Ashraf-ul-nisa, rendered valuable services to the British Government during the Mutiny in furnishing information to Captain Bruce, Deputy Quarter-Master General, afterwards Inspector General of Police in Oudh, regarding the state of affairs in Lucknow.
A lofty gateway, nearly fronting the road leading to Johannes' house, served as the main entrance. A double range of out-offices formed a square within a square, one side of which consisted of a fine Imambara, used as a place of Mahomedan worship. Some of these buildings contained fine and lofty apartments, which were afterwards made use of by officers, and their families; others were lower roofed outhouses, having very deep foundations, and appearing from the road leading past the Post Office to Dr. Fayrer's to be considerably higher than they really were.
A fineupper-roomed house served as the Commissariat store-room. A mosque which, at the desire of the Begum, was not made use of, was within the Kothi. As the Begum Kothi was supposed to be pretty safe, being in the very centre of our defences, the inmates were required to garrison the bhoosa (chopped straw) enclosure.
Mr. Quieros' house, with the stabling, used as a canteen and liquor store-room, were, together with the main guard house behind, considered as forming part of the Begum Kothi, with which it was connected by a narrow passage.
R.—GRANT’S BASTION.
This was a high, square, flat-roofed building belonging to a native, which was taken possession of by Mr, Gubbins. On it was erected a parapet. Monsieur Duprat was Wounded here through a loop-hole, and died soon afterwards.
It derived its name from Lieutenant Grant, of the Bombay Army, one of the Duriabad refugees, who commanded this post during the greater part of the siege, and who was killed by the bursting of a hand grenade in his hand.
S.—GUBBINS’ BATTERY.
This is described as a half-moon battery, mounting one 9-pounder that commanded the road between Johannes' house leading down to Hill's shop by the Iron Bridge, the Golaganj Bazar, and numerous buildings to the west. The ground from which the bastion had been commenced was about 18 feet below that of the compound, and, when abandoned on account of the Chinhut disaster, the workman about ten feet high. It was constructed by Lieutenant Hutchinson, and was of great solidity.
