The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-01-09
Mana


The report Of the capture of Mana Sahib at once
brings back to the recollection the most dreadful
crime which has been perpetrated in this genera
ton. At the outbreak Of the Indian mutiny Gavin.
pore was garrisoned by a handful Of Europeans,
under the command Of General Sir Hugh Wheeler.
The station was vigorously attacked by the Sc
poys, but the defence offered by the gallant little
party was so obstinate that at one time hopes were
entertained by them that they would be able to
hold out until the arrival Of General HaYelock.
Death, however, began rapidly to diminish the
number OF the defenders, and General Wheeler,
seeing the hopelessness of contending any longer
against the overwhelming forces Of the enemy, &c
cepted an offer from Mana Sabib that the garrison
should be permitted to retire to Allahabad upon
delivering up all the treasure and ammunition in
their possession. At the appointed time the garri-
son. consisting Of a few hundred men, women, and
children, embarked in boats for Allahabad. No
sooner. however, had they left than the whole
party was attacked from the shore. Some of the
boats were sunk. and many Of the men were killed.
The survivors, consisting chiefly of women and
children, were taken back to Cawnpore. What
followed we shall not attempt to describe in all its
sickening detail. or the whole party some two or
three only escaped to describe the truly awful fate
that befel the garrison. In one house were con-
fined about two hundred and thirty women and
children. who were chiefly the families OF officers
and soldiers of II. Ms 32nd Foot. By orders and
under the personal supervision of Mana Sahib
were these unfortunate creatures, without excep-
ton, put to a cruel death. Says one narrator, a
soldier OF the s4lh Regiment -" The whole of
their clothing was torn to pieces, even the hair Of
their heads was pulled out Big the roots, the heads
and bodies backed and mangled to atoms they
rest in a large well in the same compound. which
is formed into a grave over them, the whole of
their clothing, bloody, and their other little things,
are lying there at the present time" Two days
after the massacre the cantOnment was recaptured
by the English troops under General Havelock, but
Mana Sabib escaped. Various have been the ac-
counts about the wretch since that time. The ru-
mour that he had died was the one. however,
which has received general eredence Of late years.
Now we are told by newspaper reports. that he
has been captured in Gwalior by the Maharajah
Seindia personally, and that " there is no doubt
about his identity" AS regards the motive which
prompted the Mana to order the massacre there
does not seem 10 have been any doubt. He was a
bastard connection Of the PeishWa Of the Mahrat-
tas, and upon the death Of that chief the British
Government refused to recognise the Mana as his
heir. Such q recognition would have been accom-
panied by a handsome pension from the Indian
treasury. 1t was this refusal that Infatuated the
Mana against the British. and that brought about
his one terrible act Of revenge. For that act he
will now have to sufer. The difficulty will pro-
badly be to invent a punishment at all adequate
to his offence. One Indian journal has suggested
that, when captured, Mana Sahib should besturned
loose into a regiment Of European sOldiery, "wbo
know better how to deal with n wild beast than
the English law understands" We admit freely
that no amount Of reasoning can show that it would
be right to take revenge upon a criminal for the
crime be has committed but in the case Of the
author Of the Cawnpore massacre, there are good
men and true who. if they would not lend a hand
IN getting rid Of the monster, would not at least
be unwilling witnesses OF his execution.