News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-01-22

volted during the year and q were dis
banded. The cause of the reNolt-the i'm
mediate cause-was the adoption of the
Enfield rifle 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 company
would come to an end in 1857 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 Dude there
was widespread discomfort, and Gavin
pore was filled with refugees from British
rule in that country. The native troops
at Cawnpore consisted of three regiments
of infantry, one of cavalry, and 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
barracll and gathered around him the En-
glish residents and also the families of the
Thirty second English regiment, then serv-
ing ut Lucknow a perfdious rajah, Mana
Gu Inv friendly acSupnDpaS In
delay the preparations for defense. but
finally threw aside the mask, and with an
overpowering force of bandits and rene
gades attacked the barracks. An heroic
defense followed. The position of Wheeler
was completely surrounded. Water for
the troops and citizens could be drawn
only under cover of darkness. Cannon
and rifles played on the defenses from all
sides, and burning summer sun added to
the sufferngs of the be5leged. At one time
the barrack of the wounded was fred by a
shell, and horde of sepoys rushed up to
prevent the extinguishmept Of the flames.
They were repulsed with heavy loss, the
defenders losing many men.
Finally a 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 27th Gen. Wheeler, finding his case
hopeless, agreed to the terms and the gar
rison with the civilians marched out ana
were placed upon boats in the Ganges At
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, were returned to Cawnpore as pris
oners.
A few days after the tragedy of the boats
the news reached the military station at
AllahnDad, 1875 miles distant, where was
gathered the nearest relieving force of the
district. Sir Henry Hayelock. n general
noted for his Christian principles and high
courage, had just arrived to lead an eXpe
dition for the succor of the stations under
siege by the sepoys. Havelock set out for
Cawnpore with 1000 Europeans and about
200 native cavalry. After marching nearly
half the distance to Cawnpore the column
overlook an advance party of 200 men, and
with Il total of 400 men Havelock found
himself confronted by $500 rebels in
strong position at FuttepOre. The enemy
pushed the attack, and Havelock, though
anxious to give his weary men some rest.
decided to accept the challenge. In ten
minutes the action was decided, the enemy
retreating in disorder before the deadly
Enfield rifles and the cannon.