Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-27
STORY OF THE MUTINY.

Twas at Smltanpoor, in the presidency Of
Bengal. wien the terrible Indian mutiny de
hversd its fret blow. There were uprisings
ana mutinies a. various other places before
any one at SCltanpoor became seriously
alarmed. Tie faith which the British had in
the native soldiery would have been sublime
had i, not been blind The English were In
India as invaders aud despota T;.ey had
given the Ierpse cause u hate them and hun
ger for their lives The natives were hun
dred to one. Princes had been detLroned, re-
hgion burlssqued. social customs overturned
and every Englishman was re- arded us stand
in, between the natives and their heaven.
The English knew all this and yet they had
that blind faith which entails destruction.
Because no rebellions had taken place, be
cause the natives were servile and cringing.
all argued that the outbreaks were caused by
a few malcontents and would amount TO
naught.
There are three Americans OF US at Sultan
pore We had been hunting In the Dude ter
ritory and had been in Sultanpore for about
three weeks To rest and plan another trip.
We occupied bungalow together and had
several native servants. Some of these were
related to some OF the native police aud to
members Of the Thirteenth Bengal cavalry.
who garrisoned the place. There were not
over fifty white persons altogether at the
station and three-fourths of these were women
and children. On Sunday, the 9Th OF June Of
that memorable ear, vas lying III my ham
mock in tie shade of the bungalow. My head
was toward and within two feet Of thick
beige running along the west side Of the
house had been resting for an hour when
three or four natives crept up on the other
side Of the hedge and entered into n CONVEX
sation. every word Of which | caught. 1t was
announced that the rank and file were to mu-
tiny within day or two, and the programme
was so carefully laid that certain men had
been detailed to shoot certain officers, and
certain plumber was to go to certain individ-
uals
The talk continued for a full hour, and
when the CO.'S ira .ors Withdrew no sane man
could doubt what was to follow. The tax
collector OF the district was a civil officer
NAMED Stro-an, and he occupied bungalow
not over twenty yards away. After waiting
for a couple Of hours l strolled over there,
and when opportunity presented itself told
him what had heard He had wife and
two children, AID he was AS pale as death
when | had tinisilel my story. He went AT
once "a see Col. Fisher, who was la command
OF the post, but that individual not only
treated the communication with contempt,
but sent an insulting message to me. 1t was
to the effect that he wanted 10 interference
in military affairs by any Yankees He init
mated TO Strogan that | was probably half
drank. and declared he was ready to stake
his life on the 10y atty of his men. This did
not quiet the collector, however. When lie
returned he began packing up his .aluables,
and that night lie made an excuse to get his
family nearer the barracks
On Sunday evening our native servants
were al servile as dogs On Monday morning
their bearing vas full Of impudence. All no
iiced it, and all were satisfied that the mutiny
was close al hand We had canvas,ed the
matter over to see what we should do. II
the garrison rebeied the odds were fifty to one
III their favor. II they elected to hlauyh liter
every white person nothing could prevent
them. While they knew US TO be Americans,
We were ''ferrins hees, :" and that was enough
They would kill us even for the sake of blum
der. We decided that we stood no show at
the station, and that we must take care Of
ourseves- Had we started on the highway
pushed or followed. 1t was finally decided
that we should retreat to an old ruin about
five mics away-a spot we had visited the
week beforehand there wait for the cloud to
burst or the worst to come Early Monday
morning, on ptsi-rise That we were going TO
max. surveys aud excavations for the benefit
of history, we secured a cart, loaded it with
provisions, arms and ammunition, and start
4 II, 49,, Il
closed up the bungalow and took our servants
with us. They seemed very willing to go,
but we soon discovered the cause On Mon
day night all deserted, taxing cur three horses
along They wanted lis out OF the way when
the lnuttny opened. that the garrison might
ne weakened just 81 much When through
wi h those at the station they would come
and finish u.s. We had not unpacked the cart
before they let, and they were therefor, in
ignoranc, ii is contents.
Our ir>i move on Tuesday morning was to
ssiect lace for defense. The ruins were
those O aTge temple and outbuiidins, GOV
eitng about four acres oil ground. i out the
center of this space was a thicEet with fine
sprins OF water. From this thic!.e, was open
ground ia every direction for half mus.et
shot. Most Of the book. If stone were Of uni
form siza ard the three Of US could handle
them By noon We had iuclosed circular
space thirty feet acros, and Eve high. and
hal placed all our stuT within it. The after
noon spent in filing the interstices in the
wall to make it bullet proof, and IN covering
portion Of it, Before night we had fort
which We believed We could defend against q
hundred natives. There was no doorway to
it, erd should only have the top of the
wal To guard.
Ouce or twice during the AFTERNOON we
heard the reports OF clrbin.s on the high
way half mile to our left. and had 40 doubt
that the mutiny had occurred as planned.
We dill not, however, lie. III it prudent to
leave our work to invest! cate, and it was
well we did not. The outbreak occurred
early in tue forenoon, just as planned, and
the colonel was tie first vIctin He was SHOT
down by sulne OF tie native officers of the
cavalry. ami lie bad no sooner fallen than
they turned upon their English CAPTAIN
s :oc7u Was tue third nan klle. lie was
sh Of, III front az lis own bungalow Is was
also another ctvL officer who was with him.
Tue auxiaty 4 the mutiDeer, 10 secare PUN
der perm. i tie women and ch dreu to find
f'-rs II seicty. aud al even, ually G. capped
TO Bella. and ifom thence to Cavnpoor. 1t
was toward evening Of Tuesday before a
squad set out in search Of us. Our servants
were anxious to see Us murdered for the sake
of the loot" to he vided About DARK.
while We were wondering If one Of US had not
better 70 gu. after information. we heard q
vo'cs calling US, AMI recognized it as my sycs
or gre IN. Wssciimbcd out Of our fort and
went t" the edge al the thicAet AMI answered
linn and lie soou appeared. Matters had
changed Tue slave bad exchanged places
With the master. The fellow was cool and
impudeut as you please. When We asked
what had become of the horses he Promptly
acknowledged tn have stolen mine. and FUR
ther informed me that | ought 10 be very
thankful that he had not taken nv life AZ
well He informed US OF all that had occurred
at the barracks, ard stated that party had
come out to make terms with US Being that
We were Americans, and hal had nothing to
do with their expressions they did not thirst
Tor our blood. IL We would surrender every
thing We had We could go where we pleased.
II not they would Kill us and take what they
wanted
We very soon sent the fellow away with an
answer II we escaped from this gang it
would be TO fall into the hands Of another.
We should be defenseless and peuniless and
what could We do. We told him We had de-
cided to fight it out, and as soon as he disap-
peared We returned to the fort The two
other memoers OF the party were Henry
W lids, Massachusetts, man, and George
Fisher Of Ohio. We had been in Indiana to-
gefher for year, and had stood back to back
IN many tight places Wlds was Q typical
YANKEE, good uatured but courageous, and
his long sr.rs bad the strength of Q hors,p