"The gibbet is, I must acknowledge, a standing institution among us at present. There it stands immediately in front of the flagstaff, with three ropes always attached to it, so that three may be executed at one time. Two additional gibbets were erected, with three ropes to each, but they have been taken down. Scarcely a day passes without some poor wretches being hurled into eternity. It is horrible, very horrible! To think of it is enough to make one's blood run cold; but such is the state of things here that even fine delicate ladies may be heard expressing their joy at the vigour with which the miscreants are dealt with. The swiftness with which crime is followed by the severest punishment strikes the people with astonishment, it is so utterly foreign to all our modes of procedure, as known to them." Throughout Rohilcund, an extensive district of the north-west, which is bounded on the east by Oude and on the south by the Ganges, the insurrection spread like wild-fire, and the native regiments stationed at Bareilly, Shahjehanpoor, and Mooradabad, mutinied almost simultaneously. For some days at the latter end of May an ominous agitation had been going on at Bareilly, and it was thought prudent to send away the women and non-combatants to Nynee Tal, a place in the hills 74 miles off. Still the European officers of the native regiments trusted their men, and had no suspicion that an outbreak was immihent. But on the 31st of May, the 18th N.I., 68th N.I., and 8th Irregular Cavalry, rose in open mutiny. At 11 A.M. an artillery gun was fired, and a loud shout was heard in the native lines proclaiming the commencement of the revolt. The officers were fired upon by the Sepoys, and had to fly for their lives; but some of them fell mortally wounded. The cantonments were soon in a blaze, and every act of outrage was ruthlessly committed by the infuriated soldiers. Most of the Europeans, however, escaped, and made their way to Nynee Tal, which they reached after a terrible march in the blazing sun. It should be mentioned that a few of the Sepoys refused to join their comrades in the mutiny, and followed their officers in their flight to Nynee Tal. A man named Khan Bahadoor Khan, who had formerly acted as a Sudder Ameer, or native judge, in the East India Company's service, and who had retired upon a pension, now assumed the chief authority at Bareilly, and he caused strict search to be made for all Europeans, who, when they were found, were tried before him in mockery of the forms of justice, and condemned to death. Amongst others, two civil servants of the Company, Mr. Robertson and Mr. Raikes, who had been the judges of the Zillah court at Bareilly, were sentenced to be hanged, and their execution took place publicly in the principal square of the town. At Shajehanpoor, the Europeans were at church when the mutiny broke out, and for some time it was believed that they had been fired upon and murdered there; but this proved to be an exaggerated account of what had happened. The rebels were about to fire, when the Syces, or native servants, interfered and prevented them, and most of the Europeans were able to quit the station, and escape with their lives. At Mooradabad, the 29th N.I. remained firm, until the mutineers from Bareilly came up, when they yielded to the torrent, and joined the standard of revolt. But they did not attempt to injure their officers, whom they merely forced to leave the station, while they themselves seized the treasure and kept possession of the place. These different regiments soon afterwards made their way to Delhi, which was now the great focus and rallying point of the rebellion. By the end of June the native troops at the following stations had broken out into open mutiny:* *Meerut, Delhi, Ferozepore, Allyghur, Roorkee, Murdaun, Lucknow, Cawnpore, *Nusseerabad, *Neemuch, Benares, *Hansi, *Hissar, Jhansi, Mehidpore, Jullundur, Azimghur, Futteghur, Jaunpore, *Bareilly, Shabjehan poor, Allahabad. The following is a list of the native regiments which had either mutinied, or been disarmed at the end of June: 19th N.I., disbanded at Barrackpore, April 3; 7th Oude Irregulars, mutinied at Lucknow May 1; 34th N.I., seven companies, muti *The asterisks indicate the stations at which European women and children were massacred. nied at Lucknow, May 5; 3rd Light Cavalry, mutinied at Meerut, May 10; 11th N.I., mutinied at Meerut, May 10; 20th N.I., mutinied at Meerut, May 10; 38th N.I., mutinied at Delhi, May 11; 54th N.I., mutinied at Delhi, May 11; 74th N.I., mutinied at Delhi, May 11; 3rd Company, 7th Battalion of Artillery, mutinied at Delhi, May 11; the Sappers and Miners, about half the corps, mutinied at Meerut, May 13; 45th N.I., mutinied at Ferozepore, May 13; 57th N.I., mutinied at Ferozepore, May 13; the Sappers and Miners (300 men), mutinied at Roorkee May 18; 9th N.I., mutinied at Allyghur and Mynpooree, May 23; 5th N.I., mutinied at Umballah; 55th N.I., mutinied at Murdaun, May 25; 44th N.I., mutinied at Agra and Muttra, May 31; 3rd N.I., mutinied at Phillour, May 12; 7th Light Cavalry, mutinied at Lucknow (two troops), May 31; 13th N.I. (part only), mutinied at Lucknow, May 31; 48th N.I., mutinied at Lucknow, May 31; 71st N.I., mutinied at Lucknow, May 31; 15th N.I., mutinied at Nusseerabad, May 29; 30th N.I., mutinied at Nusseerabad, May 29; 30th N.I., mutinied at Nusseerabad, May 4; 30th Company of Gwalior Artillery, mutinied at Nusseerabad, May 29; 4th Company of Artillery, (Gwalior Contingent), mutinied at Neemuch, June 3; 72nd (Gwalior Contingent), mutinied at Neemuch, June 3; 7th Gwalior Infantry, mutinied at Neemuch, June 3; 1st Gwalior Cavalry, mutinied at Neemuch, June 3; 24th N.I. disarmed at Peshawur, May 22; 27th N.I., disarmed at Peshawur, May 22; 51st N.I., disarmed at Peshawur, May 22; 5th Light Cavalry, disarmed at Peshawur, May 22; 16th N.I., disarmed at Meean Meer, May 14; 26th N.I. disarmed at Meean Meer, May 14; 40th N.I., disarmed at Meean Meer, May 14; 8th Light Cavalry, disarmed at Meean Meer, June 3; 64th N.I., disarmed at Aboozaie, June 3; 5th Light Cavalry, disarmed at Aboozaie, June 3; 21st N.I., disarmed at Peshawur, May 22; 37th N.I., mutinied at Benares, June 4; the Loodianah Regiment, mutinied at Benares, June 4; the Hurreeanah Light Infantry, mutinied at Hansi; 4th Irregular Cavalry, mutinied at Hansi; 13th Irregular Cavalry, mutinied at Benares, June 4; the Malwah Contingent, mutinied at Mehidpore; 1st Nizam's Cavalry, mutinied at Aurungabad, June 16; the Body Guard, 1000 men, Gwalior Contingent, mutinied near Delhi; 6th N.I., mutinied at Allahabad, June 4; 29th N.I., mutinied at Jullundur, June 8; 61st N.I., mutinied at Jullundur, June 8; 7th Light Cavalry, mutinied at Jullundur, June 8; 17th N.I., mutinied at Azimghur, June 3; 25th N.I., disarmed at Calcutta, June 14; 43rd N.I., disarmed at Calcutta, June 14; 51st N.I., disarmed at Barrackpore, June 14; 50th, N.I., disarmed at Barrackpore, June 14; 2nd Grenadiers N.I., disarmed at Barrackpore, June 14;70th N.I., disarmed at Barrackpore June 14; 12th N.I. (left wing), mutinied at Jhansi, June 5; 14th Irregular Infantry, mutinied at Jhansi, June 5; 14 N.I., disarmed at Mooltan; 55th N.I., disarmed at Mooltan; the Nagpore Irregular Cavalry, disarmed at Nagpore, June 14; 2nd Irregulars, mutinied at Jaunpore; 18th N.I., mutinied at Bareilly, June 2; 68th N.I., mutinied at Bareilly, June 2; 8th Irregular Cavalry, mutinied at Bareilly, June 2; 6th Company of Artillery, mutinied at Bareilly, June 2; 60th N.I., mutinied before Delhi, June 13; 28th N.I., mutinied at Shahjehanpoor, June 8; the 1st N.I., mutinied at Cawnpore; 53rd N.I., mutinied at Cawnpore; 56th N.I., mutinied at Cawnpore; 2nd Light Cavalry, mutinied at Cawnpore; two Companies Artillery, mutinied at Cawnpore; the Gwalior Contingent, mutinied at Gwalior and Sepree. CHAPTER XII. INDIA. HISTORY OF THE MUTINY CONTINUED.-State of the PunjabDisarming of Native regiments at Meean Meer-Proclamation by Sir John Lawrence-Assistance rendered by the Rajahs of Putteeala and Theend-Active measures of precaution taken in the Peshawur valley -Rallying of the Sikhs to our aid-Mutiny at Jhelum-Events at Rawal Pindee, Jullundur, and Sealkote-Defeat and destruction of the Sealkote mutineers-Mutiny at Nusseerabad and Neemuch— Revolt of the Contingents-Events at Gwalior, Saugor, Indore and Mhow-Outbreak of the mutiny at Agra-Victory over the rebels at Agra-Mutiny at Dinapore-Gallant conduct of Europeans at Arrah -Unfortunate result of Expedition to relieve the Garrison at Arrah -Defeat of the Insurgents by Major Eyre-Outbreak of Insurrection in Oude-Events at Sectapore and Fyzabad-Commencement of the Mutiny at Lucknow - Precautions taken by Sir Henry Lawrence Disaster at Chinnahut Commencement of the Siege of Lucknow. ET us now turn to the Punjab, Lfrom which only a few years our sway in India. ago issued the bands of armed warriors prepared to dispute with us the possession of the soil of India, whose invasion we repelled, whose power we shattered, and whose country we annexed to our dominions in the East. The Sikh soldiery no longer existed as an army. Some of them had taken service under their conquerors, and were brigaded with Sepoy regiments in different parts of the north of India. The rest had returned to the general mass of the population, and were employed in peaceful occupations, but had not forgotten their warlike habits and military training. It became, therefore, a most anxious question what attitude the Punjab would assume as the conflagration of mutiny spread far and wide, and threatened utter destruction to Would the Sikhs seize the opportunity to revenge themselves upon us for their former overthrow, and, combining with the Sepoys, sweep the Feringhees from the face of the soil, leaving to a future day the adjustment of their rival claims to the territory, thus freed from the footstep of the foreigner? It was indeed a contingency by no means improbable, and had the Punjab population turned against us, it seems all but certain that, for a time at all events, the British force in northern India must have been overwhelmed and our empire have been temporarily lost. But so far from being a source of weakness, the Punjab proved our chief tower of strength; and thanks to the brave and able men who administered that province, we were able to draw from it our principal support in the hour of our greatest peril. When the tidings of the mutiny at Meerut and Delhi reached Lahore on the 12th of May, Sir John Lawrence, the Chief Commissioner of the Punjab, was absent at Rawal Pindee. The military cantonment was at Meean Meer, six miles from Lahore, and here were stationed four native regiments, three of infantry and one of cavalry, with H.M.'s 81st Regiment and some artillery. In the absence of Sir John Lawrence, the Judicial Commissioner, Mr. Montgomery, hastened to Meean Meer and concerted with Brigadier Corbett, who commanded the troops there, instant and decisive measures. It was soon discovered that there was already formed a deep-laid plot on the part of the Sepoys to seize the fort at Lahore, break open the jail, and massacre all the Europeans. It so happened that a ball to the officers of H.M.'s 81st Regiment was to be given that evening by the residents at Lahore, and the authorities thought it better, in order to prevent any suspicion that the conspiracy was discovered, to allow the ball to take place. Next morning the whole of the troops were assembled on parade ostensibly for the purpose of hear ing a general order read-but really for the purpose of disarming the Sepoys. In front of the native regiments, amounting to about 2500 men, the five companies of the Queen's 81st were drawn up with artillery in their rear, and after a short address read by the adjutant of the 26th N.I., explanatory of the reasons for taking this step, the Sepoys At were ordered to pile arms. first there were signs of wavering, but the order to load was given to the 81st. The port-fires of the artillery were seen burning ready for an instant discharge of grape, and slowly and sullenly the native troops gave up their arms, and the great and imminent peril was at an end. The fort at Lahore was also secured, and every precaution was taken that prudence and forethought could suggest. On the 1st of June Sir John Lawrence issued the following spirit-stirring proclamation to "the Hindostanee soldiers of the Bengal army" in the Punjab : "Sepoys-You will have heard that many Sepoys and Sowars of the Bengal army have proved faithless to their salt at Meerut, at Delhi, and at Ferozepore. Many at the latter place have been already punished. An army has been assembled, and is now close to Delhi, prepared to punish the mutineers and insurgents who have collected there. Sepoys-I warn and advise you to prove faithful to your salt-faithful to the Government who have given your forefathers and you service for the last 100 years. Faithful to that Government who, both in cantonments and in the field, has been careful of your welfare and interests, and who, in your old age, has given you the means of living comfortably in your homes. Those who have studied history know well that no army has ever been more kindly treated than that of India. Those regiments which now remain faithful will receive the rewards due to their constancy. Those soldiers who fall away now, will lose their service for ever. It will be too late to lament hereafter, when the |