Glasgow Courier. — 1857-09-15 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

THE RISE OF VIE MUTINY.  The following are extracts from the last letters received from the young wife of the Magistrate and Collector of Cawnpore. Among the victims of the massacre was the writer of the letters, with her husband and two infant children, and likewise two others of her nearest relatives:—  'May 13.—You will have seen from the papers that India just now is in a very disturbed state; there are mutinies breaking out everywhere among the native troops. The natives have an idea that the government are trying to convert them to Christianity; and, what with the mistake of the cartridges being greased with cow's fat, and this new law allowing Hindoo widows to marry—which I think has a great deal to do with it— they are frantic about it. May 15.—Disaffection in the army is spreading rapidly. Great fears are entertained for Delhi, for there are no European troops there, and the native regiments are all more or less affected. That all this should be stopped is certain, but no one knows how; the authorities appear to be panic-stricken. Cawnpore is quiet, and the regiments there are staunch, but there is no saying that they would remain long so if they came into contact with some of their mutinous brethren. Should they mutiny, we should either go into cantonments or to a place called Bithoor, about six miles from Cawnpore, where the Peishwa's successor resides. He is a great friend of C—'s, and is a man of enormous wealth and influence, and he has assured C— that we should all be quite sate there. I myself would much prefer going to the cantonments to be with the other ladies, but C— thinks that it would be better for me and our precious children to be at Bithoor. ' May 17.—The insurgents have taken Delhi and have made a stand there. We do not expect there will be much fighting, for a few shells thrown into the fort, and a volley or two will quickly disperse them, and they will probably give in at once. We will soon show them that Englishmen are not going to be tampered with, or to allow their countrymen and women to be murdered without revenging it immediately. If there should be an outbreak here dearest C— has made ali the necessary arrangements for sue and the children to go to Bithoor, and he will go there himself, and with the aid of the Rajah, to whose house we are going, he will collect and head a force of 1,600 fighting men, and bring them Into Cawnpore to take the insurgents by surprise. This is a plan of their own, and is quite a secret, for the object of it is to come on the mutineers unawares.  ' May 23.—We are now in cantonments, having been compelled to leave our own rather suddenly from the alarming reports we heard. The rumours were so bad that C—, with the consent of Sir H. Wheeler, wrote to the Rajah of Bithoor to send his force of blahrattas down here.  May 25.—We fully expect every minute to be obliged to run to the barracks. We shall be able to hold out until more regiments come to our help, if the troops do break our. 1 send you some of the dear children's hair. 'May 31.—We are now almost in a state of siege. We sleep every night in a tent pitched by the barracks, with guns behind and before. We are entrenched, and are busy in getting in a month's provisions in case of necessity. The General remains in the barracks day and night, to be at 'hand if anything should happen. The nights are dreadful, and no one can sleep. Poor Mrs Wiggins has quite lost her reason from terror and excitement. Oh ! it is a hard trial to bear, and almost too much, but the sight of the children gives us strength and courage. Oh! may we be spared to meet again.'  ing of a lady in distress, sent an elephant and guard for her, and when she reached Banda she had the happiness of finding Lotty safe with Captain Scott and some of the other office's; this was a ray of comfort for her, poor soul, but she writes as if she were distraught, and is, poor thing, daily expecting a premature confinement. My heart bleeds for her. Every one is flying to Calcutta. I fear you will find this an incoherent epistle. lam writing under difficulties.