Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 500, 19 August 1857, Page 3

Colonial.

About the 10th of. March last, the spirit of insubordination first showed itself, in the refusal of the troops to fire what they considered objectionable cartridges manufactured in England for the Enfield Rifle, and greased, it is said, with pork fat! against which the Sepoys entertain a strong religious prejudice. Early in April, a Sepoy named Mungloo Panday, made some revelations on the subject, the result of which Was, that several Sepoys were taken up and

tried for intended mutiny or concealed combination against the state; and nineteen having been found guilty, were sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment with hard labour. One who had gone further than the others was condemned to death, and hung at Barrackpore, in the presence of all the troops assembled a I the station, on the Bth of April. From this time the revolt went on, although it seemed, for the time being, to have been overcome. In noticing this sudden turn in affairs, the ' Delhi Gazette,'

says—

" The storm which, according to late accounts, was bursting on Umballa, seems to have passed over harmless. A. correspondent writes from that station:—' I have just heard what it will interest you and the public to know, that the practice with the Enfield Rifle has been commenced by the Sepoys at the Umballa depot. They greased their own cartridges, and entered into the spirit of the thing " con amore j" indeed it was never supposed here that they would have done otherwise, even had the English cartridges .been issued.' "

The rest of the narrative we have compiled from the " Hurkaru " and "Engglishman," Calcutta papers, between the 14th May and 14th June.

A 'private letter from Meerut, says the " Hurkaru," informs us that not only is the mutiny at that station increasing, but that it has been found necessary to place one of the officers of the 3rd Cavalry under arrest. This is one of the lamentable effects of the temporising measures pursued by Government at the outset of ihe manifestation of ill-feeling amongst the native troops. Thirtythree years ago, a mutiny of a not less alarming character than the present broke out at Barrackpore. On that occasion the Sepoys^ had, in the first instance, a real grievance. But the mutiny was treated " secundum artem " and was suppressed in less than four and twenty hours.

In 18?4 the Sepoys were met and met promptly with grape and canister, and the mutiny was crushed; in 1857, they have been met with delay, vacillation, and insufficient punishment, and *the consequence is that the mutiny has spread all over India.

On the 19th the "Englishman" published the following account of the massacre at Meerut, from a correspondent, his letter bearing date the 12th of May:— On Sunday, the 1 Oth, between five and six o'clock in the evening, I was in my bungalow, in the rear of the lines of the 11th -N. 1., where I have resided since my arrival at the station, when, as I was dressing, preparatory to going out for a ride with Colonel Finnis, of the 11th N-L, my attention was directed to my servants, and those in the neighbouring compounds, going down towards the front of our enclosure, and looking steadily into the lines of the 11th, whence a buzzing murmuring noise proceeded, sucli as I have often heard in cases of fire, or some such alarm. Of this I took little notice, but went down to my gate, still dressing, and the noise still "increasing, I returned to the bungalow, put on. my uniform, and again went out. I had scarcely got to the gate when I heard the popping sound of firearms, which I knew at once were loaded with ball cartridge; and a European non-commis-sioned officer came running towards me from the 11th lines, saying. "For God's sake, sir, leave ; come to your bungalow, change the dress, and fly." I walked into my bungalow, and was doffing my uniform; the bullets by this time flying out of the 11th lines into my compound, when the havildarmajor of the 11th rushed into the room terrified and breathless, and exclaimed, "Fly, sahib, fly at once, the regiments are in open mutiny, and firing on their officers, and Colonel Fiunis has just been shot in my arms." It was evidently becoming serious ; I came out and ordered my horse to be saddled and brought up my servants still begging of me to fly for my life. I mounted. The lines of the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carbineers) lie to the north of my bungalow, separated by a rugged and barren plain, cut up by nullahs and ravines; upon which, riding out of the back part of my compound, I descended. A Briton does not like actually "running away" under any circumstances, and I was riding slowly through the uneven ground, when the havildar-major before mentioned exclaimed " You, sahib, are mounted, and can make haste; ride to the European cavalry lines, and give the alarm." Good ; I galloped off, across the difficult ground all right, got into the cavalry lines, and made for the colonel's house, which he had just left, and found him in the barrack lines on horseback, ordering the dragoons to saddle, arm, and mount without a moment's delay. Here I shall leave the dragoons and myself, and return to the native infantry parade'ground and the commencement of the mutiny and massacres. About five o'clock the 20th N. I. and the 3rd Light Cavalry rushed

from their lines, armed and furious ; the former regiment firing off their muskets, approaching the 11th N. 1., and calling upon them to arm, come out, and join them. I believe the 11th hesitated at first for some cause unknown; but presently they too armed and rushed out, and the mutinous fuel took flame. About this time Colonel Finnis and tseveral other officers of the llth N. I. came upon the parade, and commenced haranguing the Sepoys, attempting to pacify them and bring them to order, when the colonel's horse was wounded by a bullet fired by the 20th. On this he saw that the matter was more serious than he had wished to believe, and one of his officers j asking him if he should ride off to the Brigade Major, to ask for aid, and give the alarm, he consented. This is the last time he was seen alive by European eyes, for immediately after he was shot in the back by a Sepoy of the 20th, fell from his horse, and was actually riddled with balls. About this time the other officers of the llth, seeing .that their presence amonst the mutineers was perfectly useless, and the bullets flying about them in all directions, retreated from the lines, and sought safety mostly in the direction of the Carbineer lines, to which I must now re-transfer the narrative. It took us a long time, in my opinion, to get ready, and it was dark before the dragoons were prepared to start in a body ; whilst by this time flames began to ascend in all directions from the lines, and the officers' bungalows of' the 3rd cavalry, and the llth and 20th N. 1., from public buildings, mess houses, private residences, and in fact, every edifice or thing that came within reach of the torch and the fury of the mutineers, and of the bazaar " canaille," who in considerable numbers. I believe, joined in their terrific orgies. On all sides shot up into the heavens great pinnacles of waving fire of all nuts and colours, according to the nature of the fuel that fed them ; huge volumes of smoke rolling sullenly off in the sultry night air, and the crackling and roar of the conflagration mingling with the shouts and riot of ilie mutineers. The entire scene, of which these were but the most prominent external features, and which words cannnot describe, I leave to your readers to imagine, if they are fond of the horrible and tragic. When the carabineers were mounted we rode off at a brisk trot, through clouds of suffocating dust, and the darkness, hi an easterly direction, and along a narrow road, not advancing in the direction of the conflagration,' but, on the contrary, leaving it behind us on our right rear. In this way we proceeded for some two or three miles, to my no small surprise, when the " halt" was sounded and we faced about, retracing our steps, and, verging off to our left, approached the Native Infantry lines, which of course were all in a blaze. Skirting along behind these lines we turned th?m at the western end, and wheeling to the left, came upon the llth parade ground, where, at a little distance we found the Horse Artillery, and her Majesty's Rifles. It appears that the three regiments of mutineers had by this time .commenced dropping off to the westward, and towards the Delhi road, for here some firing took place between them and the Rifles, and presently, the Horse Artillery coming to the front and unliinbering, opened upon a copse cover wood, in which they had apparently found cover, with heavy discharges of grape and canister, which tore and rattled among the trees, and all was silent again. The Horse Artillery now limbered up again, and wheeled round ; and here I joined them, having lost the dragoons in the darkness. By this time, however, the moon arose, and the conflagration being between her and us, she mingled her silver and placid light with the crimson glare of the fire, and tinged with livid white the clouds of smoke which were surging and ascending into the heavens. We " blessed her useful light," and the Horse Artillery column, with the rifles at its head, moving across the parade ground, we entered the long street, turning from the southward behind the light cavalry lines. There it was that the extent and particulars of the conflagration first became visible, and passing the bungalow of the adjutant of the ilth N. 1., we proceeded along the straight road or street, flanked on both sides with flaming and crushing- houses, in all stages of combustion and ruin, the rifles occasionally firing volleys as we proceeded. It was by this time past ten o'clock, and having made the entire circuit of the lines, we passed up to the eastward of them, arid joined by the dragoons and rifles, bivouacked for the night. I must now come to the particulars of the brutal outrages and assassinations that marked this infernal outbreak, premising, however, that a sense of delicacy and a regard for the harassed feelings of surviving friends and relatives prevents me from entering into details, the relation of which could only gratify a mind fond of horrors and atrocities. At the very com-

mencement of the emeute, the 3rd Light ' Cavalry, saddling and mounting their horses, galloped off to the gaol, and of course overpowering all resistance, liberated their 85 comrades, of whose fate I gave you an account some days ago ; and all the other prisoners, to the number of about thirteen hundred apparently. Returning from this, they joined the mutineers of the 20th N. I.; and the work of indiscriminate European massacre began without regard to rank, a^e, sex, or employment; it was furious and merciless. Veterinary Surgeons Phillips and Dawson of the 3rd Light Cavalry, and the wife of the latter, were massacred, and j also Lieutenant M'Nab, of the same regiment, several others of the corps having miraculous escapes, but the surgeon, Christie, being wounded, I fear Fmortaily. Of the officers of the 20th N. t\ Captain Taylor, commanding, Captain Macdonald, with the wife of the latter, were savagely slain, with, as in the case of cavalry officers, numerous narrow escapes, Of the llth N. 1., poor Finnis was the only officer slain; but Mrs. Chambers, the wife of the adjutant, was[ pitilessly slaughtered in her own bungalow, which, as I told you above, we saw burning: and remember, as I have also said above, I refrain from describing details, merely giving the casualties. Amongst those not in the military employ of the Government, who perished iti the indiscriminate massacre, were Mr. Tregear, of the Education Department, Mrs. Courteney, the mistress of the hotel, and many women and girls whose names I do not know. After all this work was done, and the mutineers had retreated, the remainder of the night was passed away in gloom and doubt; and the conflagration, having nothing more to feed upon, was extinguished. As it was, by the rising beams and more powerful light of the sun, I mounted my horse and rode down from the Carabineers' line towards my hospital, and the N. I. lines, dubious as to the state of affairs, and came to the charred and blackened huts and bungalows, all naked and deserted. On my way down a dhoolee approached and was passing me, when I stopped the bearers, and asked what they carried. They answered, the ' Colonel Sahib.' It was poor Finnis's body which had just been found where it fell, and was being carriedtowards the Churchyard. All the sick, to the number of about fort)*, had fled from the hospital, which was deserted, with the exception of two or three smallpox cases, who could not move, and who appeared much surprised at my attending them as if nothing whatever had occurred. All yesterday the station was under arms, and surrounded and traversed everywhere by patrols mounted and on foot, and the same precautions were of course observed last night, not unnecessarily either, for carabineers of the dragoons were heard constantly through the night firing upon marauders and incendiaries who came prowling- towards the lines. In the midst of our own troubles we were very anxious about [the fate of the Europeans at Delhi, whither the mutineers have gone; and as the telegraph wires were cut at the commencement of the outbreak, we know nothing of what is occurring elsewhere, nor of what is known about us. I hope that the health of our men will stand the constant duty in this terrible weather until relief shall come to us, or some move suited to the magnitude of the danger and disaster shall be made by some one of energy and competence, for whom here is an occasion. We have plenty of small arms, ammunition, and sharp swords, in the hands of as good regimental officers and men as ever sat in saddle or shouldered firelocks; and ought to be able to hold our own, if the odds don't rise very much against us. All that we now dread is fire to our bungalows and barracks ; and what we must look to, is the descent of European regiments from the hills to join us. We are not, however, entirely isolated and deserted, for some trumps of zemindars to the southward, hearing of this affair, and that yesterday's dak containing my letter to you had been stopped and plundered, turned out on horseback, and with two collectors' smvarskXpok up on the road, and brought in a dalsTthis morning from the southward and Calcutta. These men are to take out the dak this afternoon, and say they will keep it safe on its way down country, so I hope this may reach j'cu safe. I never expected that ray letter of yesterday would reach you, but I wrote on the extreme chance, and shall continue to do so long as there is anything to write about. We take it as a good symptom that we hear nothing from the dak people of disturbances down country. Two Europeans travelling b)' carriage dak to Delhi, one named Mortimer, fell in amongst the mutineers on the road a short distance from, the station on the night of the row, and were of course dragged from the carriage and murdered.

The Government have received the following authentic, intelligence from Meerut: —Killed at Meerut : Colonel Finnis, 1 lth ; Captain and Mrs. Macdonald, 20th ;; Captain Taylor, 20th ; Henderson, Mrs. Chambers, Lieutenant Macnab, 3rd Cavalry; Ensign Pat tlee, 20th ; Mr. Tregear, Messrs. Phillips and Dawson. veterinary surgeons, Mrs. Dawson and children, Captain Fraser, Sappers and Miners, one carabineer. Wounded at Meerut: Colonel Hogge, artillery, Dr. Christie, and two carabineers, twelve artillery recruits.

So soon as the tidings of this sanguinary affray spread, consternation seized the public mind, and whole families deserted their homes, and fled to the forts and other places of supposed security. Ir> order, therefore, to restore confidence, the Lieutenant-Go-vernor issued the following order at Agra : —" The Lieutentant-Governor's order" for this day is the same as for yesterday; viz., that business will proceed as usual in all the public offices. Her Majesty's 75th and Ist Europeans have come down from the hills. A military force will assemble at "Kurnaul by the 20th. Martial law has been pro. claimed in the Meerut district, and adjoining■Pergunnahs in which villagers have been plundering. The Sirmoor Battalion is expected at Meerut to night. Bodies of auxiliary forces are coming from Rohilcund, and the whole country round Delhi will be scoured by them to keep the insurgents hemmed up in Delhi, until they can be attacked and annihilated. The Bhurtpore force has arrived at Muttra."

Alarm for the safety of Europeans and their families in Calcutta having been expressed, the 'Hurkaru' advises all reasonable precautions against possible contingencies, and assures the citizens that there is nothing to fear, and adds : —li Within the Fort are the 53rd, as fine a regiment as any in the service. They are strong enough to hold the Fort and the Maidan against ali comers. We may, however, inform out readers that carriages and an engine are always ready to bring down mure European soldiers .if needed ; and, if summoned by telegraph, two hours notice would bring us down half the gallant 84th Regiment for the relief of Calcutta; while there are at this moment nearly two thousand men enrolled as Volunteers for the public service and at the call of Government at any moment. In addition to these, we have four or five hundred Freemasons, also at the disposal of the Government. The natives, or rather, all the more respectable of them, and, indeed, all who have property which it would be worth the while of the rabble to loot, are as much interested as ourselves in the preservation of the peace. We have said nothing of the Calcutta police, though we believe they are faithful to their salt to a man. Nor have we alluded to the aid to be expected from the sailors in port, of whom there are quite enough to constitute a very estimable addition to the local strength of Government."

A deputation of merchants and tradesmen of Calcutta waited on the GovernorGeneral, to ask his opinion on the formation of a force for the defence of the town. His reply was that he did not consider there was any cause for alarm, and he expected very soon to hear that the mutineers of Delhi had met with such punishment as would su.Tciently discourage imitators. At the same time his Lordship observed, that if any defensive measures were to be adopted, he considered that a constabulary force under the direction of the Chief of Police would be the most suitable.

A correspondent .of the ' Hurkaru,' in Oude,.writing on the 30th, makes the following remark regarding- the state of affairs in that part of the country in these turbulent times :—" We are looking anxiously i\ r news from Delhi. If the force sent against it crush the insurgents in limine, thesalutary example would, most probably, exercise a potent influence among the embryo rebels in other districts ; but. unless something in the fortiter in re style is promptly done, it is fearful to contemplate (reversing the axiom) " The end of the beginning!" The time has long gone by for the suaviter in modo with these ingratemiscreants. For days and nights we have been momentarily expecting an outbreak. Men of the ex-19th and 34th have been in the lines of the 41st, trying to excite them to rise, hitherto happily without success. The three N. I. Regiments at Lucknow are closely watched by the Queen's Corps and Irregulars. The people in the city are in terrible alarm, in anticipation of the rascals breaking loose and looting. The ladies here have no place of refuge, and it would be perilous in the extreme to seek it (as some desire to do) elsewhere, at a time reckless bands of ruffians are abroad, ripe for strife, rapine, and brutal outrage. The news from Bareilly received here this morning is 1.0 the effect .that the ]B'.h and 68th

in a state of great excitement—an ugly locality that for an emeute, in the vicinity of Rohileund! Matters have come to a pretty pass certainly, but, despite their ugly aspect, * Spero meliora.' " A party of cavalry have been sent to Meerut. The mutineers at Delhi have been plundering the neighbouring villages for sustenance. About sixty of the Sappers and Miners who mutinied at Meerut were shot down by the Carabineers.; upwards of 200 escaped. Two companies which were not implicated have been disarmed. About 50 of the 3rd Cavalry, and 150 of the I lth N. 1., remained faithful to their officers. Proclamation of martial law, which was authorised on the 15th, has taken place. The European troops from the hills, the •cavalry of the Rajah of Bhurtpore, and the troops of the Rnjah of Pntteala, and Jeund, are closing upon the city. Sindia, the Eajah of Gwalior, has been foremost to show his attachment to the British Government, by placing his army, including his body guard, at its disposal. The Madras Fusiliers left Madras for Calcutta, in the Zenobia, on Sunday evening. The ratification of peace with Persia has been exchanged at Bagdad. A wing of the I4'.h Light Dragoons have already retured to Bombay. The European infantry regiments are on their way, and will come on to Calcutta at once."

It is stated that Brigadier Graves attempted to defend the entrance of Delhi with the sth N. I , but they immediately fraternised with the fugitives from Meerut, and resistance was impossible. These troopers of the 3rd Cavalry, and Sepoys of the 11th and 15th, who are stated to have remained true to their colours, ought to be rewarded."

By telegraph we learn that all was •tranquil in the Punjaub and at Meerut, Agra, and Allahabad, on Sunday night. The British regiment are ou their way to the hills, and "their arrival at Meerat maybe expected to be known here in a day or two. Tiie Commander-in-Chief has not been heard of.

The Governor-General having taken everything on himself, appears to be acting with the vigour which the crisis demands. He has ordered troops from Madras and Rangoon, and by the aid of steam an imposing force will soon be assembled in this capital.

General Auson died of cholera on the 27ih of.May. European troops are being rapidly concentrated upon the foci of disaffection ; two regiments of the Bengal Native Infantry have been disbanded, and the "troop ships on their way to China would be intercepted, and directed to debark the forces they convey at Calcutta. XATER NEWS. The events of nineteen days later, namely to the 30lh May from Bombay., are thus narrated. The Editor of the ' Colombo • Observer' prefaces some further details of the mutiny with the following assuring re-marks:—-'The scope of the whole seems to be that the mutinous and rebellious spirit is confined to the pampered arid Brahminised Bengal Army, and to some few of the Mahomedans. The people of India, these of the Punjaub, and the armies of Madras, ;B >mbay,and the Punjaub, seem to appreciate the benefits of our rule and remain loyal. We firmly believe that this outbreak will but consolidate our power. It would seem as if the ' stars in their courses' had been commissioned to fight for us. The troops from Persiaarrived just as ihey were wanted, and did not in many places quit their ships, but steamed away to Calcutta or up the Indus; and ere long the army intended for >China will be available for India. Let us hope that once for all the idiotcy of caste will be treated as it deserves—despised irstead of being pandered to."

•If ■we have painful proof that disaffection and hatred of our rule are widely spread in some Quarters, we are not without evidence that in others a loyal and intense abhorrence As felt of the treasonable and murderous outbreaks which have occurred. The young Maharajah Sindia, of Gwalior, no sooner heard of the rising at Delhi than he chastened with every expression of friendship to place the whole of his contingent at the disposal of the Lieutenant-Governor of Agra. As a compliment to the prince, the servicesof his Higliness's Body Guard, consisting of Horse Artillery and Cavalry, with a detail of Infantry, were accepted, the Political Ag-^nt and the Brigadier commanding the Contingent having previously inspected them on parade, at the express solicitation of the Prince. The men of this force are a very soldier-like body of troops. They are of the same caste as the Maharajah, many of them being members of his family ; and their assistance, if required, will be loyally given. It is said, further, that the King of Delhi sent a deputation .of the revolted cavalry to the Rajah of Jhind.

asking his assistance against the English. The Rajah was on the parade-ground with his troops at the time, and immediately ordered his soldiers to cut down every man of the messengers. The "Rajah of poor came forward also at once with the offer of his regiment, and there is no reason whatever to doubt the perfect good faith with which these men have acted. The Rajah of Putteeallah has intercepted, and sent to the commissioner of his district, many seditious letters which had found their way into his territories ; and, so far as we can yet see, the districts of the north-west neither desired nor were prepared for the success of the mutineers at Delhi, but hold their bloody outrages in detestation. Perhaps one of the strongest proofs that we could have that the disaffection is confined to the ranks of the pampered traitors, who have been allowed so long to wear the uniform of British soldiers, is to be found in the fact that the very prisoners .who were liberated at Meerut have reported ihemselves to the various police thanadars of their districts, stating their willingness at once to return to gaol^-hen the Sirkar calls for them. Many have already given themselves up, and it is supposed that not less than 75 per cent, of the whole would yield themselves, if called upon to do so. The fact is, the Bengal army is the sole focus of the mutiny, andfits state is a disgrace to the administration of that presidency. Over and over again has the inevitable issue been ur^ed upon the Government, and we are today in the crisis of its inventuation. No man is more open to indignant censure for this state of matters than the late GovernorGeneral, the much-be-lauded Dalhousie. He is justly chargeable wish a betrayal of the interests of the E.npire to a paltry jealousy of the radical measures of reform urged upon his administration by the late. Sir Charles Napier, who" clearly enough foresaw and pointed out the danger to the empire from the state of its army. The first measure called for in our circumstances is an immediate and considerable accession to the strength of our European army in India. A dozen or twenty regiments should at or.cc be dispatched from England, and part, if possible, by the overland route. The second measure should he the immediate appoir.imentof a commission to enquire into the state of the. Bengal army. -This commission should be composed of officers from the other presidencies, aid from the Queen's army. The whole Bengal force is demoralised, and it is probable that twothirds of its senior officers should be invalided as incompetent, through long training in a vicious system to enforce discipline. Tiie Bombay and the Madras armies, perfectly free from all suspicion of mutinous feeling, and in a high state of discipline, are a standing reproach to the Bengal army, and are the sheet-anchor of the Government at present.