The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-15 00:00:00

1_ ON DO WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 15, 1857.

THE INDIAN MUTINIES.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT OF THE TIMES.

AGRA, Juno 3.—My last put Sou in pose sion
of meat of the occurrences in these provinces up to
he 22,1 of May, including the destruction of an
hoTital in the native lines here. On the
tight of the 24th the empty lines recently occupied
by the 72d Native Infantry, since stationed at
.s,Teemuch, were also destroyed by fire, and a few,
lights after this the lines in the actual occupa'ion
f the 67th Native Infantry were in a blaze. On
iteither-of these occasions were the 31 European
Fusiliers or the trflop of the European _Artillery
,Ilowed to leave their lines to put out the fire, as
n q ties t ionably the 44th, if not the 67th Also, fully
expected; but on the contrary the European troops
were turned out armed and ready, to act on any
emergency. Finding thenrelves foiled in this, the
men of the mutinous 44th Native Infantry, after

the la:. se of some time, proceeded to the scene of
conflagration and helped to put out the fire. On
the first occasion they were complimented by their
,olonel, who expressed his satisfaction at their
conduct, &c., and was in return laughed at by the
bloodthirsty scoundrels. On the last occasion the
67th Native Infantry made a great deal of fuss
abobt the destruction of their lines, and swore ven-
geance against the 44th, whom they were pleased
to accuse of being the incendiaries. How far the
colonels of the two regiments and the brigadier of
he station really gulped this down I know not, but
few among us here were gulled by these subter-
fuges ; and the sequel showed that the colonels,
with the brigadier of the station, were wofully
wrong, at least in their expressed confidence. At
first the fire took place at midnight in an empty
hospital ; on the second occasion it commenced at
about 8 o'clock, also in the empty lines of the 72d.
Finding that neither the hour of midnight nor the
earlier hour of candlelight would tempt the
Europeans away from their lines unarmed to
quench the fire, and that the authorities al-
lowed these empty buildings to burn away at
leisure, the incendiaries tried their hand at the
lines in occupation of the 676. Fortunately
even now the authorities remained firm to the re-
solution of keeping the only European troops we
have in the station ready to act in an emergency,
not against the fire, but against all traitors and mu-
tineers. Fortunately, for be assured that—l am
very cautious in what I am writing—had the Eu-
ropeans hjastened from their lines unharmed as
usual to quench the fire, a rush would perhaps
have been made to get possession of the artillery
guns, six in number, with but a handful of Euro-
peans to protect them, but to a certainty both the
native regiments would have hastened, with all the
ferocity evinced by their brethren at Meerut, to en-
act the scenes which marked the massacre of our
countrymen at that station, and before the Euro-
peans could have got back to their lines arid been
armed and formed, even supposing that they would
not have been attacked while unarmed, these scoun-
drels would have had ample time to scatter woe
and misery in many a household in the cantonment,
and thence to proceed to the civil lines, there to
repeat the bloody scene, and ultimately, like their
brethren of Meerut, proceed to join them at Delhi,
foFour troops could not follow them. The rising
of the native regiments would have been a signal
for the discontented and others, perchance many,
interested in the general rising of Mahometans,
to perform their part in the destruction of the Kafirs
(Christians). Fancy not that this is a mere ima-
ginative idea on my part ; far from it, it is not
even an opinion, but a fact gathered from the sub-
sequent behaviour of these men, and the event,
to be recounted here, which occurred at Nusseera-
bad and other stations.

A company of the 44th Native Infantry, and one
of the 67th had been sent a few days previously to
Muttra to escort some treasure thence to this
station. These companies, from regiments osten-
sibly at daggers drawn with each other, were in-
tended, it is said, as a restraint oneupon the other;
but if the enmity really did exist between the two
regiments it did not prevent the two companies
conjointly breaking out in open mutiny, and after
rubbing the treasure they were appointed to pro-
tect, proceeding with it towards Delhi. The news
of this affair reached here on the night of Saturday,
the 30th of May, but our authorities were not the
only parties who received the intelligence.
The sepoys of the 44th and 67th were
similarly favoured, 'perhaps at an earlier hour
of the night than Government, for while we were
proceeding as quietly as possible to remove
our families to places of refuge in compliance with
an intimation sent round to the European residents
a' about two on Sunday morning, the native troops,
at least the 44th, were preparing to turn out
armed upon us. They had men, however, watch-
ing the movements of the European troops, as we
had people watching them. Accordingly when the
44th had turned out (and some say the 67th
also, but this is uncertain), they beard that
the Fusiliers were ready too • upon this they
returned to their lines. All the Europeans,
military and civil, remained 'armed all that
morning, and in reality ever since, as it was the in-
tention of the authorities at daylight to disarm
both the native regiments, and it was expected that
the 44th at least would resist.
Between 6 and 7 a.m. both the native regiments
paraded
tr inop
troops,
the
and
dnwwelecroetheirthe aEuro-
peanarms.
The 67th immediately obeyed, protesting mildly
unwelcome
presencere
against the undeserved disgrace Government was
d to pilef
heaping on them ; but the 44th kept fumbling with
their arms, and evidently meditating what course
to follow in this unexpected procedure on the part
of the authorities ; they were taken by surprise, and
had not conceited measures. A few, not merely
two or three, as the Mofussilite has it, but I would
say about 20, attempted to walk away with their
arms ; but they were ordered back in a tone that
could not be mistaken. The whole saw clearly that
in this instance the authorities were determined,
and that any further dallying would bring upon
them a discharge from the artillery. Accordingly,
after a few minutes, they gave up their arms ;
some piled them ; others, still acting the part of
the innocent, in indianation threw down their
arms ; after which the two regiments were marched
into their lines and allowed to disperse. A com-
pany (I think) of the 44th were stationed in the
fort •, there some of the Fusiliers proceeded with
the Brigadier, and they were also disarmed. It is
said, an on good authority, that some of them
showed a desire to resist. Many of them actually
loaded their muskets on being told to disarm ; and yet
the Brigadierspeaks of them as loyal troops ! But on
the Europeanscocking their muskets they with the
rest gave up their arms. A party on guard at the Go-
vernment house, and another at the gaol, lett their
posts and decamped, but some of them, it is re-
ported, returned and gave up their arms. Since
Sunday most of the ladies resort at night to the
places of refuge allotted by Government—viz., the
Fort, the Post-office, the Mofassilite press, and in
the rear of the Artillery lines, while the gentlemen
patrol the streets, and otherwise remain armed for
the protection of the place. On the first night a
party of the disarmed sepoys—that is as far as Go-
vernment weapons are concerned, but many of,
them have swords and daggers of their own—some
say 300 strong, proceeded to the Artillery lines,
with the view, it is supposed, to take possession of
the remaining guns, four in number, two having
been sent that morning to Muttra under a party of
European artillerymen ; but they found the artil-
lerymen on the alert, who immediately turned their
guns upon them, upon which they turned back even
before challenged by the sentry, and returned to
their lines. (I have taken this from the Mofussilite.
The artillerymen deny that anything of the kind
occurred.) Many of the 44th have deserted since,
in fact all with the exception of about 100, and are
no doubt by this time assisting the villagers and
other insurgents in the districts in committing de
predations. I doubt the correctness of the policy
and the justice of the clemency which deterred the
Brigadier from ordering the European troops •and
the artillery to fire on the 44th when they hesitated,
with such evident marks of defiance, in piling their
arms on being ordered to do so. Clemency in cases
like this has the appearance of weakness, and is an
encouragement to other regiments, independent'of
the consequence of letting loose a large body of
bloodthirsty mutineers, rendered desperate by their
position, to go unrestrained either to the aid of
villagers and-others who have risen throughoutthese
'provinces or to swell the ranks of the mutineers at
Del Li. I am not singular in this ; nay, I may say
all Europeans here, military or civil, with but few
exceptions, are of the same opinion, and I have
beard the disapprobation of many expressed in
strong, but I must say just, terms, " These men
have been let loose," many have affirmed, "to
murder our wives and children; and, should we be
attacked, to help in increasing our danger." Still,
on the other band, the authorities perhaps though'
'hat clemency towards these men—who for the
moment were entirely in our power—would en-
courage others to lay down their arms in accordance
with the terms of the proclamation of the 25th ol
May, whichy of t will fmd in the overland summary

of. the Mofussilite. I question the correctness of
this idea.

Before I proceed to recount the mutinies of
several other regiments and the doings in the vari-
ous stations in these promises, I must, to enable
your readers the better to draw their conclusion.s,
make a few observations. First, then,. I must tell
you.that the 'Mofussinte publishes nothing about
the rebellion—for, indeed, it amounts to that—
but what is furnished by Government, and the news
which from time to time appears in print is barely
sufficient to lull the fear's of the unthinking, but
tends rather to add to the distrust of the reflective
mind, and moreover it is calculated to mislead—to
screen the diabolical conduct of the mutineers and
the extort of discontent in the native army gener-
ally, as also to disguise the real state of danger
which menaces us. 1 say not a word either for or
against the policy of this ; but when facts known to
all are expressed in language evidently intended to
mislead, and this is so very flimsi'y done as to ren-
der the motive palpable to all, it but adds to the
distrust of friends, and hetrays a feeling of weak-
ness to enemies. Secondly, I must remind your
readers that intelligence is more speedily conveyed
to the natives from statiou to station than to our
authorities, and that in every station, in every city
under the Bengal Presidency, the movers of the
present rising have agents sowing discontent and
circulating intelligence ; and, thirdly, that this is
not a move of the moment, but has been hatching
for months, commencing at, I verily believe, Cal-
cutta, the object being to re-establish the Maho-
metan dynasty..; and, further, that the sudden de-
parture of the Maharajah of -GwaliOr a few
months "ago from Calcutta is traceable to his
knowledge of the mischief that/was brewing, and
ike a prudent man, he_ left t a ward off all sus-
picion from him. You will recollect that the mu-
tiny of the 34th Native Infantry at Barrackpore
was to have had its advent on the night the Maha-
rajah had intended to entertain the society at Cal-
cutta, but which his sudden departure from that
city put a stop to. Ido not mean to say that the
Maharajah has a hand in the matter, though others
think so, but that the matter was ripe at that time,
and that the Maharajah was somehow informed of
it. I would, add that in all the regiments which
have mutinied the undoes and Mussulmen have
for once acted in concert.

JUNE 4.

I will now proceed to give you the best informa-
tion in my power of events at each station between
this and Delhi and Meerut. I need not tell you
that Delhi and Meerut are at equal distances from
Agra; and almost in a parallel line with each other.
At Mynpooree, a few miles from here, two com-
panies of the 9th Native Infantry, " quietly," says
the Mofussilite of the 26th of May, " left the
place," that is, in.the language of truth, they mu-
tinied, and, but for the firmness of Lieut. Dekant-
zow, in charge of the 6th company, would have
broken.open the gaol. They had actually attacked
and would have murdered their officer—Lieutenant
Dekantzow, both at the magazine and the treasury,
and obliged their havildar to seek protection in a
village, &c. (Vide this officer's letter, published in
the Mofussilite itself of the 2d inst.) The Govern-
ment account, as published, being evidently a gar-
bled one, we are left to conjecture as to the real
doings of the men, and numerous and serious are
the.conjectures ; but I think that on finding Lieut.
Dekantzow firm, and seeing him supported by some
of their native comrades, the mutineers allowed
themselves, after some ittle violence, to be per-
suaded to take.theniselyes off to Delhi, committing
depredations en route. iTothing further has been
heard from Mynpooree.
At Allyghur, about 50 miles hence, the 9th Na:
tive Infantry mutinied ; several la-lies and gentle-
men, both military and civil, had to leave the sta-
tion in haste. The European authorities who re-
mained thereabouts formed a station at .Hattrass
until aid could reach from hence. A party of the
troops which his highness of Gwalior had sent us
(Ist Cavalry, Gwalior amtingent) was in the first
instance despatched to the place, and subsequently
a party of 50 volunteers from here. This handful
of the-residents here, assisted by the Gwalior troops,
retook Allyghur from the insurgents, released some
six Europeans who were in danger in the factory of
Maloee, and attacked successfully Rao Bhopal
Singh, of Burtowlee, a small village close to Ally-
ghur. This man had plundered and burnt several
neighbouring villages, " had seized on the tabsee-
lee at Khyr," another adjacent village, "ejected
the Government officers, and proclaimed his inde-
pendence by heat of drum." This gentleman was
capturel by the volunteers, assisted by a few
Sowers (I suppose of the Gwalior Contingent), and
was hung on the spot. A large amount of treasure
has been recovered. In a letter from one of the
volunteers he states that " the different detach-
ments of cavalry which were bent here to do duty
had, before the arrival of the Tolunteers, joined
the mutineers of the 10th Native Infantry." I
know of no other cavalry sent to Allyghur but the
Gwalior Contingent. if so, the Sewall who as-
sisted the volunteers in capturing Rao Bhopal
Singh could not have belonged to this corps.
At Allahabad a portion of the 6th Native In-
fantry had shown evident symptoms of insubordi-
nation since the beginning of May last, and such
was the distrust entertained by most European re-
sidents of these men that with the view to relieve
the handful of Europerns at the station our women
kept watch under arms. Further accounts, as pub-
lished in the Mofussitite, state all is quiet at Alla-
habad ; in another acount, published also in that
paper, it is stated that the non-military were told
to be in readiness to go to the fort. Lieutenant-
Colonel D. Simpson, commend ng the regiment,
has published a letter denying in strong and em-
phatic language the truth of the assertion as to the
insubordination of the 6th ; and his denial cannot
be questioned'.At Ferozepore the 57th Native Infantry and the
mu have been
45th Native Infantry mutinied; the 10th Cavalry
(Light) remained stanch ; the tineers
beaten by the Europeans at the station, but
how far the 10th Light Cavalr acted in support of
the latter is not known. Many
y of the 57th Native
Infantry have surrendered ; the remainder
.v..t well
as the surviving sepoys of the 45th,
are fugitives
about the country, and are bunted down and shot.
No atrocities were committed
were on the alert. Only the European troops
one; officer, Major Red-
mond, of Her Majesty's-61st wa
At Nusseerabad the 15th Native Infantry and
the 30th Native Infantry, with the Native Artillery-
men, mutinied. The last refused to act against the
Lancers
mutinous infantry, and subsequlent wounded.iyijoined
them.
There was a regiment of the B mahaY
(Native). These preyed true to their colours, and
they were fired upon by the mutineers from the
artillery guns seized by them. After doing all the
mischief they could the whole left Nusseerabad on
the 29th of May, taking with them the artillery
battery. They said they were going to Delhi ; but
as the mutineers from Delhi were totally routed on
the following day, the 300, by Her Majesty's 6th
(Carabineers) and 60th Rifles from Meerut under
the command of Brigadier Wilson, it is supposed
the mutineers of Nusseerabad will make towards
Agra. The natives hold as a positive fact that they
are coming to pay us a visit. No account has been
received of the damage done by these scoundrels.
At Neemuch, which is near Nusseerabad, report
sap.; that the 72d Native Infantry, who were
recently stationed here, had also mutinied, and had
joined those of Nusseerabad. The Government
account says all is quiet at Neemuch; but they said
the same of Nusseerabad, though at the time and
previously report was rife here of the mutiny there.
In fact, all the native regiments which have openly
mutinied were, according to the authorities, loyal,
faithful, and true to the back bone, until they
actually broke out, and proved their loyalty in the
massacre of Europeans and the murder of their
officers. At Meerut, at Nmseerabad, here, and at
every station it was the same, and I have no hesita-
tion in adding that to the blind and perverse re-
liance which some of our military authorities
persisted in reposing on the native troops, notwith-
standing the marked insubordination evinced by
them, must be ascribed the murder in cold blood
of many of our countrymen, women and children.
I am inclined to believe that the report about Nee-
much is true.
At Mozuffurnuggur the city and treasury were
robbed by the Sepoys of the 20th Regiment, Na-
tive Infantry. At Moradabad, where a party of
the 20th Regiment were imprisoned, and who had
been seized as they were passing the station with
the fruits of their mutiny at Mozuffurnuggur, the
29th Native Infant y openly mutinied, and,
forcibly opening the gaol gate, released these men.
Snortly after this some Sowara (troopersfrom Ram-
pore, an independent State, I believe) attempted
to plunder the city of Moradabad, but were re-
pulsed by the men of the 29th. This is mentioned
in the Mofussilite, with an observation that the
" gallant" conduct of the 29th " on this occasion"
will counterbalance their previous " defiance of
authority !" How absurd it is to talk so the au-
thorities know full well, as several of the regiments
have openly declared that they will remain faithful
and support our authority, excepting in the matter
in whit h the native troops are now engaged ; they
will not aid the authorities against the mutineers

of the native regiments and will, on the c,:.nteary,
assist their " bhaies" (brothers.) The troth:of this
has been exemplified in alniost every station, corn-
mencing from Calcutta, where we are strong in
Eurepean troops. The native regiments are pas-
siVe ; as soon as they fancy
:themselves strong
enough they mutiny. How injudicious it is—how
very dangerous, to let the native rsgiments believe
that our authoritie.s de not consider a defiance of
authority in releasing motinen's of another regi-
ment from gaol anything very-serious. These men
released the prisoners of this '2oth Native Infantry
from gaol. No blood was Shed ; but had tteir offi-
cers opposed them what Would have been the citn-
sequence ? Wby, they would have murdered their
officers. .

It is needless to try the patience of your readers
by, mentioning Bich station separately, since every-
where it is the same throughout the Bengal Presi-
dency ; the spirit of insubordination awl mutiny
among the native troops and of rebellion among
the native inhabitants are the prevaqing featur,s
of the times. At Futteyghur, Etawah, Dinapore,
Setapore, Lucknow (where the 48th Native In-
fantry, a portion of the 71st Natrvo• Infantry,
and some of the 13th Native Infantry, with two
troepl of the 7th Cavalry, have openly mutinied
and gone towards Setapore)—at Lahore, in Oude,
it is the same, even in Gwalier or. Gwaliab, and
Seepra, between this and Ind Ore, the same perni-
e;ous spirit has been evinced. Whore you reed in
the Mofunilite that "all is quiet," Vic., understand
it to mean that the native troops there have .nr•t
yet risen in open mutiny ; that the discontented
por'ion of the inhabitants are not yet in open re-
bellion ' that they are either too weak, or fancy
themselves to ba so, or that they are waiting for a
more fitting time. • Whereyon read of the "mani-
festations of loyalty" in any of the Bengal native
regiments, cavalry or infantry, understand it to
mean that one half of the regiments thus favourably
mentioned only are really faithful ; the other half
are but acting a part, the better to find the Euro-
peans off their guard when the proper time arrive..
or, by warding off suspicion, have it the more in.
their polier to aid their mutinous companions.
I must close, or be too late for this morning's
dawk. I will write by to-morrow's post, as I
think it will reach Bombay in time for the mail,
which- will convey this to you.-9 a.m., June 4,
1857.