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82o T H E IJ EA PER. -[JST6, 388, Atoust...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Indian Revolt. The Public Were Start...
the houses are burnt , bat we believe so . The treasurythere is ransacked , and also the treasuries of Bareilly , Budaon , and Shahjehanpore . Every mail ¦ ¦ has been opened , and the country is in a dreadful state , the natives killing and plundering each other . The mutiny at Bareilly , I think , was the worst of all . The Sepoys of the 68 th and 18 th Native Infantry have behaved more like fiends than anything else . Sunday , the 31 st of May , was the day fixed by them for the murder of all the'Europeans , and especially of their officers . Two companies of Colonel Troup ' s own regiment ( the 68 th ) surrounded his house to shoot him . He was warned by his bearer , and f led through a back door , jumped on his horse , and galloped off . All the gentlemen in Bareilly bad . slept every night before this outbreak in their
clothes , with pistols at their side and horses saddled , ready to f ly at a moment ' s warning , as they knew of the disaffection of the troops . Owing to the forethought and wisdom of Colonel Troup , all the ladies had been sent up here as soon as the first panic was felt , and by this , humanly speaking , they were all saved , for they would have been terribly in the way when it came to the push at the last . Mr . Bar well and Mr . Hunter , of the 18 th , are safe here . ...... The most horrible thing is that several gentlemen and a merchant with his wife , mother , and children , were dragged before a man at Bareilly , a wretch who called himself the Raja , but who I believe was a Bunnia . They were hiding in a native ' s house in the city ; the bouse was searched , they were taken before the man , and their heads cut off . Poor Mrs . is here . It is dreadful to think of her distress ; she is without a penny in the world . Her house is burnt , which contained all her property . There are many other widows here . Mr . Poynder has . escaped ;
his little hill pony carried him the whole way bravely . The Bebaree bungalow is burnt . Some of the gentlemen came away without hats . Fancy this in the middle of the day , at this time of year ; but none suffered from it . Mr . Alexander ( Commissioner of Bareilly ) , who is now safe here , was in bed very ill when the signal gun for murdering went off ; his servant rushed in and told him to fly . He was so ill that he declared he could not ride , but some one pushed him on , and then came a shower of bullets and grapeshot round his head , and his horse ran away _ svith him , luckily the right road . Some of the officers had hairbreadth escapes . The Sepoys were actually posted on the v parade-ground , at regular distances , coolly taking aim . The Artillery , with their native officers , were firing with the guns against their officers . The whole thing was most awful . The townspeople then got up , and there was a terrible fight between Mussulmans and Hindoos and Sepoys for the treasure . Thousands of Hindoos have been killed . At Moradabad , the Mussulmans are very violent . " A very sharp affair before Delhi , on the 23 rd of June , is thus narrated by an officer of the besieging force : — " At sunrise , the whole city apparently turned out and attacked us on all sides . I was with the Guides on the right , and from sunrise to past sunset we fought altogether fifteen hours , without anything to eat and only water to drink . We managed to hold our own well , nevertheless , till about one o ' clock , and killed an immense number of the mutineers ; but at one o ' clock an immense reinforcement came to tbe assistance of tihe opposite party , and we had enough to do to hold our own . I twice fired away every shot we had , nearly one hundred rounds per man , and had sent back for more ammunition . The men I sent came back with the fearful news there was no more ; to leave the position was contrary to all orders , so we had to" do our best by
pretending to fire and keeping the post with the bayonet . AH this time we -were under a perfect hailstorm of bullets , round shot , and shell , for the enemy had brought Borne of their light field guns round , and were playing ¦ with great effect on our reduced numbers . I certainly thought we should all be done for , when , by the greatest good luck , a part of the regiment of Sikhs that had that very morning marched into camp came up with a yell to our assistance ; they were fresh men , and had lots of ammunition , so we rushed on and drove tho enemy back . At the same time , we were ordered to advance as far as we could ; this we did , and drove the enemy back into the city , after which , as they did not seem , inolined to come out again , we retired , it being past sunset . Just at this time my legs , stout as they are , fairly , and for
the first time , refused to carry me ; after a little coaxing and rest , however , they condescended to carry , me on a little further , and I reached our picket dead beaten . I certainly never was bo fearfully and painfully tired , in my life . A . man named Shebbeare , who is doing the second in command's work in poor Battye ' s place , a great , big , and very powerfully-built giant , was also so fearfully knocked up that he was obliged to bo carried lip ; two of our poor men also were so fatigued that they died from exhaustion . Luckily on arrival at pioket we found something to eat and drink . After a few mouth * fuls I fell back on my bed fast asleep . Luckily , too , there was no alarm , or attack in the night , for I feel perfectly certain that had my commission depondod on it X could not havo got up . A good night ' s sleep has set me up wonderfully , and I fqel quite jolly . " In the letter of another officer we read ;~~ "The loos and destruction are something fearful :
" At Hoshiarpur and Kangra , the 33 rd and 4 th Regiments have been perfectly quiet . So has been the 59 th at tJmritsur . At Lahore , the 8 th Cavalry has been dismounted , and the 16 th , 26 th , and 49 th disarmed . The same precaution has been adopted with the 5 th Cavalry and the 21 st , 24 th , 51 st , and 64 th at Peshawur , and with the 62 nd and 69 th at Mooltan . These regiments were not especial objects of suspicion , but they formed a formidable . force , and Sir John Lawrence thought well not to risk having Lahore or Pesbawur made a second Delhi by standing on false delicacy . At Sealcote the
they have broken the locks on the river , torn up all the roads and bridges , burnt every house they could at Delhi , destroyed all the monuments in the burialground . At Meerut they lighted fires under the General ' s tables , to burn the things quicker . It is said he haa lost 50 , 000 rapees' worth of property . " A member of the Civil Service , writing from the Punjab , June 27 th , says it is rumoured that the 9 th Native Infantry , one of the corps inside Delhi , repents , and refuses to fire oh the English . The writer hopes that some locus penitentice may be found for this regiment , as it was always considered one of the best in the army , and its- mutiny was marked by some-palliating circumstances . He proceeds : —
46 th , at Jlielum the 14 th , and at Dera Ismail Kitan the 39 th , are behaving well . The 58 th , at Rawul Pindee , have expressed their horror of the mutiny , and petitioned to be led against the mutineers . I have , I think , enumerated every native infantry corps in the Punjab , and thereby given you the exact measure of our danger . On the other hand , the irregular regiments of Sikhs arid other Punjabees are proving the very safety of the empire . The corps of Guides marched from Peshawur to Delhi , 570 miles , in 22 days 5 that in an Indian June . Directly they reached their destination , they became the foremost in repelling every sortie .
" The 4 th Sikhs , at Loodiana , checked and drove off the Jullundur fugitives , more than treble their numbers , fully armed . The little Ghoorkas , too , fight splendidly . They are delighted with the 60 th Rifles , that gallant corps being , of course , clad in dark green , as are also the Ghoorkas . The diminutive heathens fraternize exceedingly with the burly Christians , and call them their brothers , in virtue of the common uniform . All the native gentry in the Punjab have evinced loyal intentions , and the few remaining powerful chiefs have given and are giving most hearty assistance . The population in the Punjab is becoming tranquil , having been at first naturally much disturbed . The courts are open , and business goes on as usual . " Omeid Singh , a native functionary at Indorei thus describes in a letter the state of that city after the massacre or flight of the European residents : — " Indore Palace , July 8 .
" Respected Sir , —At last , the worst has happened at Indore . The two companies and three guns , which have been at Colonel Durand ' s request sent to protect the Residency , broke out into open mutiny on the 1 st inst ., and fired on the Residency-house . Colonel Darand , Mr . and Mrs . Shakespear and child , Mrs . Dutton , Major Stockley , Captain Waterman , and all European gentlemen , went away quite safe to Lahore . " Poor Mr . M'Mahon and Mr . Butler and some of the East Indian writers and telegraph people have had a severe loss of lives , after the firing began . Narain escaped to the town . I stood for a while , keeping all the baboo 3 and their families and the treasures
with me , and sent bis Highness word that we wanted protection . He sent out a few horsemen , by whose assistance I safely reached the palace and the babobs the town . Meanwhile it appeared that not only those companies alone , but almost all the troops of his Highness were disaffected more or less , for no one would go out to attack the mutineers , among whom Saadut Khan , Buksb . ee Hafeez ' s son , had taken the lead . The work of rapine and destruction lasted long , and the whole residency presents a regular scene of woe . The poor Maharajah was quite horrified . The troops told him it was a case of deon ( faith ) , and they would not go against their brethren .
" There seems to have been an understanding between them and the Mhow troops ; for , simultaneously with Indoro , tho Mhow regiments shot the good old Colonel Platt , Major Harris , and a few others , and burnt some bungalows . The Rev . C . Hamilton , Captain Elliot , and all the other officers are quite safe Early on the morning of the 2 nd , the whole of tho 28 rd Regiment and the wing of cavalry arrived at Indoro , and put up at the Residency , together with tholr brother mutineers . The disorder that lasted two days can hardly be described ; servants werq plundering their masters , old retainers were shamefully revolting , not for ' doon , ' but actually
for plunder * The mutineers dictated tholr own terms to the Maharajah , and , not satisfied with receiving all they wanted , they proposed to him the hard terms : of cutting off and . sending to them tho heads of a few poor Europeans apd Christians to whom ho had given protection in his own palace , together with those of his advisors who were in the British or * Kafir ' s' interest . Of those , unfortunately , I was one , and Ramohuder , Khooman , and Gunlsh , and you can conceive his Highncss's situation ; but ho firmly denied to yield to any such torms . On tho 4 th , tho general plunder of tho town of Indoro commenced ; thoro was no end of fright , Our own guards
began to run away with our property , and the whole was confusion and uproar . At last , the Maharajah rode with a very few of his paigah , guarded the posts , and then went to the mutineers' camp with a handful of followers , and told them in the name of 'deen' cease plundering . He said he would as long as he lived never consent to give up his European proteges , dead or alive , nor those . of his courtiers , and though he knew his troops had deserted he would yet die manfully if they did not cease plundering . The rascally mutineers had also philosophers and historians among them ; they reminded the Maharajah of his illustrious ancestor Jeswunt Rao Holkar , that hie ought yet to take the ' bambo' upon his shoulders and proceed to Delhi with them ; that the star of the British in the East had set , owing to their pride
and faithlessness , and his Highness must not prove him . self to be a coward . But to all this harangue his Highness made proper answers . He said he had no strength of his forefathers , that he did not think rapine and the murder of poor , women and children a part of auy religion , and that he could not therefore make a fit companion to them . He then came home , and the plundering in the town ceased . On the evening of the 4 th , they plundered the British Treasury to the extent of ten lacs , and with about six of tbe guns which had been given over to the mutineers marched on towards Dewar . The panic is yet great , his Highness endeavours to recover the guns and the Treasury , and has sent an attack , but I don't know if it will succeed . His Highness is giving every assistance to the
European officers in Mhow fort , and about twelve lacs of the remaining and the recovered treasure , with note . ? to the value of twenty-four and a half lacs , was sent to Mhow under a strong escort , together with the European proteges . All the ringleaders have gone away with the Mhow Brigade to Delhi ; a great part of property has been recovered . I went to see the Residency and my house yesterday , and I could not help bursting into tears to see its ruins . So you see the fearful consequences of your leaving Indore . The authorities were told months " before there was danger , yet they could do nothing . Last night , a letter was received from Captain Elliot , stating that Mr . and Mrs . Hutchinson , who
had fled in disguise , were caught at Amjeera . His Highness immediately ordered three hundred foot , two hundred horse , and two guns , under Khooman Sing , to blow up Amjeera ; but , though , the troops have marched , the report appears to . incorrect , and Captain H and paTty are all safe at Jabooah , Molabux having received a letter to that effect . We have just despatched runners to bring correct news . I am yet alive , but momentarily expect my head to be cut off , owing- to old enmities and being known to be in the British interest . Pray do come out soon , or Malwa is gone ; your prosence is equal to five regiments , I can ' t write more . — I am your obedient servant , —Omeid Singh .
" P . S . —Should I survive this row , I will write again , but there remains very little hope ; his Higliness ' s troops are completely disorganized and disaffected . Major Timmins has gone again from Mahidpore , and Mr . Keating from Mundlaisir . The delay in General Woodburn ' s arrival has been serious . " A clergyman writing from Bangalore , July -4 tli , says : — " The cruelties committed by the wretches exceed all belief . They took forty-eight females , most of them girls of from ten to fourteen—many delicately nurtured ladies—violated them , and kept them for tho base purposes of the heads of tbe insurrection for a whole week . At the end of that time , they made them strip themselves , and gave them up to the lowest of the people , to abuse in broad daylight in the streets of Delhi . They death
then commenced the work of torturing them to , cutting off their breasts , fingers , and nosea , nnd leaving them to die . One lady was three days dying . They flayed the face of another lady and made her walk naked through the street . Poor Mrs . , tUo wife of n » officer of the — Regiment , at Meorut , was soon expecting her confinement . They violated her , and Uion ripped her up , and , taking from her tho unborn child , cost " and her into tho flames . No European man , woman , or child has had the slightest mercy shown them . I do not believe that the world ever witnessed more hollisli 1 torments than have been inflicted on our poor fi-lJowcountrytvomen . At Allahabad they have rivalled tlic atrooities of Delhi . I really cannot toll you tho fuarlui cruelties those domons havo boon guilty of—cutting oir the fingers and toes of little children , joint by joint , m sight of their parents , who wore reaovved for similar
treatment afterwards . "I told you how gallantly our Mnilr-is lusllorspoor J—^—r ' s regiment—has behaved ; ono hundr . a iiion of thorn , under Colonel Neil , killed six hundrod and flity mutineers . I saw n letter from ono of tho ofllopru yesterday . Ho says that no imagination can dopk't tue soenos ho witnessed when Ho arrived ftt Bennroa . A tho troops wore in a Btato of revolt . They saved J « - nares . Tho whole of the Bengal office ™ wero paralyze " with terror and astonishment ; so Colonel Noil usaumou command nnd proceeded to tho most . summary measures , cutting off whole regiments . All tho liuliea wore crowded into ono room , with wounded and dying «" > and from tho window tho sight that greeted his oyo wan a row of gallowses , on whloh tho energetic colonol iww hanging mutineer after mutineer , as they wore brougiu
82o T H E Ij Ea Per. -[Jst6, 388, Atoust...
82 o T H E IJ EA PER . - [ JST 6 , 388 , Atoust 29 , 1857 .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 29, 1857, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_29081857/page/4/
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