The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-01

baGded. The cause of the revolt-the i'm
mediate cause-was the adoption of the
Enfield rife for Indian troops, which would
involve in loading the biting of the CREASED
paper of the cartridge with the teeth. The
grease Of pigs being unclean to the Mus
sulman and that of cows sacred to the
Hindoo, the incident was seized upon by
willy leaders TO inspire a revolt, and that,
under the circumstances-the fiery nature
of the sepoys and the small number Of
loyal troops-could but be attended with
bloody massacre
The whole country was ready for the up
rising. The all powerful Hindoo astrolo-
gers had for half a century predicted that
the hated rule of the East India compau Y
would come to an end in 1851, and popular
superstition, combined with private malice,
ambition and greed, worked together to
fan each trifling spark into flame Be
ginning with March of that year revolts
and massacres were of frequent occurrence.
On June 4 several thousand sepoys re-
volted at Cawnpore, military station on
the Ganges across from the newly annexed
kingdom of Dude Throughout Oudethe
was widespread discomfort, and Gavin
pore was filled with refugees from British
iAAt III btcAb NOulINiA lBt udliFt liODHS
at Cawnpore consisted OF three regiments
of infantry, one of cavalry, aud a company
of artillery. The British troops were
about 200, under Gen. Sir Hugh Wheeler
When the mutterings of the storm reach.
ed him Gen. Wheeler fortified regimental
barrack and gathered around him the En-
glish residents and also the families of the
Thirty-second English regiment, then serv-
ing at Lucknow. A perfidious rajah, Mana
Sahib, attempted by friendly assurances to
delay the preparations for defense, but
finally threw aside the mask, and with an
overpowering force Of bandits and rene
eades attacked the barracks. An heroic
defense followed. The position of Wheeler
was completely surrounded. Water for
the troops and citizeT.s could be drawn
only under cover of darkness. Cannon
and rifles played on the defenses from ali
sides, and a burning summer sun added 10
the sufferingS of the besieged. At one time
the barrack of the wounded was fred by a
shell, and a horde of sepoys rushed up TO
prevent the extinguishment of the flames
They were repulsed with heavy loss, the
defenders losing many men.
Finally European prisoner of Mana
Sahib brought TO Gen. Wheeler a propo-
sitiOn from the rajah TO the effect that safe
conduct would be furnished TO all of the
British who would lay down their arms
On the 9th Gen. Wheeler. finding his case
hopeless, agreed &c the terms. and the gar
rison with the civilians marched out and
were placed upon boats in the Ganges. At
a signal the Indian crews deserted the
vessels and masked bodies Of sepOys opened
upon them with small arms and artillery.
Four men escaped from the boats, and the
other survivors. including women and chill
dren, We're returned to Cawnpore as pris-
oners.
A few days after the tragedy of the boats
the news reached the military station at
Allahabad, l25 miles distant, where was
gathered the nearest relieving force of the
district. Sir Henry Hayel0cE, general
noted for his Christian principles and high
courage, had just arrived 70 lead an eXpe-
Gition for the succor OF the stations under
Iiege by TIE sepoys. Havelock set ont for
Cawnpore with 1000 Europeans and about
200 native cavalry. After marching nearly
half the distance 10 CawnpOre the column
overlook an advance party of 200 men, and
with total Of 400 men Havelock found
himself confronted hy :. 500 rebels in a
strong position at Futtepore. The enemy
pushed the attack, and HaveloclI, though
anxious to give his weary men some rest.
decided TO accept the challenge. In ten
minutes the action WAS decided, the enemy
retreatirg in disorder before the deadly
Enfield rifles and the cannon.