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

LO N` DO :%.), WEDN ESDAY EVENING, J ULY 15, 1857.

THE' INDIAN MUTINIES.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT OF THE TIMES.)
AGRA, June 3.=My last put you iu pesi'e sion
of most of the occurrences iu these provinces up to

the 22d of May, incuding the destruction of an
empty hospital in the native lines here. On the
right of the 24th the empty lines recently occupied
by the 72,1 Native Infantry, since stationed at
Yeemuch, were also destroyed by fire, and a few
(tights after this the lines in the actual occupation
f the 67th Native Infantry wore in a blaze. On
neither of these occasions were the 31 European
Fusiliers cr the troop of the European Artillery
illowed to leave their lines to put out the fire, as
inquestionably the 44th, if not the 67th also; fully
expected; but on the contrary the European troops
ivera turned out armed and ready to act on any
emergency. Finding them,elves foiled in this, the
men of the mutinous 44th Native Infantry, after
the lapse of some time, proceeded to the scene of
onflagration and helped to put out the fire. On
the first occasion they were complimented by their
colonel, who expressed his satisfaction at their
conduct, km., and was in return laughed at by the
bloodthirsty scoundrels. On the last occasion the
57th Native Infantry made a great deal of fuss
about the destruction of their lines, and swore ven-
geance against the 44th, whom they were pleased
to accuse of being the incendiaries. How fatethe
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
firat 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-
owed these empty buildings to burn away at
leisure, the incendiaries tried their hand at the
lines in occupation of the 67th. Fortunately
tven 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
ry cautious in what [ am writing—had the Eu-
! opeaes hastened from their lines unharmed as
usual to quench the fire, a rush would perhaps
have Leon 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-
let the scenes which marked the massacre of our
countrymen at that station, and before the Euro-
eeans could have got back to their lines and been
armed and formed, even supposing that they would
not have beep attacked while unarmed, theSe scoun-
drels would have had ample time to scatter woe
and misery iu many a household in the cantonment,
and thence to proceed-to the civil lines, there to
repeat the bloody scene, and ultimately, ike their
brethren of Meerut, proceed to join them at Delhi,
for our troops could not follow them. The rising
of the native regiments would have been a signal
foit the discontented and others, perchance many,
interested in the general rising of the Mahometans,
to perform their part in the destruction of the Kafiri
(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 hero, 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
robbinL 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,
theiteloth of May, but our:authorities were not the
only parties who received the intelligence.
The sepoys of . the 44th aed --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 wih
au intimation sent round to the European residents
at about two on Sunday morning, the native troops,
at least the 44th, were preparing to turn out
armed upon us. They ha 3 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 heard 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-
tentien of the authorities at daylight to disarm
boil/ the native regiments, and it was expected that
the 44th at least would I.es:et.
Between 6 and 7 a. m. both the native regiments
paraded in the unwelcome presence of the Euro-
rean troops, and were ordered to pile their arms.
The 67th immediately obeyed, protesting mildly
against the undeserved disgrace Government was
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 concerted measures. A few, not merely
two or three, as the Moficssilite has it, but I would
say about 20, attempted to walk away with their
arms ; butethey 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 fufther dallying would brine 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 indignation threw down their
arms ; after which the two 'regiments were marched
into their lines and allowed to disperac. 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, and (al 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, left their
posts and decamped, but some of them, it is re-
ported, returned and gave up their arms. Since
Sunday moat of the ladies resort at night to the
places of refuge allotted by Government—viz., the
Fort, the Pest-office, the Mofussilite press, and in
the rear of the Artillery line=, 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
sly 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. (1. have taken this from the lifof ussilite
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 tfiis 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
Delhi. lam not singular in this ; nay, I may say
all Europeans here, military or civil, with but few
same opinion, and I have
disapprobation of many expressed in
are of the
exceptions,shteraornd strong,
I must say just, terms, " These met!
have been let loose," many have affirmed, "t(
murder our wives and children, and, should we be
attacked, to help in increasing our danger." Still,
on the other hand, the authorities perhar s thougle
hat clemency towards these men—who for 'Lb(
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 of
May, which) ou will find in the overland aummar)

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 Jhe vari-
ous stations in these promises, I musl., to enable
your readers the better to draw their conclusions,
make a few observations. First, then, I must tell
you that the Mofussilite 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 fears of the unthinking, but
tends rather to add to the distrust of the reflective
mind, and rnoreover.it is calculated to mislead—to
screen the diabJlical conduct of the mutineers and

the extant of discontent in the native army gener-
ally, as also to disguise the real state of danger
whichfmenaces us. I 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 flimsily done as to ren-
der the motive palpable to all, it but adds to the
distrust of friends, and betrays a feeling of weak-
ness to enemies. Secondly, I must remind your
readers that intelligence is more speedily conveyed
to the natives from station 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 diAeontent and
circulating intelligence ; and, thirdly, that this is
not a move of the moment, but has been hatching
for months, commencing w, I verily believe, Cal-
cutta, the object being to re-establish the Matto-
metan dynasty ; and, further, that the sudden de-
parture -of the Maharajah of Gwalior a few
months tap from Calcutit is traceable to his
knowledge of the mischief that7was brewing, and
ike a prudent man, he left t o 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 t.). Ido not mean to :ay 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 Mussultnen have
for once acted in concert.

- - _
JUNE 4.
I will now proceed to gives ou the best informa-
tion in my power of events at each station between
this and Delhi aneMeerut. I need not tell you
that Delhi and Meerut are at equal distances from
Agra, and almost in a parallel line wieh each other.
At Mynpooree, a few miles from here, two com-
panies of the 9th Native Infantry, "quietly," says
the illofussilite 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 wagazine and the tretsury,
and obliged their havildar to seek protection in a
village, Irc. (Vide this officerss letter, publiehedin
the At ofussitite itself of the 2d inst.) The Govern-
ment account, as published, being evidently a gar-
bled one, we are left to conjec,ure as to the real
doings of the men, and numerous and serious are
the conjectures ; but I think that on finding Lieu,.
Dekantzow. firm, and seeing him supported by some
of their native comrades, the mutineers allowed
themselves, after some little violence, to be per—
suaded to take themselves, off t 3 Delhi committing
depredations en route. rothing further has been
heard from Mynpcoree.
At Allyghur, about 50 miles hence, the 9th Na-
tive Infantry mutinied ; .several la lies and gentle-
men, to'h military and civil, had to leave the sta-
tion in haste. The European authorities who re-
maned 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 Contingent) 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 bad plundered and burnt several
neighbouring villages; "had weized on the tabsee
lee at Khyr," another adjacent village, "ejected
the Government officers; and proclaimed his inde-
pendence by beat of drum." .This gentleman was
captured by the volunteers, assisted by a few
Sowars (I suppose of the Gwalior Contingent), and
was hung on the spot. A large amount of treasure
has been recovered. Iu a letter from one of the
volunteers he states that ‘.‘ the different detach-
ments of cavalry which were sent here to do duty
had, 'before the arrival of the volunteers, jo:ned
the mutineers of the 10th ',Native Infantry." I
know of no other cavalry sent to Allyghur but the.
Gwalior Contingent. if so, the Sowers who as-
sisted the volunteers in capturing Rao Bhopal
Singh could not have belonged to this corps.
At Al'ahabad a portion of the 6th Native In-
fantry had shown evident symptoms of insubordi-
nation since the beginning of Dilay last, and such
was the distrust entertained by most European re-
sidents of these men that with the view to relieve
the handful of Europeans at the station our women
kept watch under arms. Further accounts, as pub-
li,hed in the Mofussifite, state all is quiet at Alla-
habad ; iu another acount., published also in that
paper, it is stated that the ,non-militar were told
Lieutenant-
to be in readiness to go to the fort.
Colonel D. Simpson, coMmtnd the regiment,
has published a letter denying le 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
45th Native infantry mutinied ; the 10th Cavalry
(Light) remained stanch ; the mutineers have been
beaten by the Europeans at the station, but
how far the 10th Light Cavalry acted in suppart of
the latter is not known. Many of the 57th Native
Infantry have surrendered ; the remainder is w,ll
as the surviving sepoys of the 45th, are fugitives
about the country, and are hunted down and shot.
No atrocities were committed ; the European troops
were on the alert. Only one officer, Major Red-
mond, of Her-Majesty's Gist was wounded.
At Nusseerabad the 15th Native Infantry and
the 30th Native Infantry, with the Native Artillery-
men, mutinied. The last refused to act against the
mutinous infantry, and subsequelailYioined them.
Thera was a regiment of the Bombay Lancers
(Native). These prcved 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 cduld the whole left Nus::eerabad on
the 29th of May, taking with them the artillery
baVery. They said they were going to Delhi ; but
as the mutineers from Delhi were totally routed on
the following day, the 30th, by Her niji sty's Gth
(Carabineers) and GOth 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 earning to pay us a visit. No account has been
received of the damage done by these scoundrels.
r Nusseeraba.d, report
' At Neemuch, which
says that the 72d hiveN 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 Nussecrabad, 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 Nusseerabtd, 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 naqrkecl insubordination evinced by
them, must be ascribed the murder in cold blood
of many of our countrymen, women and children.
Lain 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 VA re 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 Sowars (troopersfrom Ram-
por-, 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 Itrofussilite, 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 which the native troops are now engaged ; they
will not Aid the authorities against the mutineers

of the native regiments, and will, on the contrary,
assist their " (brothers.) The truth of this
has been ex-mplified in almost every station, coai•
menciog from Calcutta, where we are s'rong in
European 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 regiments b4ieve
that our authorities do not consider a defiance of
authority in releasing mutineers of another regi-
ment from gaol anything very serious. These men
released the prisoners of the 20th Native Infantry
from gaol. No blood was shed ; but had tick offi-
cers opposed them what would have 'been the con-
sequence ? Why, they would have murdered their
officers.
It is needless to try the patience of your readers
by mentioning each-station separately, since every-
where it is the same throughout the Bengal Presi-
dency ; the spirit of insubordination and mutiny
among the native troops and of rebellion among
the native inhabitants are the prevailing features
of the times. At Futteyghur, Eta.wah, Ditrapore,
Setapore, Lucknow (where the 48th Native In-
fantry, a portion of the '7lst Native Infantry,
and some of the 13th Native Infantry, with two
troops of the 7th Cavalry,
.have openly mutinied
and gone towards Setapore)—at Lahore, in Oude,
it is the same, even in •Gwalier or GI waliah, and
Seepra, between this and Indore, the same perni-
cious spirit has been evinced. Where you read in
the Mofitszilite that "all is quiet," &c., understand
it to mean that the native troops there have not
yet risen in open mutiny ; that the discontented
portion of the inhabitants are not yet in open re-
bellion ; that they are either too weak, or fancy
themselves to be so, or that they are waiting for a
more fitting time. Whereyou read of the "mani-
festations lojalty" 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 arrives,
or, by warding off suspicion have it the more in
their power 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.