Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-09-04
From tie loudOn Times, Aug. 3.
The Creased Cartridges.


70 Hindoo prcjadices and leniency to-
Hindoo ouemces had been carried, we
might now learn it. The whole history of
the creased cartridges has now been told,
and the public may see what manner OF
men the Indian Government have to deal
with. aud how hopeless it is TO attempt to
disabuse a half.instrucled race of pre)udi-
ces which favor their impotence OF cons
troll and their love of turbulence. The
correspondence Just laid before Parlia>
meut begins wnh "a letter from Major
General Hearsey, at Barrackpore, to the
Deputy Adlutant General of Calcutta.
stating that at Dumdum an unpleasant
feeling existed among the native portion
OF the men attached to the depot for i'm
struction in lille practice, caused by the
belief that the grease used in the prepar-
alton Of the bali cartridges consisted Of q
mixture of the fat of pigs and COWS. Gen.
Hearsey accordingly recommends that the
officer commanding the rifle depot may
be authorized to obtain from the Bazaar
whatever ingredients may be necessary,
which the Srpoys may be allowed TO
make up themselves. From another let
ter. written January 92, We learn the
probable beginning of the delusion. A
''classie" of low caste asked Sepoy Of
the ed Grenadiers to supply him with wa
ter from his "lota." The Brahp;n refu>
sed on the ground that the other would
defle the vessel. The ''cl9ssie" reioined
that he need not pride himself on his
caste, for lac would soon lose it, as he
would ere long have TO bite cartridges
covered with tot Of pigs and cows. The
0,Al IL
where were afraid that when they went
home their friends would refuse to eat
with them. At Dumdum the native por.
ton of the troops were paraded and ask
ed if they wished TO prefer any complaint;
at least two.thirds of the detachment.
stepped to the front. including all the nom
commissioned tfficers, they stated their
objections in a sufficiently respectful man~
ner. suggesting the use of wax and oil.
The answer OF the Government was not
long in coming. The concession was i'm
mediate and complete. The officer in
command of the depot was authorized to
obtain from the Bazaar the ingredients
necessary for the greasing of the bullet,
which the men themselves were to be
permitted to make up.
But the Sepoys had proceeded to mutt.
nous excuses. General Hearsey writes
that bad feeling prevails at Barrackpore,
caused by a report spread probably by
the Dhurma Sobba." a religious Hindoo
party in Calcutta, that it was the de-
sign Of Government to convert the SOL
diers to Christianity by force. Con-
temporaneously with this notion SER
geants Bungalow was burnt down at
Rangegug, and three incendiary fires
look place at Barrsckpore, in four days,
one OF item destroying the electric tele-
graph bungalow. The writer adds that
perhaps the party who are averse to the
re-marriage Of widows is using these
means to cmbarrass the Government.
It was, however. determined to hear what
the men had to say. A special Court Of
Inquiry was held at Barrackpore for the
purpose Of ascertaining from the evidence
of selected portion Of the ed native Gren.
adler Regiment the cause Of their continu'
ed::objection* to the paper of. which the
Court met on the 9th Of February at Bar.
rackpore.s Byjonath Paneie, Sepoy
was called and examined. He was asked
If he, bad any objection to the cartridges
He answered that he felt a suspicion thai
they mig ht affect his caste. On being ask
ed Lis reason for this suspicion. he an
sWered, that it was a new kind of pa
per-, and one which he had not. seer
before " he had heard that there was
some lat in. the paper it was Brazaal
report" He is then asked 10 examine
the paper carefully in the light, and ex
plain to The Court what he saw objection
able to it. He says the suspicion pro-
ceeds from the paper being stiG and like
cloth. and from its tearing different from
the old paper in use. 1t appears that the
paper being thin and well sized, the Sc
poys thought, or pretended to think, il
was manufactured with some forbidden
animal substance. Chaud Kahn, Sepoy
also objects TO the paper, because it il
tough and burns as if there were grease
in It," The following phenomenon, &C.
cording to this witness, had caused much
dismay in the Regiment -" On the
evening Of the 4th inst. piece of car.
fridge paper was dipped in water and
then burnt. When burning it made 6
6Ezing noise and smelt as if there were
grease in it." A piece of paper is burn
in court, and Chaud Khan is unable tc
detect any grease, but, upon being asked
If his objection still remained, he says
Eyes. object TO this paper being used
as every one is dissatisfied with it on &C
count of its being glazed. and shining
like wax CLOTH" Subahdar Khadu Brusf
''has no objection to the cartridge ITSELF
but there is a general report in the can
comment that the paper is made up with
fat" Jemadar Golaul Khan says, "There
is grease in it, feel assured, as it differs
from the paper which has heretofore been