Large stacks of firewood, which had been stored in case of difficulties, were regularly arranged in a semicircle, protecting the front of the Residency, and covered with earth; these formed an embankment six feet in height, and embrasures were cut through them for the guns, of which there were four 9-pounders on that side.
June 21st.—Two hundred guns, many of large calibre, were found in the gardens of the Seish Mahul, behind the Dowlut Khana (a large building on the north side of the city). There were no carriages to them. This startling discovery was luckily made in time. Twenty-seven guns were at once brought in, and arrangements made for parking the remainder.
In the evening, as the church was full of grain, divine service was performed in Mr. Gubbins's garden; and, during the night, Sir Henry himself once more visited the outposts, which had, by this time, been brought to a satisfactory state. The guards of the uncovenanted service were well on the alert, and prepared for any emergency. The difficulty of procuring all kinds of grain daily increased. Many rumours of a strong force marching on Lucknow from Fyzabad. The force in cantonments held in readiness to march at one hour's notice, to the Residency and the Muchee Bhawun.
June 22nd.—This morning Captain Radcliffe's troop of volunteer cavalry were despatched, at 1 A.M., towards Nawab Gunge, to patrol the roads in that direction, in conjunction with the Seikhs, in order to gather information. About 4 o'clock A.M. a thunderstorm from the east, with the much wished for rain, came on. It lasted no very long time, and afforded only a temporary relief from the excessive heat.
Sir Henry Lawrence made an excursion as far as the Husainabad Kolwallee, garrisoned by nearly 3000 police and others, and inspected them and the defences of that place. He also visited the Dowlut Khana, an old magazine, and on his return went over the Muchee Bhawun defences. All our available spare carts, hackeries, and wagons, were to-day employed in bringing in the guns found yesterday. Many of them were of large size. The unroofing and clearing away of houses continued without intermission, and every exertion was made to remove anything which might afford cover in the immediate vicinity of our defences.
June 23rd.—Two men executed this morning at the Muchee Bhawun,—the one a mutineer (a naick of the 71st Native Infantry), the other a man who had, on the night of the mutiny, threatened the life of Mr. Yarbury, a merchant.
A large battery traced out, looking to the westward. It was to consist of at least two heavy guns, and to be raised so as to bombard the town in that direction. A considerable amount of labour would have been required to raise it to the necessary elevation. Altogether it was the most extensive work of the kind we had yet undertaken. An 8-inch howitzer, which had been discovered with the other guns at the Seesh Muhal, was mounted and placed in the Redan battery.
Captain Radcliffe's troop of volunteers, numbering forty sabres, were drilled and exercised daily; and now that the majority of the Irregular Cavalry had deserted, and the remainder were not considered trustworthy, the troops supplied two mounted orderlies every morning to escort Sir Henry Lawrence into the city.
The commanding officer of the 71st Regiment Native Infantry reported the remnant of the Seikhs of his regiment (about twenty men, who had remained true on the night of the émeute) as being in an insubordinate state, and no longer to be trusted. Sir Henry Lawrence desired them to be sent to him, and spoke to them. They had asked for their discharge before, and had very precipitately been disarmed by their commanding officer, without sufficient authority. After being spoken to by the Brigadier-General, they professed themselves quite willing to continue their services: they were taken at their word, their arms restored, and were kept at the Residency under the command of an officer.