August 23rd.—A heavy cannonade from the enemy, from daylight till about 10P.M., when it slackened. Their principal efforts were against thebrigade-mess house and Cawnpore battery; the former they seriously damaged, and succeeded in entirely levelling the guard-houses on the top; both of which had fallen in, and there was no longer any cover for our musketry to fire from. Our ranks were rapidly thinning. Two men were again this morning mortally wounded by musketry fire. The enemy were busily employed in digging on all sides, more particularly in front of the Redan; but it was very difficult to say what their object was, as they dug deep trenches in all directions. Continued reports of distant firing being heard. The enemy fired heavily from their guns in the afternoon, and did considerable damage to our defences. A working party employed after dark, making a magazine for the powder and shells lodged in the Post-office.
We had work nightly for at least 300 men; as we had the defences to repair daily, supplies to remove from godowns which were fallen in from the effects of the enemy's shot, mines to countermine, guns to remove, barricades to erect, corpses to bury, and rations to serve out; but with our weak, harassed, and daily diminishing garrison, we could seldom produceas working parties more than three fatigue parties of eight or ten men each relief; and the Europeans were capable of but little exertion, as from want of sleep, hard work night and day, and constant exposure, their bodily strength was greatly diminished. The enemy threw in an 8-inch shell about 9P.M.and fired all the evening. Divine service was performed at the brigade-mess in the morning, and in the afternoon, at Dr. Fayrer's; the sacrament was administered on both occasions.