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.
In the evening of the same day the force was paraded a second time, and minutely inspected by Colonel Inglis. A body of fifty volunteers, belonging to the several offices, had been trained anddrilled to use firearms. To them was entrusted the defence of two outposts near the Post-office, which place had been made a very strong position. The officers comprising the volunteer corps of cavalry were also given arms, to be able to make a stand and defend themselves within their own quarters. They furnished sentries at night, and exercised a supervision over some seventy Seikh sowars, the remains of the Oude Irregular Cavalry. These, as well as the body of clerks, &c., mentioned above, were in all respects armed and accoutred like private soldiers. Besides this, many of the volunteers and officers were instructed in gun drill; and, at the Muchee Bhawun, by Sir Henry's directions, some fifty or sixty of the 32nd Foot were told off for the same work. A very strong battery (the Redan) was commenced this day; it completely commanded the iron bridge and the road leading to cantonments.
The servants of Captains Staples, 7th Cavalry, and Burmester, 48th Native Infantry, returned and reported the murder of those officers whose heads, they stated, were carried to the Nana at Cawnpore; and that Lieutenant Boulton, of the7th-Cavalry, jumped his horse into the river, and nothing further had been heard of him. Owing to the want of rain, the heat had now become intense. Cholera and dysentery were on the increase; chiefly at the Muchee Bhawun.
Reports came in of some bodies of the enemy being at a place called Nawab Gunge, about eighteen miles from Lucknow, and Captain Forbes, with twenty Sikhs and ten of the volunteer cavalry corps, was sent out there to ascertain the presence or otherwise of the enemy. They returned in the evening bringing information that there was no one. The company of the 10th Oude Irregular Force was brought down from the Dâk Bungalow to the jail. This regiment was the last to give way at Seetapore, and it was reported they did not molest their officers.
Quantities of bhoosa were collected and stored within the Racket Court, which was now half full.