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    JSfo. 390, September 12,1857. J T H E ¦ ...

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    The Indian Revolt. As Interesting Docume...

    -was on detached -duty at a ^ hwntt distance -with two companies ctf his Tegument . They mutinied on the « th of June , % wrt allowed I / heir officers to escape . The ensign then wandered about the country , di 3-^ aised ws a native , uatil he readied the English ¦ camp , when , tiaving joined t & e "volunteer « orps of ¦ cavalry composed ¦ of officers , he ( advanced with the army on Cawnpore . Among the passengers by the Ripon , wMch arrived from the East on { Friday -week , w « re the Rev .

    • Mr . Hay , an American missionary , his wife and 'children , who narrowly escaped from Meerut , with the loss **? all their property , and with only a . "fewshillings in their possession . Mrs . Hay was confined ton board , the Bipon . with a -stall-born child , her fright and sufferings having caused premature labour . Another of the -passengers was a Miss StallaTd , a young lady who was © n the point < jf being massacred at Meerat , bitt -who escaped by swimming across a " river . She was afterwards in a carriage with five others , three of whom were murdered by the

    mutineers . A sergeant in tlie : 60 tli Eoyal Rifles writes from Camp Guznee de JSfo-gger , Jane 3 rd : — ' They ( the enemy ) took up their position in front of -a large walled village , and foag-ht like devils . We drove them into the-village and set ftre to it . We were oDliged afterwards to go through the ¦ fire and drive them out . At last we broke them . A small band , about thirty , gcft together at the back of the village , and stood their ground till the whole were Skilled . They actually crossed bayonets with , outs , and met their death lilee Trojans . We . returned to -camp about nineiP . M . Att-wo o'clock the neact day , they came out . again , and fought the same -battle over again . Wfe -drove them from their

    position , -and that was aid . They . numbered about > 6 O 0 Q , with a great many guns . Th « ir -cavalry charged our guns over and over Jtgain . Both men and officers who have fought side by side with them say they could not have imagined that any of the native troops could have fought so well . I had several "very narrow escapes , but one particularly so . In the village , I went into a irat ; one of the gents was behind the door ; as soon « s I showed my nose he made a chop . I twigged ihim in time , took a > atep ifco rear , fired through the door , and cooked his goose . T « ae ofnoer commanding my company , Lieutenant Napier , the isecond dav was shot io . the leg ,

    which has since beeia amputated . We expect to join the ¦ forces of tire officiating -Commander-ra-Ciaief to-day or to-morrow . As . soon -as that takes place we ' re off ioi Delhi ; no quarter to be gives , as they jgive us none . We were obliged to shoot their wounded . They fought j nore desperately when hurt than when , whole . W « picked up several of our . old rifles , which were lodged in the Delhi magazine , Delhi Fart now mounts upwards of 150 heavy guns and field pieces innumerable , ammunition , shot , and shell in abundance , so that we may expect rather warm work . " The same soldier , on the 14 th of June , states : —

    " Delhi lies in a . hollow , surrounded on three sides by very high and steep walls ; on the fourth side is the river Jumna . After we got the gentlemen out of their first line , they retired , disputing every inch of ground for eight miles ^ at the sixth we halted , had a drain > of rum and a biscuit served out to us , rested for half an hour , and then followed them up ; in the meantime they had lined the tops of the hills . Tlie Rifles were ordered to [ advance in skirmishing order , which we did in fine style , and , by an able flank movement , which does our commanders who planned it the greatest credit , we took possession of the -whole range , captured the guns , and drove the enemy into the city . It was fine sport for our fellows . Wo kept behind the rocks as we advanced , and all the niggers could see was the flash of our pieces . "Our first point is to look out for cover—up a tree , behind

    a tree or rock , in a hole , or , in fact , anywhere whore wo can see -without boing seen . We took and shot two Europeans this day ; one of tiicm confessed that there were ten more " in the service of the King of Delhi . Capturetl seventeen guns this day , with ii very largo store of ammunition , shot , & c . They came out in great force at seven r . M . the same day , and tried very hard to dislodge us , but it was * no go . They have been out sue times since , driven hack with groat loss each time . They are getting reinforcements every day ; the GOtli Native Infantry and 4 th Native Regular Lanc-cra joined them "from the waterside the day before yesterday , at two p . m ., and gave us as tight a fit as wo havohadyct . If itlmd not been for a stratagem , I think they would have taken our heavy guns and ammunition . Our colonel ordered us to hide jnst as it was getting duslc , and then lio sounded the ' retire . ' "

    This writer states that Lt a messenger had been Bent lrom the Delhi artillerymen , that , if pardoned , tuoy will surrender . Of course , a fnvouruble answer iTi n scnfc them - " Alluding to the sortie untlto 19 th oi June , the sergeant snys : — "After a very hard fight , - which lasted till ton , p . m ., wo were obliged to retire for tuo night , when , owing to tno darkucas , tho 75 th andone of our guns fired three rounds into our company . We had one officer killed , two wounded , and about thirt y men killed and wounded , ooino of the wounded could not bo found ; they were Picked up the next morniiifr , most horribly mmtilnt « d . ¦* woot them ( one a married man with a largo family )

    were skinned . Wewflnt'ont themext imonnog- ( 2 fttb <) , feat ( they eebined laffcer a heavy artillery action . The weatsber is -very hat . JE had sevoitty-itwo -hours' outpost ¦ duty on a plain , wifchaat tfae .-slightest ssbelfcer . I felt timing ibe day * s if I bad a hot iron : goiag into nry head . " IyieutemaTrt- 'Colonel T / iiard -communicates to the Times a copy of Ensign Davenport's ( 12 tlrBorribny Native Infantry ) acconant of the rising atNeemuch on June 3 rd . We here read : — " " About a week before the mutiny , I volunteered to do dutynvith the Gwalior Contingent ( 7 th In- £ antry ) . 1 was ordered to' take up any quarters in the fort , where Macdonald and I rem ained day and night with the right

    wing ( three-companies' ) . The left wing ( five companies was quartered m a vacant hospital some qoarter of m mile distant < fwxm the fort . On "the night of the 3 rd , Macdonald and I laid-down in our clothes , but not to rsleep , as we had reason to suspect that all was not right . At isalf-past eleven , p . m ., we were aroused by a report of * gun , which in a few minutes was followed by laaotlier . This was tlie signal for the tow to econwnence , and many moments had not passed-when we sawour bouses bl azing all round . Lieutenant & ur « k > n , who was at the hospital with the left wing , under the command of Lieutenant Rose , also at the hospital , was aroused by a subahdar telling Mm that guns lad been . fired , and the disturbance commenced . Lieutenant Rose and he got

    the men out of the hospital and marched them to join us in the fort . A shot was fired on the way to the fort , it was said by a Sepoy 3 at Lieutenant Rose . When they had joined us , we placed the men along the ramparts , served out ammunition to them , and ordered them to load . TLey obeyed all our orders with apparent cheerfulness , and one and all swore to defend the place with their lives . I was placed to defend the gate , with a subahdar of nearly iifty years' service , two European sergeants , and twenty picked men . We remained in a mo 3 t anxious state of suspense for nearly four hours , during which time we saw cavalry men riding a"bout , and thrusting lighted torches , placed at the end of long poles , into the thatch of the bungalows , when we

    heard the 72 nd Bengal Native . Infantry , the Bengal Cavalry and Artillery , approaching . Just as they passed the political agent ' s house , about two hundred or three hundred yards from the fort , two more guns were fired . This was the signal lor the < 3 rwalior men to be up and doing . Immediately on these guns being fired my old hero of fifty years' standing ordered his picked and 'brave men to lower the gate , which I did my best to prevent , and for my pains received a gentle intimation that if I did not hold my tongne and be quiet 1 should be treated to a little cold steel in the shape of a dozen

    ot so of bayonets . I then asked Ihem to let me go and Teport progress to the major ; this they granted . 1 made my report , after which Macdonald , Rose , Gurdon , and myself went among the men , who were assembled in the court-yard fixing bayonets . Macdonald addressed the men to aio purpose . We then tried to take away the colours , but this they would riot permit . They then took us outside tho gate and told us to go , and on our hesitating said if tlie Bengal Infantry , Cavalry , and Artillery saw us we should be murdered , and that they could not and would not try to save us . " Wo then went away . "'

    Ultimately , the party , together with some women and children , arrived in safety at Kairwarrah . An officer of artillery , writing on July 23 rd , thus describes the state of things at JMhow : — " Since I last wrote to you , we have had some very hard work . On the 1 st of thiswionth , the troops broke out at Indore , fourteen miles from here . We were ordered out with ou . r battery ; but , when we had gone seven miles and a half , news / came that the insurgents had fcak « n another road , eo we returned and found tlie station in great alarm ; some of the rebels Lad brought up two . guns while we were away , but they were taken by the cavalry . Two of our horses dropped down dead just as we came in , so you may imagine the rate at which

    we went there and buck , having six horses to each gun and six to the waggon . After dinner we were ordered to clear out of the barracks into tie arsenal , and wo got ¦ most of the things 3 n by dark . About half-past eight r . M . one of the native infantry < tfnccrs came galloping in , saying that tho regiment was up ; in caimo another from tho cavalry -with tho samo story . Our horses were so knoclced tip that we placed the guns inside , so as to play through the gate in case of an attach . We had forty of the native infantry on guard inside ; next up came Colonel lMntt and said they were outside and the battery must bo brought out . We could not , for it takes half an hour to put in horses and get ready . The

    ¦ fiTHt tiling wo 'did traa to disarm tho guard we hnd inside , which was -done promptly ; we found every man with hia 'piece loaded , and some of them wirii threo balls . There was only on-o shot fired on our side , and not one on theiTS ; tho reason of this w « . s wo "had them in Trout of our gnns and could havo sent them to ' kingdom come'in no time , During the time this avus going on , Colonel liatt ruHhed ontsido nlong with one of the officers of hi * regiment and tried to persuade them to como bade . Wo were ordered to > fire ; tho port , firon were 'lit ; and nn hooti aa they saw that away they went , so wo Jwwl no flrinfj ; inside . Itwjia a grent pity tho old colonel wno in the gateway , ox wo should have mown

    them down rocely with -grape . I must not forget to awmtuwi tfcirt Colonel Piatt was Irbe a father to the men , and when he had an -opportunity- of leaving them , and joining a European corps last summer the men jketatiioned him to stay . Be had been -upwards of thirty years with -them , and when , the -riot took place foe had so -much confidence in them fhat lie ffotie op to thoir lines before -we . could get out . When we fo-und him next morning , both flbaefcs w « re blown off 1 , his back completely riddled with balls one through eacli thigh , his chin smashed into fcisimrafli , and three sabre cuts between the -cheeflt bone and temple ; also a cut across the shoulder and th « back of tihe neck . Two others were killed , one native Indian and ono cavalry officer—total three . I never saw saeh mangled bodies in ray life , and / aever wish to see th « like again . Had the < : olojiel not been ao rash , we should net / have lost a man . 3 int I am wandering from my story , W-hen the battery was ready , away we went , the blase from the officers' quarters serving to light us on out way ^ as we were going there were several shots fired « it us , but we could not see the offenders ,, as they generally came from the backs of houses , & c . However , when we got into their lines balls cam-e pretty fast , so wie unftmbered and gave them three rounds of grape and sound , shtrt , from live 91 b . guns and one 241 b . howitzer . Asisoon as the first round was fired they fled to the other aide of 'the river . We tlian came back to ' © ur little garrison , ( but got no sleep that night . Xext morning we . mounted eight guns on the ^ bastions , two at each corner . We hove been hard at work ever since . The first four nighfcs and days we got no rest . My face and arms areakinned the same as -if Ahey had been scalded , and my . lips are at the present moment one mass of scabs -with , the heat 'of tlie sun . " A plea for termperirvg justice with mercy in-anr mode of dealing with the "niuthieeis is put forward by -the Aborigines Protection Society , who tmve addressed a memorial to Mr . Vernon ( Smith , President of the Board of Control . The writers condemn the incitements to indiscriminate slaughter which have been uttered and printed both here and in Indiaincitements which they dhavacterize as opposed 'fto the spirit of Christianity . They express tire most entire sympathy with -our suffering fellow countrymen and countrywomen in the East , a-nd horror at the atrocities committed on them ; but they attribaffce tlie outbreak to our injudicious meddling with tke Hindeos , more especially in connexion with their religion : —

    " The Sepoys , m common with the other Hindoo inh-abitamts , have , with some exceptions , been remaikable ifor their confidence in the tolerant spirit of the £ East India ] Company , and for the fidelity -with which they haveiaerved in many hard-fought battles . But this'confidence has been gradually weakened , as the native population © f Indiajhave not merely found their faith flssai-leS , 'hat , with eyca . gradually opeaaed toihe truth , they bare seen themselves borne down by excessive -and "impolitic taxation , their customs interfered witli , a-nd their race despised . Tho setting aside of the law of adoption . which most materiall

    . y affected their social system , and the « mploy . meat of native troops on distant service , may be « ited amongst some of the causes of oflfence wliich may iiave brought on . the present state of things , whidh all 'deplore , and which many eye-witnesses had foreseen . Xt is no indifference towards that religion which , we . revere , and whose sacrod dictates most strongly inculcate the merciful . policy whidh we advocate , that prompts us to regard it aa no part o-f the duty «> f the < 3 oveirninent of India to put down , bylaw , the iprofession of the -native faith , when the practices to whioh it leads 'are-not rejmgnant to morality . "

    In the Vienna correspondence of the Times we r « ad : — 4 * As everything connected with India must necessarily be x > f interest , it is not necessary to apologize for laj'irrg before you some news forwarded to this city from Patna by a Koman Catholic bishop . On tho 3 rd of July , -the lrcrasc usually inhabited by the bishop and tho cathedral -were attacked by several hundred Mahometans . The bishop had gone some days previously with the seliool children and orphans to a village at riio gresft distance from Patna , but Dr . LyalL who with a detachment of troops endeavoured to save tlie-cathedral from the fury of tho populace , was shot , and his body

    • cut to pieces . Several other Kuropeans were wounded . 4 The insurgents called on the people to take up arms in defence of -their faith , but , fortunately , tho appeal was made in vain . ' On the Grti of July , the bishop and his ftock WCTO obliged to quit the neighbourhood of l ' atnn , and go to ¦ ' Bankiporo' ( probably Baugulporo is meant ) , us groat numbers of deserters came down the Gangoa in boats from Dinapore . ' Wo arrived at liankipora on tho 1 lth of July . Fourteen of the insurgents have been hanged and sixteen condemned to hard labour in chains . ' Although the forogoing intelligence in but mwurre , it is of some ¦ importance , as it bIiowb that tho Baluir district in in a very disturbed atatc . "

    The Quebec Chronicle states that tho Ottawa fllihtia Field Battery have offered their services in India . Tho following is a translation of a lcttor from tuo French AmbasHudor to tho Lord Mayor , of J-. ondom , in connexion with thu fund for relieving UioBuffcr-crB by the Indian revolt : —

    Jsfo. 390, September 12,1857. J T H E ¦ ...

    JSfo . 390 , September 12 , 1857 . J T H E ¦ 1 E A . 3 DJBB .. 867

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 12, 1857, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12091857/page/3/