Litchfield enquirer., 1857-11-12
Nena Sahik.


OAR OF the late Peishwah Bahee Rao The
Pelshwah, having been despoilcd of his Inherit
ance by the East India Company, was iu re-
celpt of pension from them by way of COM
pensaton aid by the laws of Hindooztan
and the terms CT the grant, that pension was
to descend to his heirs He died without heirs
beru OF his body. But before death he adopt
ed as his sou this Nena Sahib, who real name
is Sreenath, and left him his estate property,
and claims on the company. Sreenath found
no difficulty in obtaining pc: session of his adop
ted fathers castle at Bthoor but when he
appealed to the Company for his pension, he
was fatty refused. He sent several agents to
England TO entreat the Board of Directors
and the Board Of Control but these bodies
make it rule of confirming the decisions Of
the Fast India Government in such matters,
and like the Princes of Dude, Sreenatl, or
Nena Sahib, found that his agents might as
we'll have staid at home
This grievance appears to have been the
great sorrow of Ills life. English officers testi-
ty that OF all the native princes none were so
a1ibc to the English or SO DESTROYS of their
society as Nena Sahib !; but he never caught
an i1ngshman at his castle that he did not
tell him the whole story of his wrongs, and So
licit lis iutercession in his behalf with the
Queen Cawnporc, which is only twelve miles
from B!thoor, is u large military station the
officers used to 90 over to shoot on the Sahb's
estate, and Nena,s complaints of the manner
III which he had been treated by the Company
became familiar subject Of conversation and
jest at tie Cawnpore, mess-tabe.
One OF the officers who was admitted to his
castle thus describes the interview
was admitted into the august presence
of this sol d5s@nt Peishwah, and found him
seated upon a cushion raised somewhat in the
form Of 4 throne OF state, he the magnatc
sitting as q tailor is supposed to sit. Ile ill.,
mediateIy shook NE cordially by the hand !:
and must not omit to state that, being my
self Duhoodoor-tllat is, of the rank Of one
who wears q sworfi---I was not required to re-
move my shoes in going into his presence
lie, through his moonshie, asked me many
questions abont the queen, the nobility of Eng
land, particularly mentioning and olq'':ring al
ter Lord Peterborough, for ADMINISTRATION he
knew him or not--he seemed to have great re-
spect and vencration. Whether this was as
sumed or not cannot say. He then asked
me many questions about the Hon. East India
Company. and appeared exhaustlcss in his en-
QGirics concerning the board Of control These
lasted about half al LoHr, and then be request
ed NE to make myself at home in his house,
and remain so long rs I pleased. He himself
sup led me with q staff of servants, and fur
hished my byza: s'-iying and board daily.
He was when saw him, about twenty-eight
years OF cge,---he looked however at least for
ty. His figure was very fatln fact, the very
expression made use OF hy his own mooushe,
was, that & his h;ghness was tight man."
His castle was large aid handsome build
ing which had been built for a former Com
missioner and his household comprised ele-
phauts, cavalry, men-at-arn!s, and a large ha-
rem, with the usual Oriental proiission Of ser
wants. by a singular ii;s,ivertence, the Com
pany, while refusing to grant the pension he
claimed as Of right and actually spurniag his
efforts for ledresS allowed hiin to keep q GER
tain number Of cannon on his castle wall.
When the REBEL on broke olt at NIecrut and
Delhi, Nena Sa'ib q ars to have remained
outwar>i!y quiet. Ti.efe can b" no doubt now,
but that he was, in secret, actively engaged i'll
mastering the army with which he has done
such terrible work but for some time after
the fighting had Ieyun at Delhi, he continued
to associate Oil footing OF intimacy and con-
fdence with the Carr sou at Cawnpore. Even
when the Sepoys at that post NIL tried, and it
became evident the the small band of Enro-
peaa> would have 70 fight for their lives, he
sent repeated messages to Sir Hugh Wheeler,
assuring him Of his SYM athy aud promising
him material aid. 1t was not till the Gavin
pore garrison was surrounded and saved only
from instant slaughter by the artillery of the
fort, that Nina sahib appeared in person OH
the sccne, at the head OF strong body of ma
tives, and joined the mutneers aeuh the canuon
that The Company lad so imprudently aHoaced
him TO retain
1t was these cannon as is known. which de-
cided the unequal contest. Sir Hugh " heeler
dead, the garrison terribly weakened, and all
hope of an ultimate resistance cut off, the Brit
ish commanding officer sent to Ncna Sahib. to
treat fer surrender He was met with a
frank aud friendly spirit Nena guaranteed
him that not a hair Of his head should be in
juIed, provided the fort should be surrendered
to him. On these conditions be entered Gavin
poe.
The remainder of the horrid tale is soon told,
A portion OF the captives be shipped on board
boats which he said would convey them to a
place OF safety, as soon as they were embark
ed he gave the signal, his men opened fire,
and all--men, women and children-were shot
OF drowned. The rest died in the fort. The
officers and men of the S4th regiment, all the
civilians, merchants, shop keepers, engineers.
pensioners, ETC., were slaughtered With indescri-
bable barbarlty. The women and children
were reserved for worse fate Every day q
Jew OF them were killed, after undergoing out
RACES at the hands of Nina Sa!,ib, and bis fol-
lowers which cannot be described.
1t is supposed that there were two hundred
women and young girls in his hands when the
gallant Havelock attacked Cawnpore and
wrested It from him. As soon as Nena Saw
day going against him, be yaye orders to finish