The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-09-20

III IVuibuCtNidi lhAPohl0 ~ 10 OhA)
second to Calcutta and Bombay. 1t
furnishes the railways centeling here '
with more traffic than any two or three I
interior towns put together. Its great t
est notoriety. however is associated with t
its past. Here was perpetrated what I
may have been called "the blacklist a
crime in human history" the horrible {
Cawnpore massacre. A correspondent 9
says:-I shall only review the incidents
of this massacre which are nee essary
in connection with my visitation of the 9
scenes which it involved.
Early one morning after Chota Haz-
rec, rode over to the Memorial Church
in company with citizen. The Menu
orial Chmch, as the name implies, Is an
ediflce of the State religion, erected
near the scene of the memorable resls-
lance of General Wheeler. The church
is a splendid European structure,
with marble memorial tablets, exquisite
tile floors, and all the appointments of
a high-toned house Of worship. Indeed,
the building Is so modern and elegant,
without regard to the climate, that in
the summer it is found impossible toI
use it. Summer services. by the way,
commence at 6 O'Clock in the morning |
in this part OF the country universally. |
Just without the church was the IN
trenchment of 1857, a miserable mud
wall about four feet high, every vestige
of which has now disappeared. Here
1000 persons defended themselves for
twenty-five days against the hottest
kind of fire from thousand of blood
thirsty pagan foes. OF the number $50
were women and children and only 440
men. The sufferings of these women
and children are almost beyond belief.
They had no shelter except such as their
distraught male protectors could lmpro-
wise for them. The thermometer went
up to 400 in the shade, and the suns
rays penetrated every part of the in
trenchment. Many persisted from sum
stroke or disease. Their food was
scarcely sufficient to keep them alive.
When they wanted water they had to
risk their lives by venturing out TO a
well. which is still to be seen here; in
plain view of the enemy. Shot and
shell wrought sad mischief until the
9th of June, when the men ordered a
semi-surrender, chiefly out of consider
alton for thedying women and children.
The Mana Sahib, leader of the Sepoy
mutineers, had promised to honorably
conduct the party to the Ganges, EN-.
bark them aud send them down the
river in perfect safety.
Accordingly the people who were moi
sick emerged from the intrenchment
and conllded themselves to the protec.
ton of the treacherous Mana. 1t was
understood the sick should be returned
for. The eager prisoners marched
down to the river and embarked from
the Gate Chowra Chat. No sooner had
they been loaded upon the boats thar
hundreds Of unseen natives opened FIR,
upon them. Their beats were stranded
and although they did their hest to re
turn the fire and get off, they could bu
become easy victims TO this, the foules
instance of treaehery on record in mill
tary history. Only three men in al
that company of 1000 escaped dealt
and but BOG women aud children wer
left. Among The massacred we're few
Americans These 20G women wer
then dragged to building which ha
gone down into history as the House o
Massacre. They were crowded int
two small rooms, twenty to ten feet il
dimensions, and kept their until Jul
10, when, by order of this same Mana
they were every one slaughtered. Nan
had heard Of General Havelock's at
vance, and while he boosted of tn
strength to vanquish him in battle, Il
gave orders that this most shOcKin
deed should be carried into execution
lest by any chance a rescue should |
effected. But even the cruel Sepoy
rebelled at the thought of such
crime, and Mana had to hire FIVE butcl
ers of the city to enter the house ar
professionally carry out his will. TIL
they did, the five men consuming &
hour and half in taking the 206 live
They were paid one rupee per victim,
in American money, about $50 joint
for the bloody deed.
Then by order of Mana the mangl,
bodies were dragged to a well in Il
immediate vicinity and cast down, Il
dying with the dead, INTO the crimsC
waters fifty feet below. 1t is a matt
of regret to every sympathetic travel
to know that this inhuman monst
Mana soon afterward disappeared, al
has never since been heard from,
that he prob bly escaped the punis
ment he merited. When Gen. HaN
lock the pious soldier, at length arrlv
at Cawnpore, and repaired to his {
sembly room, he found himself Ju
thirty-six hours too late. The flo
was still nearly ankle-deep with coag
lating blood, while shreds of flesh al
tufts of hair told of the barblrous Vi
lence that had been administered. T
cuts on the walls that had been ma
with the butchers knives were Il
down. showing how the poor victi
had crouehed before their assaian
In the meantime the sick who had be
left behind at the intrenchment
also been slaughtered. There W,
many other massacres in the count
round about that were as shocking, /
none that was as wholesale. l Ina
talked with men here who saw as m,
boys tile forms of European women {
open. a bottle Of gunpowIer insert
while they were still alive. and then