The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1897-11-20

War in India.
The disturbance in the Indian empire
brings to mind the atrocities of the last
Sepoy revolt and causes civilization 10
shrink from a repetition OF sucn nor
rors.
The Indian mutiny of 1881 was
brought on by many and varied causes.
The immediate ~provocation was the
serving out of creased cartridges TO the
Sepoy troops, who regarded the pres
ence of the fat of COW and pigs III the
cartridges as an insult TO their rellg-
ious customs and beliefs. But IL
prime, the fundamental, cause was
that the native forces were mucn 100
large relatively to the European. lnere
was only one European soldier 10 SIX
native soldiers. Thus becoming aware
of the fact that in their hands resided
the great balance of power, it was not
difficult for the natives to find some pre-
text for an insurrection. The reDe
troops were not only great in numbers,
but their equipment and discipline was
fully equal to that of the European
forces. At first the insurgents were
scattered over the country in tribes,
who continued to harass the European
residents by despoiling their property
and taking the lives of the men, While
the women and children were tortured
to death. But as the revolt became
more general the rebels concentrated
their forces under one leader, Mana Sa-
hab, who with many able subordinateS
organized the strongest insurrectlonary
force the world has ever seen. The
whole fighting strength of the mutln-
GERS was not less than 242,OO0 men,
while the European forces in India at
that time did not exceed 10000. SO
great was the ~disaprity between the
opposing forces that it seemed as II the
English forces would be almost enyel-
oped by the insurgents.
The first organized outbreak took
place on May 10, when the rebels
marched upon the city of Delhi and
butchered hundreds of the English res
idents. About the same time uprisings
took place in many parts of the north
west provinces, and much destruction
was wrought. The whole country was
infiamed with war. After numerous
engagements in which much blood was
shed on both sides, the forces of Mana
Sahib marched upon Cawpnore. AT
that time there were about 1000 Eu-
ropeans in this city, of whom $50 were
women and children. The overwhelm-
ing numbers of the Sepoys Dor over
came the paltry handful of English
troops, the city was entered and many
lives were taken. The residents sur
rendered under the promise that they
should not be harmed. They were put
into boats and thought they We're be-
ing sent as prisoners to Allahabad. But
no sooner had the boats left the shore
than they were fired upon by the rebel
troops, and of the whole number only
four men escaped.
The women and children were reserv-
cd for a more cruel fate. Hearing that
Gen. Hayelock was within two days
march of Cawnpore, Mana Sahil
marched out to meet him. He was
forced by Sir Hayelock's forces to fall
back upon Cawnpore. When he saw
there was some danger of being de-
feated the rebel leader gave orders for
the women and children to be put to
death. With fiendish ferocity charac-
~teristic of their nature they soon de-
vised a mode of torture which was as
effective as it was terrible. An old
well was found, and after being run
through with spears or hacked with
swords, the helpless wOmen and limo
cent children were hurled headlong into
the well. Havelock and his army az
rived Just in time to be too late TO res
cue the women and children. He and
his men were Mortified to see the awful
death which had beer meted out to
these poor u~nfortunates.
The struggle went on in other parts
of the country. Although the British
forces were far Outnumbered, they
were nevertheless firm and logged In
their resistance to the enemy. Many Of
the rebels were cut to pieces, many
were taken prisoners, and many more
were forced to capitulate. On May 80
and 81 the troops of Lucknow, the cap
ital, mutinied, and soon every Sepoy
regiment in Dude followed their exam
pie. The rebel forces organized an at
tack upon the city that was stubbornly
resisted by the European troops with
in. Night and day the gallant defend
ers were forced to stand at the loon
holes and pour forth IA deadly fire upon
the bloOdthirsty insurgents. Hearing
of the b~eleagured condition of the
town. Sir Henry Hayelock crossed the
Gauges and marched upon Lucknow.
Before reaching the town he fought
eight victorious battles, at the end of
which time his forces were so over
come by fatigue and were so few in
/ numbers that he was in doubt as to
whether to proceed. just ut this time
Sir James Outram arrived, and, thus
re-enforced, they marched upon Luck
now, Gen. Hayelock in command. They
fought their way through the b~esieging
lines and to the delight of the almost
WORKOUT defenders entered the city.
But as the force within was now
strengthened so the rebel forces in
creased their energy and fought more
vigorously than ever for an entrance
into the capital. But the British fought
m%anfully and held out against the foe.
In November Sir Colin Campbell arriy-
ed, and the insurgents were compelled
to raise the siege. BY this time England
had put fresh forces in the field, and
ere long british cl1Dran,aov ocSoptnd