The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-02 00:00:00

their religion. They said—' We have lost our bread
but have held fast our religion. The Governmer '
wanted us to bite the cartridges, and thus lose our
caste, but we would not do it.' This was nothing
but lies on their part, because the Government
never issued the new cartridges to them at all ;the
old hlank cartridges that they had been in the ha-
bit of using were alone issued ; no new rifles had
been issued to any except the depot s, so why should
the Government have issued cartii,lges ? When the
regiments at Meerut heard that the 19th had been
disbanded for, as they thought, Lbj:cting to touch
the new cartridges, they came to the determination
to mutiny. Then the commanding officers began to
promise their men that they should never be forced
to use the rifle ; but the sepoys would not believe
them, but called them liars, firmly believing what
their countrymen and comrades told them. At this
time the whole were alike in a state of mutiny.
" The force at Meerut having mutinied, and mur-
dered as many officers as they could, went off o the
King of Delhi and proclaimed him King. They
told him that the whole army had thrown off their
allegiance to the' British, and were now at his dis •
posal ; ' So now,' said the native officers, 'you are
our chosen and hereditary King. Give the order,
and we will - make arrangements to fight these
Cdffres of English.'

" The King of Delhi has had very little inter-
course with the world, and still lets with the native
army, except latterly for treasonable purposes ;
but he readily believed what the troops told him,
and at once proclaimed himself King, and prepara-
tions to fight were at once commenced. When the
troops at Cawnpore beard what was going on at
Delhi they mutinied, and were ready to march to
Delhi, but the traitor Nana Sahib, having taken up
arms,
cruelty
them to stay with hint. TAtt acts
of cruelty perfoimed by this fiend are now patent
to all. This wretch thought that by the change of
government he would become one of the manates
of the land. It was he who ordered the sepoys to
kill all the Europeans, their wives, and their little
I don't teink the sepoys would have killed
their officers had the Nana Sahib not instigated
thew to do so ; but in Hindostan one man acts as
his fellow does.

"In due course of time the regiments at Dina-
pore mutinied, and pit themselves under a Rajpoot
sirdar, Kooer Singh, of Jugdespore. Wi h these
three regiments Kooer Singh thought himielf strong
enough to defy the Englis!!, and he proclaimed
himself Rajah of Shahabad, which title be retained
for about a week. At the time of this mutiny I was
with the heid-qUarters of my corps at Patna, and
1 did all iu my power to prevent the sepoys from
mutinying, but to no purpose ; they looked always
upon me as not one of their own brotherhood.
When I knew the time had arrived for these regi-
ments to mutiny I reported the circumstance t
my commanding officer and ths Commissioner of
Patna, Mr. Wm. Taylor, and these gentlemen
made their arrangements to prevent the city of
Patna front rising. My early information enabled
all the Europeans and their families to as-
semble at the Commissioner's house, and all
ditl to show my loyal y, both at Patna and Diva-
pore, are well known to the authorities at
thoe places, and doubtless this has been reported
to the Government, as I have been handsomely
rewarded.

" It is perhaps heedless for me to state that since
the English cunt) to Hindostan they have always
been most particular in no interfering with the re-
ligion and prejudices of the people, but in my
humble opinion they have erred in only entertaining
high caste people in their army. I leally believe that
had the inferior castes been entertained, as is the
pract'es in the Bombay army, th 3 rebellion never
would have reached the height it has done. What
can it, signify, as long as a young man'is of the re-
quisite physique, whether he is of a high or low
caste ? I believe had the men of low caste been en-
tertained they would have done anything or gone
anywhere the Government &tired. A mixture of
creeds is highly essential in a native army to pre-
vent disturbances.

" Another reason (and in my opinion a very seri-
ous one) why the army became mutinous and dis-
affected is this. Promotion all went by seniority,
and not, as it ought, according to merit and profi
ciency. All the old men, from length of service worth
nothing as commissioned or non-commissioned offi-
cers, received promotion, while younger men, iu
every way fit, languished in their lines, t-ayinl,
' What use is there in us exerting ourselves ; we
cannot get-promotion till our turn comes, and that
time can't copse until our heads are gray and our
mouths toothless.' For this reason the sepoys forth°
most part drew their pay, and were careless with.
regain to thiyi -Tricrfrigfietrants of the if awe
army, from old age alone, were quite incapacitited
from doing their duty even had they the will to do
it. I stste confidently that the generality of native
officers were an encumbrance t, the State; iusteadof
commanding sepoys the se;,oys commanded them,
and instead of the commissioned and non-commis-
soned ranks preventing the men from mutinying,
they rather persuaded them to do so.

I. will now endeavour to explain why the
feelings and intentions of the sepoys did not be-
come known to their European officers. In
former times the officers used to keep native
women, and constantly had the native offi •ers and
Sep Sys in their society, and did more to please
them. The women exercised a good deal of influ-
ence in the regiment. This was all in accordance
with the feelings of the Sepoys. By acting in this
way the officers did good service to the Govern-
ment, because they bee Imo better acquain'ed wi.h
the character of their men, and with what was go-
ing on in the lines. In latter times this has not
been the case. It appears me, the officers who have
been appointed to the service within the lax 20
years ale better educated than the officers of former
times were. I think more books have been pub
fished lately. Now the officers marry English
ladies, and there is less in common between the
officers and Sepoys ; of late years the Sepoys have
not confided in their officers. The consequence of
all this has been, that when the mutiny broke out
the officers were misinformed as to its extent. I
have ever been in the habit of keeping my corn-
m-inding officer informed of all that occurs. If all
native officers did likewise the army could not

mutiny.
" I tog to state that in my opinion the natives
of Ilindostan are only fit ted for militia of police,
for this simple reask n—that they are averse to
serve in any other country than their own, for the
Government must be well aware that no regiment
has ever gone on board ship without showing more
or less discontent.

"In my opinion the Santhals would make ex-
cellent material for soldiers. I have seen men like
the Santbals, who are of opinion that everything
the Almighty has been pleased to make must be
good, and consequently eat anything : they hwe•
no prejudices of caste or religion to fight against';
for this reason I conclude they would do anything
and go anywhere the Government desires. It is
true these men are savages, but they could be
taught, even as other men are, for it is a well-
known fact that 'civilisation"„begets civilisation.'
"I consider that I ought to know the feelings of
the late native army. In 1763 my grandfather was
in the service of the British, and in due course
became and died a subadar. My father
was born in the army, and accompanied it every-
where until he became a man. He entered the ser-
vice in 3801, and died a subadar in 1853. I was
accustomed to hear of former times from his own
lips,- From the time of my birth I accompanied my,
father wherever his regiment went, and in his regi-
ment I was enlisted. Both my grandfather and
father, as well as.myself, were in the same corps. I
rose to be havildar major of my regiment, and then,
through the interest of Captain Rattray, had the
good fortune to get transferred to the Bengal Police
Battalion, where I have risen to the rank of suba-
dar and sirdar bahadoor. For the above reasons all
the doings of the army and the customs thereof are
well known to me. My home has ever been with
my regiment, and I have never known any other,
and I look on the Sirkar Company as my guardian.
"Should the right hon. the Governor-General
wish to ask me-any questions I should oonsid.ecf
myself only as too much honoured, and if I e°S;;„
be of any service to the Court of Directors in
moment of difficulty I should wily be too_Vd_:oan,
sent to London and explain my opiniotnl_jabawir have
one, for I could say a great deal more
here written.
hlttever orderi have
"I am well aware that w bevel been done
been issued by the GovereTenof
ptehoeplseirodfaiirsinadned.
with the view to the b(r_elutvhe
people of this country ; "e'
bstioate that they will un-
tun are so bigoted andderstand notning l ut west their fathers did before
ever be re collected that the na-
them ; and it must
d have two tong nee--t for their
officers and °-„" fives are l'ars,r the lines ; so that when they
ifi for eers to learn anything, or to be
went to their
I, 'llg new, 1)y
told of ar'Yt-d way of flattery they said,
c Bow very you English are very clever,' km:
but in their hearts were really afraid that it must he
intended iu Some way to affect their religion, and
on their return to their lines would talk it over'
with the','r comrades and say, Although I knew it