English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 514, 7 October 1857, Page 3

English and Foreign.

THE INDIAN" INSURRECTION.

From the "Bombay Times" of the Ist July, we extract the following particulars ;— _ It is extremely difficult to compress within the limits of our summary, the details which have reached us in the last fortnight concerning the mutiny of the Bengal army. It must suffice to say that the rebellion is universal in that division of the Indian forces, and that it has been thought necessary to disarm the very corps (the 70th N. 1.) which was publicly thanked by. the Governor General in person for its loyalty only three weeks ago, while the 6th Keigment Native Infantry at Allahabad, which had rivalled it in its expressions of attachment to the Government, lias risen upon its officers, and foully murdered them.

It is with deep gratification that we turn for a moment from the consideration of these painful events, to notice the fact that not a symptom of disaffection has appeared as yet in the armies of Madras or Bombay, which manifest the most perfect loyalty in the presence of this dangerous example, and which repel indignantly every attempt that has been made to seduce them from their allegiance by emissaries from the Bengal troops. A statement found its way into the Calcutta papers some time ago, to the effect that the 10th Madras Native Infantry had refused to receive the cartridges in Burmah, but we have looked in vain for any confirmation of the news. The Bengal [Native Army had ceased to exist. The regiments which have not openly mutinied have ceased to be trusted, and are watched with much anxiety. The fall of Delhi, which is still delayed, and which we await with intense desire, will doubtless do more to quench the spirit of the rebellion than any measure that can be adopted by Government. The Delhi Rajah has a powerful hold upon the memory of India still; and while the city remains in the hands of the rebels the country will be unsettled from the Himalaya to Cape Comoriu. We are looking with much anxiety towards the Nizam's country, the fust regiment of Cavalry having revolted'at Aurungebad, and a rising occurred at Hyderabad. The following are the stations at which the troops have broken out into open violence up to date of our advices:—Meerut, Delhi, Ferozepore, Allyghur, Eoorkee, Murdaun, Lucknow, Nusserabad, Neeniuch, Benares, Hansi, Hissar, Jhansi, Mehidpore, Jullundur, Azimghur, Futteghur, Jaunpore, *Bareily, *Shahjehanpoor. We have indicated by an asterisk those stations at which the women and children of our countrymen have fallen into the hands of the soldiery, and it is better to draw a veil over the barbarities they endured from those merciless fiends. At the remainder of these stations the officers were murderously assaulted, the bungalows fired, and at most of them the treasuries looted. At Delhi, Lucknow, Nusserabad, and Neemuch, massacres were reported in few words by last mail, and we pass.on to the consideration of the mutiny at Benares:—

"At five o'clock on the evening of the 4th the Brigade was ordered out Jbr the purpose of disarming the 37th Kegiment, who were known to be disaffected and in correspondence with people in the city. The men were ordered to appear on parade without their arms; some companies obeyed and did so, but others refused to give up their arms and commenced firing at their officers. This appeared to be the signal, for the rest of the regiment then ran to the bells of arms; the guns, however, began to pour in the grape so sharply upon them, that they were glad to beat a retreat; only a few of the most determined rebels still kept up a fire from the right wing at the officers. The Seikh regiment all this time remained quiet on parade, passive spectators of the scene; but at this crisis they loaded, by order of Col. Gordon. An ominous change then came over them. The Cavalry first turned, and then with the Seikhs poured in a deliberate volley on the officers standing around; three of whom—fell. The Artillery in return gave them a shower of grape, which sent them flying off the parade. " About 100 of the mutineers were killed, and 200 wounded; the Test bolted throwing down their arms. The mutineers of the Seikh regiment tried to capture their guns, and were thrice repulsed Avith great loss. Only a few men of the irregular cavalry and Seikh regiment stood firm; all the rest mutinied; their discomfiture was complete, thanks to the 180 European soldiers who defended the guns, and charged and shot down the mutineers. Eight only, instead of thirty-five as reported, of these brave soldiers, were killed and wounded. The lives of the civilians and their families who had taken refuge in the Collector's cutchery, were saved by the presence and noble exertions of Soorut Singh, a Seikh prisoner. He it was who went among the Seikhs of the treasury guard, and prevented them from rising, after they had heard how the men of their coiirse had been cut up, and by his influence they were kept to their post until the next morning, when the treasure was removed to cantonments under an escort of Europeans. The portion of the Seikh corps over the Treasury remained staunch." At Allahabad the mutiny broke out on the 4th instant, when the "loyal" 6th Kegiment, which had volunteered to proceed to Delhi against the rebels only a few days before, became the assassins of their own officers, and then marched off to join the mutineers, after burning the church and every bungalow in the place, and looting the treasury. The whole number slaughtered amounted to 26. At Jhaasi, where was stationed the left wing of thQ 12th Kegimcat Native Infantry, the mutiny broke out on the sth iust. There is or was an entrenched magazine at this place defended with two guns, and the few Europeans in the place made good their retreat into it, for the time. We heard yesterday, however,: of the massacre of the whole of these unhappy victims I under the usual circumstances of atrocity which have characterised these fiendish murdera

throughout. Our correspondent "writes from Kamptee, 20th June, "News has just reached, us that the mutineers at Jhansi have taken that Fort, where 'the Europeans had "taken refuge, and murdered all —men, women, and children. Among othyrd, b^wie, Deputy Commissioner) and Commissioner, and his family. Gordon, 10th

M.N.I. Assistant Commissioner, killed; twentyone o'i" the scoun Irels "before they got into the fort killed him. Jubbulpore still quiet, but the 52nd 8.N.1, there say if they hear of any European troops coming against them they will pro-ceed-to extremities. The officers sleep in the men's lines—poor victims. Nothing has been done there." All that we know concerning the rising at Jaunpore is that the cavalry regiment st itioned there had mutinied and murdered their commanding officer, Lieutenant Mara. The disarming of the troops at Calcutta, Barrackpore and Mooltan, was simply a measure of prudence called for unquestionably in the present emergency, and, probably hastened at the the two former places, by governmental intelligence which has not been made public. We j simply know that the ex-King of Oude is implicated in the business, and has been arrested by the Govermsnt, and all his retainers, some 700 or 800 men, disarmed. A fakir, who was sentenced to be hung in Calcutta for tampering with the troops, is said to have made the revelations which have led to this important conviction long entertained by us, and now we imagine well ascertained. The mutiny at Bareilly seems to have been.a very tragic affair. All the bungalows are burnt to the ground, and we are in uncertainty up to the time of going to press, of the, fate of forty Europeans known to have been there, of whom one-half were women and children. The outbreak at Shajeehanpore seems also to have been very bloody, and characterized by circumstances of peculiar atrocity. It is said to have occurred on the evening of Sunday, the Bth instant, during divine service, when the church was surrounded, and every man, woman and child murdered, a detachment of the mutineers being told off to fire the cantonment and slay the people in the bungalows. , At Gwalior, all that we know is. that the contingent has mutinied; and as this consists of seven regiments of infantry, two of cavalry, and five companies of artillery, the defection of this army is most serious. The Mahrajah protected our ladies and the officers, who have all arrived safely at Agra. The soldiery demanded that they should be given up, but the prince stood firm, and rescued them. We are informed that Lord Elgin has determined to direct all the troops for China to proceed to Calcutta. On the 7th instant his lordship and General Ashburnham were at Penang. The despatch of a considerable force to China from home at this juncture is truly providential, and as no difficulty will be experienced in intercepting it, we hope to have the force soon in Bengal. Our Government (Bombay) has dispatched a mission to the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius, uader Captain Jenkins, to bring up as large a force as can be spared from those colonies to our assistance, and it is thought probable he may succeed in- getting a reinforcement of four or five thousand men. It will be seen by various reports that the mutiny extends over all the Upper Provinces, and that from Allahabad to Puojaub there is no order or obedience—nothing resembling a Government beyond the limits of the few garrisons where the British flag is still hoisted.? The sufferings of the peaceful and well-disposed inhabi- ( -its must be intense, exposed as they are not jrely to the exactions of disorderly soldiers, but to bands of robbers and dacoits. * It will be long before trauqiiility and confidence are restored.

It is no longer necessary to ask which of the Bengal regiments mutinied but which are loyal; and it is our firm opinion that unless where overpowered by British soldiers, or so separated from their comrades that they have no hope of joining them without being"attacked, scarcely one is to be trusted. We must, however, except the 31st N. 1., which is reported to have fought voluntarily and without European officers on the side of the Government —" one faithful found amidst innumerable false." As a rule, the stronger their professions of loyalty the less they are toba trusted, and it is to be feared that the death of the good and gallant Sir H. Lawrence was caused by the desertion of thesa scoundrels when led out to action. Still we have officers of rank who have no other plan for the future than the restoration of this army of assassins, but then it is to be recollected that like the workmen of Ephesus, it is by this craft they have their gains. Perhaps a different view of Indian affairs will be taken at home, and it may then be seen that not merely a large British army, but also a large body of British born men in all public employments, are absolutely necessary if this country is to be held in peace, and with advantage to the inhabitants as well as to Great Britain. Every exertion is now being made to collect a force which shall put down all resistance. Transports are about to be despatched and steamers are being sent to the Cape for troops, and in the meantime some Madras regiments are coming to Bengal. The manner in which the Press Restriction Act has been enforced against the ' Friend of India, sufficiently demonstrates that this Government will not tolerate the mildest comment upon passing events, and we must therefore refer our English readers to what they will find in-, the various London and provincial papers, which we know have been supplied most liberally from this city. Civil and military men, merchants, traders, planters, and, though last not least, missionaries, are united in condemning tins. most impolitic act. Indeed, the GovernorGeneral -has put himself in the position of the man m.Hogarth's picture who is sawing off the armof the signpost on which he is sitthv The strong arm;.ofrthe Indian press supported the Government most .strenuously in its difficulties It- overlooked, shortcomings, palliated mistakes' and concealed disasters, from a true national feeling, .that we are, all in a common cause, and bound by every consideration dear to ■ us>" to stand by the. crown, though it be hung on a bush.". The Press Law put. an end to all this, not a. good word has since been said for the powers that be, we have confined ourselves to a pimple detail of occurrences, in. which, though

sufficiently dreadful, we have omitted much which is unfit to be mentioned, the bare recital of which would make every Englishman's blood boil, and raise from one end of the land to the other an indignant cry for vengeance. The atrocities committed at Meerut and Delhi must be now known at home. Similar treachery has been practised at almost every station in the Upper Provinces where the sepoys were not overawed by British soldiers, and followed by similar fiondship and brutality. Some of our readers may recollect one of Burkes speeches on the trial of Warren Hastings, in which he describes the atrocious cruelties perpetrated by Debi Sing at Dinagepore. But this is but a subdued, a softened description of what has occurrod in the last two months and the victims not people of another race almost unknown in Europe, but our own friends and relatives. English wives and mothers, and young girls who had just left a happy home, with the expectation of finding another not so happy, but quite as safe in India. These innocent creatures without provocation and without warning have been subj acted to the most brutal insults the most cruel tortures, by fiends in human shape. Young children have been cut to pieces before their parent's eyes, and though we yet know but a portion of these atrocities, enough has been told to rouse every Englishman to demand retribution. They will see that tenderness to those who have neither faith nor honour is cruelty to their own countrymen, and they will surely [never consent that these should be subjected to courts of law presided over by barbarous and corrupt functionaries in whom the mere cry of —the faith, the faith —extinguishes all sentiments of humanity for their fellow creatures.

The summary given in the 'Bombay Times' of the 30th July brings the record of the insurrection down to the latest date. We extract the "more important portions. During the last fortnight the career of rebellion has remained unchecked throughout India, except at Futtehpore, where the mutineers under Nana Saheb have been thrice defeated by the British troops. On the morning of the 17th inst. General Havelock, who left Allahabad with about 200 Europeans—consisting of the 64th "Regiment, 78th Highlanders, Madras Fusilliers, and a company of the Royal Artillery—attacked and totally defeated the insurgents, capturing eleven guns, and scattering their forces in utter confusion in the direction of Cawnpore. By two harassing marches he had joined Major-Renaud's advanced columns three hours before daylight, and arrived about eight o'clock four miles from Futtehpore, where he encamped. The enemy advanced out of Futtehpore, and i opened fire upon a reconnaissance un<ier Colonel Tytler. General Haveloek marched with eight guns in the centre under Captain Maude, Royal Artillery, forming the whole of the infantry in quarter distance column in support. Captain Maude's fire electrified the enemy, who abandoned gun after gun, and were then driven by our skirmishers and columns through garden enclosures, and the streets of Futtehpore in complete confusion. This splendid victory was gained without a single casualty on the side of the British, not a man being touched by the fire of the enemy. The enemy's strength was said to have been two regiments of cavalry, three of infantry, and eleven guns, which were all captured. After tins battle, General Havelock continued his victorious progress towards Cawnpore, which he re-occupied after having beaten the enemy three times, and captured 26 guns. Nana Saheb, the rebel leader, had fled to Bithoor, which is about eight or ten miles distant from Cawnpore, and we have no doubt that General, Havelock would follow the treacherous Mahratta up to that place.

These glorious successes are dimmed by a frightful tragedy which has occurred at Cawnpore, where Sir Hugh Wheeler and a small band of Europeans had long held out against fearful odds. It appears from the conflicting reports published regarding this melancholy catastrophe that after Sir Hugh Wheeler was killed, the force at Cawnpore accepted the offer of safety made by Xana Saheb and the mutineers. The treacherous miscreant, however, whose hands were already stained with the blood of the luckless fugitives from Futtygher, opened fire upon the boats in which the party were allowed to enter, and destroyed them all. Other accounts state that the wives and children of the officers and soldiers, consisting of 240 persons, were taken into Cawnpore and sold by public auction, when, after being treated with the highest indignities, they were barbarously slaughtered by the inhabitants. There is notwithstanding a faint hope that some few have escaped the general massacre, as it is said that Nana Saheb has more than a hundred European prisoners in his hands, whom he intends to hold as hostages. These are probably the remainder of General Wheeler's force at Cawnpore. Such atrocities as those committed by Nana Saheb are almost unparalleled in the history of the world, but we hope the punishment for his crimes will not be long deferred. Luclcnow still held out at the date of the latest advices, but its heroic defender, the brave and noble-minded Sir Henry Lawrence, is no more. The intelligence of the death of this gallant officer has reached Bombay from Lucknow, and has caused universal regret, as the event is truly regarded as a national loss in the present crisis. He was wounded in a sortie on the 2nd July, and died of lockjaw on the 4th. The garrison nothing daunted by the death of their intrepid leader, continued to hold out against the hordes of mutineers who surrounded them, and it is expected that they will maintain their ground until relieved by General Havelock. Major Banks had assumed the command of the garrison, which continued in the highest spirits. The capture of Delhi has not yet been accomplished, and seems to be as far off as ever. The enomy # made several sorties and attacked the British forces, but were always repulsed with heavy loss. On the 9th, the mutineers assailed our right rear in force, but were driven back into .the city, leaving one thousand dead on the field. Several other attempts were made to turn the British position, but.failed. Sir Harry Barnard, C.8., Commander of the British Forces, died in the British camp before Delhi on the sth July, of cholera. He has been succeeded in the command by General Reed, who acted with so much decision and judgment in the Pu'njaub on the

outbreak of the mutiny. The latest intelligence from Delhi is to the 14th instant, when everything remained in the same state as heretofore. An officer in the camp, writing on that date says:—"We are doing nothing here towards Delhi, arid are merely defending ourselves against sorties of the enemy. We have parts of five European regiments, but can muster only 2000 Europeans for any effective, attack, large detachments from each regiment having been left to protect Jullumdur, Loodianah, Dugshaie, Subathoo, Kussowlie, Umballa, Meerut, and Phillour. In fact, small detachments only of each regiment have joined us. The enemy are far superior to us in artillery." This shews the necessity for the prompt despatch of large reinforcements from England, and we fear that nothing can be done to stem the tide of sedition until the arrival of fresh troops in this country. At Agra matters have approached a crisis. The close neighbourhood of the Neemuch and Nusseerabad mutineers, who encamped about twenty miles from the city, compelled the European residents to abandon the cantonments and take refuge in the Fort. The garrison consisted of the 3rd Bengal Europeans, and a battery of Artillery, besides which a corps of volunteers, about five hundred strong, was raised from among the Christian population. The rebels having approached the city with the evident object of plundering the cantonments, the troops in the Fort marched out to attack them on the sth July, when a battle ensued, in which the British suffered considerable loss.

Our troops, who had no cavalry to support them, after having beaten the enemy, were obliged to retire into the Fort, in consequence of their supply of ammunition having failed through the explosion of the tumbrils. There were forty-nine Europeans killed, and ninety-two wounded in this affair, out of a total force of about five hundred men engaged. The mutineers, after the battle, destroyed nearly all the houses in the cantonment, in which they were assisted, by the budmashes of the city and the prisoners liberated from the gaol. The European inhabitants, however, had previously taken refuge in the fort, which prevented a general massacre from "talcing place, the only people killed outside being Major Jacob, formerly in Scindiah's service, and Mr. Hubbard, of the Agra college. Captain dOyly, of the Bengal Artillery, was mortally wounded in the action of the sth instant, and six gentlemen belonging to the militia were also killed, one of whom was Monsieur Jourda, the celebrated equestrian performer. The details of mutiny at Mliow and Indore and the Massacre at the latter place, where about 40 Europeans were cruelly murdered, have been received ; since our last summary. Bloodshed might have beenprevented if precautions had been taken earner, as at Saugor and Nagpore; but Colonel Platt, commanding the station, had implicit confidence in the fidelity of his men, and believed them to be staunch to the last moment. So infatuated was he in this belief, that he actually left the fort for the purpose of harauguing the men of the 23rd N. L, but paid with his life the penalty of his blindness. Major Harris, Commanding the Ist Light Cavalry, and Captain Pagan, Adjutant of the 23rd Native Infantry, were also murdered, but the rest of the officers and ladies took refuge in a fortified square, which was held by Captain Hungerford's battery of Europeans. At Indore, the Residency was attacked by Holkar's disaffected troops, joined by the rabble of the city, but Colonel Duraud, the Besident, and the rest of the officers of his suite succeeded in making their escape, protected by some faithful companies of the Bheel Corps.

Throughout the North-Western Provinces and Upper Bengal, murder, rapine, and spoliation are the order of the day. We are constantly sickened by the recital of tales of wholesale slaughter, in which unoffending women and children have not been spared by the fiendish monsters who sought their lives. Those who are fortunate enough to escape have been utterly ruined, while many of the weaker sex are deprived of their natural protectors, and must, therefore, be objects of pity and commiseration. This feeling has shewn itself throughout the more favoured provinces of India, which have been exempt from the fearful calamities which have laid waste this fair land, and efforts are accordingly being made to relieve the immediate wants of the unfortunate sufferers. Subscription lists have been opened in Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Scinde, and the Punjaub, ana contributions to the Relief Fund are rapidly accumulating, and will be forwarded to Calcutta and other parts, and applied to the humane purpose for which they have been collected. In Bombay, all classes have joined in the demonstration, and the natives seem to vie with their European brethren in subscribing towards this object. We have no doubt that when the extent of suffering caused by these mutinies becomes generally known in England the same spirit will animate the British public, who will generously come forward to assist their unfortunate countrymen and bereaved countrywomen.