Strangely enough, we knew nothing of the death of Sir Henry Lawrence or General Wheeler, and had not even heard for certain that Cawnpore had fallen and that Lucknow was besieged, while there were constant reports that Wheeler was marching up the Trunk Road.  Being most anxious to get some authentic intelligence, Norman[4] on the 15th July wrote a letter in French addressed to General Wheeler at Cawnpore, or whoever might be in command between that place and Delhi, giving an account of our position at Delhi, and expressing a hope that troops would soon march to our assistance.  The letter was entrusted to two sepoys of the Guides, who carried out their difficult task most faithfully, and on the 3rd August returned with the following reply from General Havelock, addressed to Major-General Reed: 

    ’Cawnpore, left bank of the Ganges,
    ’25th July, 1857.

    ’MY DEAR GENERAL,

’Yesterday I saw Captain Norman’s letter of the 15th instant from Delhi, addressed to Sir Hugh Wheeler.  That gallant officer and the whole of his force were destroyed on the 27th June by a base act of treachery.  Sir Henry Somerset is Commander-in-Chief in India and Sir Patrick Grant in Bengal.  Under the orders of the supreme Government I have been sent to retrieve affairs here.  I have specific instructions from which I cannot depart.  I have sent a duplicate of your letter to Sir P. Grant.  In truth, though most anxious to march on Delhi, I have peremptory orders to relieve Lucknow.  I have, thank God, been very successful.  I defeated the enemy at Futtehpore on the 12th, and Pandu Naddi on the 15th, and this place, which I recaptured on the 16th.  On each occasion I took all the guns.  Immense reinforcements are coming from England and China.  Sir Patrick Grant will soon be in the field himself.  Lucknow holds out.  Agra is free for the present.  I am sorry to hear you are not quite well.  I beg that you will let me hear from you continually.’

Two days afterwards another letter was received; this time from Lieutenant-Colonel Fraser-Tytler, A.Q.M.G., with Havelock’s force.  It was addressed to Captain Earle, A.Q.M.G., Meerut, and ran as follows: 

    ’Cawnpore, July 27th.

’General Havelock has crossed the river to relieve Lucknow, which will be effected four days hence.  He has a strong force with him, and he has already thrashed the Nana and completely dispersed his force.  We shall probably march to Delhi with four or five thousand Europeans and a heavy Artillery, in number, not in weight.  The China force is in Calcutta, 5,000 men.  More troops expected immediately.  We shall soon be with you.’

These sanguine expectations were never fulfilled!  Instead of Lucknow being relieved in four days, it was nearly four months before that result was achieved, and instead of troops from Cawnpore coming to help us at Delhi, the troops from Delhi formed the chief part of the force which relieved Lucknow.