Star.
London, England, 1807-06-02 00:00:00

MUTIIJ AT VELLORE.

DISTRISSING DRTAIL RESEFCTING THE LATE MUTINY
AT TELLoRIC, By THE WIDOW OF LIEUTENANT-CO-
LONEL F—.
" Colonel F. and myfelf had retired to reft at ten
o'clock. About two o'clock on Thurfday morning
we were awakened by a loud firing. We both got
out of bed, and Colonel F. went to the window of his
writing room, and called repeatedly to know the caufe
of the diflurbance, to which he received no reply but
by a rapid continuation of the firing, by numberlefs
Sepoys affembled at the main guard. Colonel F.
then went down !lairs, and in about five minutes re-
turned to his own room, and requefled me to bring
him a light. I did fo. He then fat down to write,
and I (but the window from which he had fpokets to
the Sepoys, fearing fume (hot might be directed to-
wards him as he fat, for they were firing in all direc-
tions from the main guard. I faw my hatband turn
pale as afltes. I laid, good God ! what is the matter,
my dear St. Joha ? To whiCh he replied, go into your
room, Amelia. I did fo, Two minutes after, I heard
him go out of the hook. Between three and four
the firing ceafed, and the drum beat in confequence
of my hufband's exertions to quiet the Sepoys. I
heard no more firing for tome time : it then began
again at the European barracks.
's I bolted all the doors of my room, and brought
my children into it. Falling on my knees, I fer-
vently prayed that Colonel F.'s endeavours to reflore
peace to the garrifon might be fuccefsful, and that
his life might be (pared. I twice cautioufly opened
the hall door, and felt my way to the lower end of
the hall, to look where they were firing molt. I per-
c.ived the fire to be chiefly diresled againd the Euro-
pean barracks.
ss The last time I ventured from my room, as I
Rood at the lower door of the hall, which was quite
open to the Veranda, a figure approached me. It
was In dark I could not fee, but by the light of
the firing at the barracks. I was dreadfully fright-
ened, expeEling to be murdered every minute; and
having left the children in my bed room, I dreaded
their lan hour was alto come. I had, however, the
courage to afk who was there ? The anfwer was,
II Madam, I am an officer."—" Who are you," I
returned. " I am an officer of the main guard."—
" And what is the matter ?"..44 A mutiny ! every
European on guard has been killed, except myfelf,
and we (hall all be murdered." I made no reply,
but walked away to my room, where my-babes and
fervants were. 'rhe officer went out of the oppofite
door of the hall, and was butchered mot cruelly in
Colonel F.'s dreffing room. I have fence heard, his
name was Lientenant O'Reilly, of the fira battalion
01 Regiment Native Infantry.
'I When I heard this converfation I began to think
it unfafe to quit my room. So loon as day-light ap•
peared, I went into Colonel F.'s room, and law tome
Oh:tiers of the 69th lying dead. Four Sepoys were at
this time on the watch at Colonel Marriott's door,
and feveral were iffuing from the gates of the Palace.
The latter were not firing, but making a great noire.
There was firing at this time apparently in all parts
of the fort ; though at the main guard and barracks
a 1 teemed quiet. They were then employed in ran-
facking the bottles, ii tent on murder and plunder.
" At this moment 1 took out my hollsand's minia-
ture piElure, which 1 tied on under my habit (biro
determined to part with that but in death. Scarcely
had I fecured this much valued refemblance when I
heard a loud voice in the hall adjoining my bed room.
I moved foftly to the door, and, looking through the
hole, difcovered two Sepoys knocking a cheft of
drasers to pieces. I was (truck with horror, know-
ing their next vifit would be to my own apartment.
My children and three female fervants were at this
time lying on the mat jun before a door which led
into the back Veranda, and which, at the commence-
ment of the mutiny, Teemed the fafeft place. As
(hots were fired at the windows, we were obliged to
remove as far as poffible from them. I whispered
my Ayah, that the Sepoys were in the ball, and toll
her to remove from the door. She hurried the chil-
dren under my bed, and begged of me to go there
alto ; but before I could reply, the door we had juft
left was built open.
" I go; under the bed, and was no fowler there,
than feveral (hots were fired into the room ; yet
although the door was open, nobody entered. I
to rlc up a ball which fell near me under the bed.—
The children were (creaming with terror, and I ex-
peeled our lad bout was come. Willing, however,
to make one effort to lave them. I got from my
hiding place, and fled into a (mall chamber adjoining
on the back ftaircafe. I then opened the window,
from which I law only two horfekeepers, I returned
inflantly, and defired the Ayah to take the little babe
in her arms, and fnatching up Charles into my
own, I opened the door of the back flair-cafe,
and ran down as quick as poflible. When we got
to the bottom, we found leveret fepoys on guard,
at the back of the houfe. I (hewed them my lit-
tle ones, and defired my Ayah to tell them they
might take all we had, but to (pare our lives. One
of them defired us to fit down in the liable with
the holies; another looked very furly, but did not
ohinder us from taking his fellow's advice. We had
not been rested five minutes, before we were ordered
away by a third Sepoy. He direded us to go into the
fowl houfe, which, having a bamboo front to it. of
course expofed us quite to view, till the fame m in
brought us an old mat, which we ufed by plating it
before the door to conceal us. Afterwards the lame
compafficnate Sepoy brought my little buy half a loaf
of bread to fatitfy his hunger.
" Here I fuppofe 1 fat about three hours in the
greeted agony of mind endeavout ing to quiet Charles
rwhom I found it very difficult to pacify. From my
concealment; I faw the Sepoys taking out immenfe
loads of our goods on their backs, by way of the
ramparts—which made me fear they had dill pollif-
lion of the works. I know not how I was fupported.
Through the mercy of PROVIDENCE I kept my fenfes
through all theft horrors; what I aloft dreaded to
hear of was my huiband's murder—and I really be-
lieved I fhould have braved death, and hatched for
him on the parade, if I had not been withheld by the
consideration of my babes.
" I hoped for the arrival of the t 7th dragoons from
Arcot. The few lines Col. F. wrote in his room, I
thought r'sofl probab'e, were intended to be lent to
Col. Gillcfpie, who was that morning coming to
fpcnd a few days with us—but whether Col. F. had
the means of fending off this difpatch I know not.—

Still, however, I thought the news mull meet CO.
Gillefpie on the road, arid, hearing a tremendous
firing at the gate, my hope grew thong that the re
giment was arrived.
" Our houfe by this time appeared quite deferted,
when on a fudden a number of the infurgents ranted
into the Court, and called aloud to find znd put me
to death. The Ayah requeßed me to retire into the
fartheß corner of the fowl houfe, Which I did and took
Charles along with me, and covered him with my
gown. The firing at the gate became now In ilrong,
that the people about us were obliged to fly to it, and
once more vacated the houfe, by which means we
I efcaped death.
4' I was fo preffed with ilia, that feveral times I
was fain to chink dirty water. I heard diliinelly the
horfes of the 19th on the draw bridge, and the huzza
repeated aloud. It was then I began to conceive
hopes, and prefently after I heard our people enter
the fort. An office: rode in, and called for me by
name, but I could not anfwer. Again my name was
repeated ; an officer met my eyes, who looked, as I
thought, like my hufband. I (prang forward—it
was Mr. M'Lean.—Where—how is my hufband?—
He is alive, was the anfwer. Colonel Gillefpie gave
me the fame affurance; and thefe two officers taking
me up [lairs, made me drink a glafs of wine and
water. When the agitation of my mind had a little
fublided, I heard that Colonel F. was wounded,
though not dangeroufly, and that he mull be kept
quiet. About an hour after I was told by the Sur
geon of the tsith, that my hufband was in danger,
hot that worfe wounds had been cured ; his were
flefh wounds, and the balls had not lodged. Hope
Rill eziaed : 1 would not even afk to lee him, left
the fight of me fhould agitate him too much. Alas!
I too loon difc..vered that there bad been no hopes
of him, among thole who were about him, from the
moment that he received his wound. He breathed
his lag about. four o'clock the fame evening."