August 15th.—Heavy rain till about 3A.M., when it cleared away, and the morning was beautifully clear and fine. The enemy fired salvos of two and three 18-pounders at once into the Cawnpore battery, and brought down all the outer wall of the house alongside it, which we used as a guardroom; making the place so hot we were obliged toretire our men from it during the heaviest part of the cannonade. Lieutenant Bonham received a severe contusion, from bricks knocked out on him by an 18-pound shot; and later in the day the sentry left in the front part of the battery was killed by a round shot. Lieutenant James Alexander was shot through the arm while laying an 18-pounder in the Hospital battery. Several servants and six bheesties of the 32nd deserted last night. At night, advantage taken of the dark to repair as much as possible the damage done to-day to the Cawnpore battery. About 9P.M.a pensioner named Ungud, who had been sent out with a letter, returned, bringing a letter from Cawnpore. This was the first night since the siege began that no burial took place.
August 16th.—Great progress made in our mine out of Lieutenant Anderson's house, which had now reached a distance of twenty-five feet from the shaft. Also much done in the way of making the Cawnpore battery more secure. Brigadier Inglis slept in it himself. In the early morning the enemy fired a great many round shot, and broughta new gun into position, to play on the corner of the brigade mess-house; also one which fired on Mr. Gubbins's post, but which was soon silenced by a 9-pounder placed in position against it. Divine service performed in the brigade-mess to a few officers who were off duty, and to the ladies. Much round shot fired during the day, but fewer sepoys in sight than usual. Every possible effort was made to curtail the expenditure of our provisions, and make them last as long as possible. The enemy threw in three 8-inch shells during the evening, and fired several round shot during the night.