Those who have been much exposed to “fire” have often experienced many hair-breadth escapes and singular incidents. Several are related in connexion with the defence of Lucknow. An officer was handing a glass of water to a companion, the glass being held low down, when a bullet struck the glass and smashed it to pieces, without, however, hurting either man. Three prisoners were brought in, and were being tried by a drum-head court-martial, when the proceedings were suddenly cut short by a round shot, which, without ceremony, killed the three prisoners, after which the court was dissolved. It was soon found that the sepoys, having discovered how small a force had joined the garrison, were determined to pursue their attack with renewed vigour, and continued the siege until the intrenchments were deserted on the 19th of November. We in England who live at home at ease, and perform our morning toilets with composure, can scarcely imagine the effect that would be produced upon us by an event such as the following, related with great coolness by a lady in her “Diary of the Siege of Lucknow:”— “This morning an 18-pounder came through our unfortunate room again. It broke the panel of the door, and knocked the whole of the barricade down, upsetting everything; my dressing-table was sent flying through the door.” When the relief had overcome the various obstacles that had been opposed to its entrance into Lucknow, and had joined the besieged garrison, it was found necessary to give up the Residency. This was accomplished by a ruse, and during the night, when the women and children, the wounded and sick, were conveyed in safety to the Alum Bagh, thence to Allahabad, leaving Lucknow to be dealt with by men alone. [Illustration: Lieutenant Thomas Adair Butler, 1st Bengal Fusiliers, at Lucknow.] It was not till early in March, 1858, that Sir Colin Campbell appeared with a large British force before Lucknow. At this time there were about thirty thousand Sepoys in arms in the city, besides which there were fully fifty thousand armed volunteers and irregulars. The commander-in-chief’s preparations had been most ably planned and carried out. A bridge was soon thrown across the Goomtee, with very little opposition. On the 7th of March twenty-two guns, all of large calibre, were sent across this bridge, and joined Sir J. Outram’s force on the opposite side. On the 8th a decided step was made towards the capture of the city. A heavy fire had been maintained all day on the Martinière, and Sir Colin determined to assault it very soon.