The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-31
MANA SAHIB.
The Career and Capture OF the Head
OF the SepOy Mutiny.

The following is sketch of the person
and life of Mana Sahib who has recently
fallen into the hands of the British:
Mana Sahib, the title of Dhundoo
Punt, Hindoo chieftain and leader OF
the Sepoy mutiny in 1857, was born in
1924. He was the son Of Brahmin OF
the Deccan, and when little more than
year old he was taken to Bittoor, where
Bagee Row, the peishwa or chief of the
Mahrattas, adopted him in 1927. On the
death of bajee without heir
of his body in 1851, an
estate in the neighborhood which lad
been bestowed ubon him during pleasure
by the British was declared lapsed to the
East India company, as they had previ-
ously::refused to recognize inheritance of
lands by adoption, anda pension of $780,
600 year granted to him and his fam
lily in 1918 was also stopped, Mana Sal
hib sent an agent to England to advocate
his claims, but without success, and this
supposed wrong he never forgave. He
lived, however, in apparent friendship
with the English, initiating their customs
as far as he could, and was permitted to
occupy the town of Blttoor, where he
possessed great wealth and much
influence. When the sepoy
mutlny broke out in 1857, he was
fully trusted by the English, who ap-
piled to him for body Of soldiers TO
guard the treasury at Cawnpore, which he
Immediately granted; but no sooner had
the instruction occurred at the latter
place than he put himself at the head of
the rebels and killed all the Europeans
that fell into his hands, among whom were
two large parties, principally of women
and children, who were endcavoring to
escape down the Ganges from Futteh-
gurh. The English at Cawnpore in
the meantime defended themselves
until June q, when they surrendered
on the Mana promising to send them
safe to Allahabad. They were permit
ted to embark, but Immediately after
ward were fired upon and many were
killed and the rest brought back to land.
The men were put to death at. once; the
women and children, after suffering hor-
rible outrages, were massacred july 10,
the day before Havelock arrived at Cam
pore, and their bodies thrown into well.
The Mana retreated to Bittoor, where
Havelock defeated him on the 18th,
driving him out of the town and de-
stroving his army. He soon got to-
cether another army. with which he fol-
lowed Havelock into Dude but afterward
returned toward Cawnpore with the ill.,
tcntion of attacking Gen. NELL, who was
in garrison there with a small force.
Reoccupying Bittoor, he was driven back
in confusion by Gen. Neill, August Is:
and on the next day Havclock, who had
returned from Dude, defeated his whole
force in sharp engagement. Owing to
the exhaustion of the victors and their
want of cavalry, the Mana escaped, and,
without coming directly in contact
with the British, except once more at
Cawnpore, where Sir Colin Campbell de-
feated him on December 9th, continued
an active and harrassing warfare On
the occupation Of Gwalior by the rebels
in June, 1858, he was chosen Peishwa q
the Mahrattas and his nephew, ROW
Sahib, was placed in command Of the
CITY. His subsequent career, if difficult to
be traced, for his energies were bent rather
upon escaping pursuit than conducting
offensive operations. Long after the
other leaders had submitted or been
captured, he continued, with the Begun
Of Dude and about ten thousand rebels,
to infest the northern parts of Central
India and the frontiers of Nepaul. A
report that he had died of fever in the
latter part of 1859, was generally dis
credited, and until now il had been un-
certain whether he was alive or not. Hi:
arrest at this time will doubtless be plea
SAINT surprise to the British government
who will no doubt give to him the pun
ishment he fully deserves.