A million mutinies now

BOOK EXTRACT

The Penguin 1857 Reader has been put together from a variety of documents from different sources on the 1857 "uprising".

The book, along with a clutch of other books on that momentous year, are out this month, in time to celebrate its centenary. The editor of this reader, Pramod K Nayar, writes in the introduction: "The texts indicate the range of emotions of people trapped within events over which quite often they had no control."

REV. A. MEDLAND, missionary of the Church Missionary Society, Meerut, dated 16 May 1857, in M.A. Sherring, The Indian Church during the Great Rebellion:

Whilst I was performing service in our mission chapel on Sunday evening, I heard a great noise, shouting and yelling, accompanied by an occasional fire of musketry.

At the conclusion of the prayers, I inquired into the cause, and was informed that the sepoys were fighting in their own lines. Apprehending no danger, as the lines were at some distance, I commenced my sermon, but had not proceeded far, when a man rushed in and informed that the sepoys were advancing upon us, and murdering all the Europeans they could lay their hands on.

Mr Parsons, our catechist, quickly followed, confirming his statement. I at once dismissed the congregation, and, at his suggestion, drove off in a direction opposite my house.

By this time huge masses of smoke were ascending in various directions, and, shortly after, we passed the European troops marching to the scene of the disturbance.

Being assured that danger was imminent, we proceeded to seek shelter in the house of a friend. Ere we could enter his compound, we heard a savage yell behind us, and an empty buggy passed, the owner of which, we since heard, was massacred on the spot, and a gentleman who accompanied him was very dangerously wounded.

We however, were mercifully permitted to enter our friend's house in safety, where we remained until escorted by some officers to a place of greater security. The night was spent in a state of fearful suspense, whilst the illuminated sky, and the distant firing, proclaimed that the work of destruction and carnage was proceeding ...

On Monday, my servants came and informed me that a large crowd of natives from the city, probably a thousand, came to my house on the preceding evening, inquiring for Mrs Medland and myself, and threating to cut us to pieces.

Finding, however, that we were not in the house, they instituted a diligent search throughout the compound, but, failing in their object, they deliberately set fire to the house and adjoining premises.

The whole of the property was either burned or stolen, and, with the exception of a few articles of wearing apparel, which had been thrown into the compound, we have nothing left save the clothes we have on ...

We are living in a state of continual excitement and when the intelligence of the Delhi massacre was received, and it was generally supposed that the insurgent troops would return here, the faces of many 'gathered blackness', and many "" I may say all "" began to prepare for the worst...

18th May "" Since writing the preceding, the Sappers and Miners have arrived from Roorkee. On Saturday afternoon, one of them deliberately shot his commanding officer, and all the men who were in the barracks at the time "" about four hundred "" fled into the open country. They were quickly pursued, and about fifty killed.

The missionaries and native Christians at Delhi are, I believe, killed. All our Christians are in safety, and have returned to the mission compound ...

"" (Rev. Medland in Sherring, 1859: 25-28)

The Penguin 1857 Reader

Edited by Pramod K Nayar
PAGES: 339
PRICE: Rs 295