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Leader (1850-1860), 29th August 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 820

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      the honsea are burnt , but we believe so . The treasury there ia ransacked , and also the treasuries of Bareilly , Budaon , arid Shahjehanpore . Every mail has been opened , and the country is in a dreadful state , the natives killing and plundering each other . The mutiny at BareiUy , 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 fled through a back door , jumped on his horse , and galloped off . All the gentlemen in Bareilly

      had slept every night before this outbreak in their clothes , with pistols at their side and horses saddled , ready to fly 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 . Barwell 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 house 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 withont 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 Beharee 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 bis head , and his horse ran away with him , luckily the right road . Some of the officers had hairbreadth escapes . The Sepoys were actually posted on the 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 the assistance of the 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 ail orders , so wo had to do our beat by pretending to fire and keeping the post with the bayonet . All this time wo were under a perfect hailstorm of bullets , round shot , and shell , for the enemy had brought some 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 , apart 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 wo rushed on and drove the onemybaqk . 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 aoora inclined to come out again , -wo retired , it being past sunset . Just

      at this time my logs , stout as they are , fairly , and for the first time , refused to carry roe ; after a little coaxing and rest , however , they condescended to carry mo on a little further , and I reached our picket dead beaten . I certainly never was eo fearfully and painfully tired in my life . A man named Shobbeare , who is doing the second In command ' s work in poor Battye ' s place , a , great , big , and very powerfully-built giant , was also bo fearfully knocked up that he was obliged to be carried up ; two of our poor men also were bo fatigued that they died from exhaustion . Luckily on arrival at picket we found something to eat and drink . After a few raouthlula 1 fell back on my bed fast asleep . Luckily , too , there was no alarm or attaok In thq night , for I feel perfectly certain that had my commission depended on it I could npt have got up . A good night ' s oloop baa set mo up wonderfully , and I fool quite jolly . " In the letter of another officer we read!—" The loss And destruction are something fearful s

      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 has lost 50 , 000 rupees' 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 , repentSj and refuses to fire on the English . The writer hopes that some locus penitentue may be found for this regiment , as it was ahvaj's considered one of the best in the army and its mutiny was marked by some palliating circumstances . He proceeds

      :-=-" At Hoshiarpur and Kangra , the 33 rd and 4 th Regiments have been perfectly quiet . So has been the 59 th at Umritsur . 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 Peshawur made a second Delhi by standing on false delicacy . At Sealcote the

      46 th , at Jhelum the 14 th , and at Dera Ismail Kuan 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 and other Punjabees are proving the very safety of the empire . The corps of Guides marched from Peshawur to Delhi , 570 miles , in 22 days ; 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 Indore , 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 Durand , Mr . and Mrs . Shakespear and child , Mrs . Dufcton , 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 baboos and their families and the treasures

      with me , and sent his Highness word that we wanted protection . He sent out a few horsemen , by whose assistance I safely reached the palace and the baboos 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 , Buksheo 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 deen ( faith ) , and they would not go against their brethren . 44

      There seems to have been an understanding between them and the Mhow troops ; for , simultaneously with Indore , the Mhow regiments shot the good old Colonel Platt , Major Harris , and a few others , and burnt some bungalows . The Rev . 0 . Hamilton , Captain Elliot , and all the other officers are quite safe . Early on the morning of the 2 nd , the wholo of the 28 rd Regiment and the wing of cavalry arrived at Indore , and put up at the Residency , together with their brother mutineers . The disorder that Tasted two days can hardly bo dosoribed ; servants wore plundering their masters , old retainers were shamefully revolting , not for ' deon , ' but actually

      for plunder . I he mutineers dictated their 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 the hqads of a few poor Europoans and Christians to whom ho had given protection in his own palace , together with those of his advisers who wore in the British or ' Kafir ' s' interest . Of those , unfortunately , I was ono , and Ramchuder , Khooman , and Gunlsh , and you can conceive his Highneas ' s situation ; but ho firmly denied to yield to any suou terms . On ( ho 4 th , the general plunder of the 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' to cease plundering . He said he would as long as he lived never consent to givfc 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 hot cease plundering . The rascally mutineers had also philosophers and historians among them ; they reminded the Maharajah of his illustrious ancestor Jeswunt Rao Holkar , that he 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 Hi ghness 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 any 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 the 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 oflicers in Mhow fort , and about twelve lacs of the remaining and the recovered treasure , with notes 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 . Ilis Highness immediately ordered three hundred foot , two hundred horse , and two guns , under Khooman Sing , to blow up Arojeera ; but , though the troops have _ marched , the report appears to be incorrect , and Captain H and party are all safe at Jabooah , Molabux having received a letter to that effect . AVe 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 presence is equal to five regiments . I can't write more . — I am your obedient servant , —OaiEii > Singh .

      " P . S . —Should I survive this row , I will write again , but there remains very little hope , ; his Highness ' * troops are completely disorganized and disaffected . Major Timmins has gone again from Mahidpore , and Mr . Keating from Mundlaisir . The delay in Genoral 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 umturod ladies—violated thorn , and kept them for the base purposes of the heads of the insurrection for a whole week . At the end of that time , they made them strip tliomsolves , 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 noses , and leaving them to die ; One lady was three days dying . They flayed the fuco of another lady and made her walk nuked through the street . Poor Mrs . —— , the wife of an officer of the — Regiment , nt Moerut , was soon expecting her confinement . They violated her , and then ripped her up , and , taking from her the unborn child , enst it and her into the flames . No European man , woman , or ohild has had the slightest mercy shown them . I do not believe that the world ever witnessed more hellish torments than have boon inflicted on our poor it'ilowcountrywomen . At Allahabad they have rivalled tlio atrocities of Delhi . I really cannot toll you the iunrlul cruelties those demons have been guilty of—cutting o « the fingers and toos of little children , joint by joint , m sight of their parents , who wore reserved for olivuiar

      treatment aftorwnrds . " I told you how gallantly our MucIimb Fusiliorapoor J 's rogimont—has behaved ) one hundr . d men of them , under Colonel Neil , killed six hundred ami nity mutineers . I saw a letter from one of the ollloors yoatorday . lie says that no imagination cuii depict tiio scenes ho Avltnossod -when ho arrived at 13 enaroa . A " tho troops wero in a stato of revolt . They 8 ftv « a iicnares . Tho whole of tho Bengal offloow wore pamlyaw with terror and astonishment ; bo Colouol Noil asuumou command nnd procoodod to tho most summary measures , cutting off wholo regiments . -All tho liulfod wore crowded into ono room , with woundoil and dying ' » c » i and from tho window tlio sight that greeted his < O' ° WIVS u row of gallowsos , on which tho energetic colonel was hanging mutineer after mutineer , as they wore brougiu

      Untitled Article

      820 THE LEADER . [ No . 388 , August 29 , 1857 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 29, 1857, page 820, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2207/page/4/