it was reported by one of his drummers, that even these faithful few, who had all been promised promotion by Sir Henry Lawrence for their fidelity on that occasion, had expressed themselves to the effect that if Rajah Maun Singh came against them, they would all have to go over, and would murder their officers.
June 18th.—The force at the Residency, consisting of the regular troops, civilians, volunteers of all sorts, and, in fact, every man within the defences not incapacitated by sickness, were ordered by Sir Henry Lawrence to parade at sunrise. Every man was to be at the post he was to occupy in case of an attack; and those to whom no posts had been assigned mustered in front of the Residency, for the purpose of having a post or duty assigned them. The Brigadier-General inspected the whole of them, and visited all the outposts and picquets.