The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-29
THE MASSACRE AT CAwNPoRE.

The writer ofthe following deeply interesting
narrative OF the massacre at Cawnpore is rep
resented to be faithful and intelligent native
spy in the employ of the Indian Government,
named Nujoor Jewsrree.
When the Nena's guns opened on the boat
in which Wheeler Sahib, the General, was, lit
has now been fully sscertaned, from servants
and others who were with the English party,
that Gen. Wheeler was not dead, before the
massacre, but was put wounded on board the
boats,) he cut its cable and dropped down the
river. Some little way down, the boat got stuck
near the shore. The infantry and guns came
up, and opened fire.
" The large gun they could not manage, not
knowing how to work the elevating screw. and
did not use it. With the small gun they fred
grape tied up in bags, and the infantry fired
with their muskets. This went on all day. It
did not hurt the Sahiblog much. They return
ed the fire with their rifles from the boat and
wounded several of the Sepoys on the bank,
who therefore drew off toward evening.
I" The Sepcys procured very big boat, into
which they all got, and dropped down the river
upon the Sahib's boats. Then the Sahibs fred
again with their rifles, and wounded more
Sepeys In the boat and they drew off and left
them. At night came a great rush of water
in the river, which foated off the Sahib's boat.
| and they passed on down the river, but owing
to the storm and dark night they only proceed.
ed three or four koss. In the mean time the in.
telligence of the Sahib's defence had reached
the Nena, and he sent off that night three more
companies Of the native regiment, list Dude
Infantry and surrounded the Sahib's boat, and
so took them and brought them back to Gavin
pore
"Then came ont of that boat go Sahibs and
Sol,f H. = G..
| three halfgrown girls. The Nena then order
ed the mem-Sahibs to be separated from the
Sshibs to be shot by the ellis Pultun. fist
Bengal Native Infantry;) but they said, sWe
will not shoot Wheeler Sahib, who has made
our Pultun's name great, and whose son is our
q1artermaster; neither will me kill the Sahib-
log. Pat them in prison. Then said the
! Nadir Pultun, What word is this? Put them
in prison we will kill the male So the Sahib.
log were seated on the ground, and two com.
panies of the Nadir Pultun placed themselves
over against them, with their muskets ready to
fire.
"Then said one Of the mem-Sahibs-t
doctors wife she was, I don't know his name,
but he was either experimenting surgeon or
medical storekeeper-'I will not leave nav hus
band; if he must die, will die with him! So
she ran and sat down behind her husband.
claspiug him round the waist. DIRECTLY she
said this, the other mem-Sahibs said, We will
also die with our husbands and they all went
and sat down beside their husbands. Then
their husbands said, Go back but they would
| not. Whereupon the Nena ordered his soldiers
and they, going in, pulled them forcibly away,
Selling them by the arm but they could not
pull away the Doctors wife, who there remained
"Then, just as the Sepoys were going to fire,
the padre (chaplain) called out to the Nena,
and requested leave to read prayers before they
died. The Nena granted it. The padres
bonds were Embossed 80 far as to enable him to
take small book out of his pocket, from which
he read; bat all this time one of the Sahib-logs,
who was shot in the arm and the leg, kept cry
ing cut to the Sepoys, IF you mean to kill us,
why don't you set about it quickly, and get the
work done7 Why delay?' After the padre
had read a few prayers, he shut the book, and
the Sahib-log shook hands all round. Then the
Sepoys fired.
"One Sahib rolled one way, one another, as
they sat; but they were not dead, only wound
ed SO they went in and finished them off with.
swords. After this, the whole of the women
and children, THAT is, including those taken out
Of other boats,) to the number of l22, were
taken away to the yellow house, which was your
hospital. This was the Bithoor Rsjah's house
in the civil lines, where and four more Sepoys
were connned, ana Where had the opportunI'
ty of talking to the sergeant majors wife.
After this, when we (Sepoys) were taken down
with the Nena to Futtehpore, the women and
children were taken away to the house where
they were afterward murdered.
"'Were any of our women dishonored by
the Nena or his people?' None that know
of excepting in the case of General Wheelers
| youngest daughter, and about this / am not
| certain. This was her circumstance. As they
were taking the mem-Sahibs out of the boat,
sowar cavalry man) took her away with him
to his house. She went quietly but at night
she rose and got hold of the sowar's sword.
"He was asleep, his wife, his con, and his
mother-in-law, were sleeping in the house with
him. She killed them all with the sword, and
then she went and threw herself down the well
| behind the house. In the morning, when peo-
pie came and found the dead in the house, the