ney proceeded to the gun itself, which
was at the gate of an outer court of the Kaiser Bagh. They found that a
body of Sepoys were defending themselves in an adjoining court, and that
it was necessary to blow away the gate of it, that the troops might
storm. It was for this object that Sir Colin ordered the guns to be
turned against them. In the meanwhile, however, they kept a continual
fire on the little band of British, from the walls and over and round
the gate, whenever they approached the gun. Captain Vaughan then fired
a few rounds at the gate, Mr Verney loading and sponging, three of the
_Shannon's_ bandsmen bringing up the powder and shot, and some of the
men of the 38th, under command of Lieutenant Elles, running the gun up
after every round. Near them, all the time, was a house full of loose
gunpowder, while close to it was another in flames. A sentry, however,
was posted to give warning in time, should the flames approach the loose
powder. Captain Vaughan now went back to meet the gun's crew that had
been sent for, and to show them the way, leaving orders with Mr Verney
to keep up the fire. He discovered that the Sepoy charges were so heavy
that the shot went clean through the solid gate every time he fired. By
reducing the charges, the firing at last began to tell; and when the
bluejackets came up, under command of Lieutenant Hay, the gate was blown
open, and the court captured by the company of the 38th.

On the 16th of March, the guns of the naval brigade were advanced to the
Residency, whence they occasionally fired a shot over the town. On the
22nd, the last of the rebels evacuated Lucknow; and, on the 29th, the
brigade handed over to the artillery, to go into park in the small
Imaumbarah, the six eight-inch guns which they had brought from the
_Shannon_. The word "Shannon" was deeply cut into each carriage, and
must last as long as the wood exists. There they will remain, a
memorial of what sailors can do on land. Here the active services of
the gallant naval brigade ceased. Mr Verney had been sent to the
Kaiser Bagh to bring out one of the King of Oude's carriages for the
conveyance of Captain Peel to Cawnpore. He selected the best he could
find, and the ship's carpenter padded it and lined it with blue cotton,
and made a rest for his feet, and painted "HMS Shannon" over the royal
arms of Lucknow. When, however, he saw it, he declined making use of
it, saying that he would prefer travell