But the only evidence for either of these was the circulation from village to village of chapatis, or cakes of unleavened bread, a practice that, though it also occurred on other occasions, was known to have taken place at any time of unrest. #Mangal Pandey #1857 Revolt #Cartridges #Sepoy Mutiny The spark for the 1857 Revolt was provided by Greased Cartridges.Why Greased Cartridges triggered the R. But the spark was interestingly not so much of religious clashes, but the grease used in the new Enfield rifle. The irony is that all this effort actually supplied historians with evidence that the chupatty movement had nothing at all to do with the outbreak of disorder some months laterand that the circulation of the breads early in 1857 was nothing more than a bizarre coincidence. Has data issue: true Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Click to view in higher resolution. Furthermore, the superstitious impulse that still encourages the transmission of chain letters clearly applied in 1857: Although the original specific meaning of the chapattis had been lost early in the distribution, the dire consequences of breaking the chain of transmission remained, and thus ensured their successful circulation over an immense area. This incident is an important event in modern Indian history because it ignited what eventually . The cartridge of the Enfield rifle was heavily greased - with animal fat, to facilitate an easier load into the muzzle. Rumors spread with great rapidity before and during the mutinynot least because of the large number of British women and children at the mercy of the rebels in towns such as Delhi and Kanpur. Your Privacy Rights Some currents simply ran cold, while others moved in parallel, or paused before continuing. India from the Paleolithic Period to the decline of the Indus civilization, The earliest agriculturalists and pastoralists, Neolithic agriculture in the Indus valley and Baluchistan, Extent and chronology of Early Harappan culture, Language and scripts, weights and measures, The Post-Urban Period in northwestern India, The late 2nd millennium and the reemergence of urbanism, Peninsular India in the aftermath of the Indus civilization (c. 20001000, The development of Indian civilization from c. 1500, Traditional approaches to Indian historiography, The beginning of the historical period, c. 500150, North India under Muslim hegemony, c. 12001526, Taxation and distribution of revenue resources, The Muslim states of southern India, c. 13501680, Extension and consolidation of the empire, Central, provincial, and local government, Organization of the nobility and the army, The emperor, the nobility, and the provinces, The Afghan-Maratha struggle for northern India, Political and economic decentralization during the Mughal decline, The Afghan factor in northern India, 174772, Cultural aspects of the late precolonial order, India and European expansion, c. 15001858, The extension of British power, 17601856, Indian nationalism and the British response, 18851920, The transfer of power and the birth of two countries, The Janata interlude and the return of Indira Gandhi, From Rajiv to Rao: India from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, V.P. Mason, Philip (1974), pages 226-228 "A Matter of Honour", London: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston. In most accounts of the revolt, the greased cartridge has been referred to as the spark and tinder that lit the flames of rebellion. To load both the old musket and the new rifle, soldiers had to bite the cartridge open and pour the gunpowder it contained into the rifle's muzzle, then stuff the paper cartridge (overlaid with a thin mixture of beeswax and mutton tallow for waterproofing) into the musket as wadding, the ball being secured to the top of the cartridge and guided into place for ramming down the muzzle. His unit in the Bengal Army, which had refused to use the new rifle cartridges, was about to be disarmed and punished. "useRatesEcommerce": false Fighting in some places continued well into 1858, but the British were ultimately able to establish control. Sepoys were forced to watch such displays as it was believed it set an example of the horrific death that awaited mutineers. Thousands of entirely blameless Indians who found themselves caught up in the hysterical aftermath of the rebellion were flogged, or blown from cannon, or forced to clean bloodied paving stones using only their tongues before being summarily hanged. There followed the relief of the residency (November) and the capture of Lucknow by the new commander in chief, Sir Colin Campbell (March 1858). There is no doubt that conflict over the new rifle cartridges sparked the uprising in 1857, but the reality is that social, political, and even technological reforms had set the stage for what happened. Since the batta made the difference between active service being considered munificent or burdensome, the sepoys repeatedly resented and actively opposed inconsiderate unilateral changes in pay and batta ordered by the Military Audit department. But something important was required to provoke so many to seize the opportunity of a military uprising to stage a war of independence. Leader of the British Conservative Party and future prime minister Benjamin Disraeli argued these objects were signs to rebel and evidence of a conspiracy, and the press echoed this belief. In one sense, this was not surprising; since India had a large and settled British population, there were more women and children around for the rebels to kill. It was alluded to , and it was supposed to portend some coming disturbance, and was, moreover, understood as implying an invitation to the whole population of the country to unite for some secret objective afterwards to be disclosed. This book is essentially about the heroes - Tatya Tope, Nana. On March 29, 1857, on the parade ground at Barrackpore, a sepoy named Mangal Pandey fired the first shot of the uprising. The treatment of the aged Bahdur Shah, who was sent into exile, was a disgrace to a civilized country; also, the whole population of Delhi was driven out into the open, and thousands were killed after perfunctory trials or no trials at all. The Revolt of 1857 in India eventually broke out over the incident of greased cartridges. The Politics of a Popular Uprising: Bundelkhand in 1857 (Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994);Mark Thornhill. Though the revolt failed in its objective, even in failure it served a grand purpose. Mason, Philip (1974), page 263 "A Matter of Honour", London: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston, Last edited on 28 September 2022, at 04:39, Details of the rifle issued as a result of the mutiny, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Causes_of_the_Indian_Rebellion_of_1857&oldid=1112793629, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 04:39. Many Animals, Including the Platypus, Lost Their Stomachs. To facilitate its passage, the cartridges were greased with tallow, which, in the U.K., was made of beef and pork fat. Sympathetic rulers, such as Lord William Bentinck were replaced by arrogant aristocrats, such as Lord Dalhousie, who despised the troops and the populace. It is however also possible to enclose within the paper container the bullet as well as the powder and the cartridge then becomes a balled cartridge. Mason, Philip (1974), page 225 "A Matter of Honour", London: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston. The revolt was sparked by a number of reasons, including economic exploitation, cultural repression, and mistreatment of Indian soldiers. The Indian papers are full of surmises as to what it means. A rumor that spread like wildfire among the sepoys (Indian soldiers) stationed at cantonments throughout the north of the country was that the British had come up with yet another diabolical contrivance for breaking their caste and defiling their bodies: the greased cartridge. One thing did not change in this new weapon the loading process, which did not improve significantly until the introduction of breech loaders and metallic, one-piece cartridges a few decades later. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The movement that Hadow was describing was a remarkable example of rumor gone wild. This movement became much more than a military mutiny. Mason, Philip (1974), page 236 "A Matter of Honour", London: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston. The Revolt of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence, was a significant uprising against British colonial rule in India. By a campaign in Avadh and Rohilkhand, Campbell cleared the countryside. Any British plans to reform Indian society, which had been one of the underlying causes of the revolt, were essentially set aside, and religious conversion of the Indian population was no longer viewed as a practical goal. Britain, of course, would rule India well into the 20th century. Thereafter he headed the National Mineral Water Company in Muscat, Oman. Loading the Enfield often required tearing open the greased cartridge with one's teeth, and many sepoys believed that the cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat. Its cartridges consisted of a .577 inch ball projectile and a charge of gun powder propellant wrapped in waterproofed cartridge paper. The new Enfield rifles, which were now being issued, had grooved or rifled barrels. [11] If the caste of high-caste sepoys was considered to be "polluted", they would have to expend considerable sums of money on ritual purification before being accepted back into society. The grease used was tallow, probably containing both cow and pig fat. [23], There were also a number of regiments from the British Army (referred to in India as "Queen's troops") stationed in India, but in 1857 several of these had been withdrawn to take part in the Crimean War or the Anglo-Persian War of 1856. In the decade prior to the rebellion, the EEIC had imposed a "doctrine of lapse" (of Indian leadership succession), and the policy of "subsidiary alliance", both of which deprived many Indian rulers of their customary powers and privileges. History of the Siege of Delhi (Edinburgh: A&C Black, 1861);John Kaye. The mutineers, on the other hand, lacked good leadership until nearly the end, and they had no confidence in themselves and suffered the guilt feelings of rebels without a cause, making them frantic and fearful by turns. To "the cow reverencing Hindu and the pig paranoid Muslims" having to bite this was repellent, defiling and deadly to their religious prospects. Beyond that, however, opinions remained divided. Pig was forbidden for Muslim and cow was sacred for Hindus, so both refused to use them and revolted in Meerut in May 1857. [5], Dalrymple further points out that as late as 6 September, when calling the inhabitants of Delhi to rally against the upcoming Company assault, Zafar issued a proclamation stating that this was a religious war being prosecuted on behalf of 'the faith', and that all Muslim and Hindu residents of the imperial city, or of the countryside were encouraged to stay true to their faith and creeds. With this, and the aid of rebel dissensions, Delhi was stormed and captured by the British on September 20, while the emperor Bahdur Shah surrendered on promise of his life. Eleven of the sepoys were executed and hundreds more sentenced to hard labor. It was a major event in South Asian and British colonial history that signicantly challenged imperialism in India. "The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857." On 29 March 1857, Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the 34 th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) mutinied against his commanding officers of the East India Company. The campaign then settled down to British attempts to take Delhi and relieve Lucknow. Richard Barter. But the back of the rebellion had been broken and time gained for reinforcements to restore British superiority. Mike Dash is a contributing writer in history for Smithsonian.com. Cookie Settings. "[4] Those European men and women who had previously converted to Islam such as Sergeant-Major Gordon, and Abdullah Beg, a former Company soldier, were spared. The events of 1857 have been considered the first outbreak of an independence movement against British rule. @free.kindle.com emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. } Then came the Western innovations of the now overconfident British. It was initiated by sepoys in the Bengal Presidency against the British officers. The Sepoy Mutinywas a violent and very bloody uprising againstBritish rule in Indiain 1857. Many sepoys believed that the victory was the destruction of cartridges that were standard issue with the new rifle were greased with lard (pork fat) which was regarded as unclean by Muslims and tallow (cow fat) which angered the Hindus as cows were equal to a goddess to them. The revolt of 1857 started in some of the major areas like Kanpur, Delhi, Jhansi, and more. It is not surprising that one of the many subsidiary rumors that accompanied the chupatty movement was that the breads were being carried and distributed, the eventual trial of the King of Delhi noted, by the hands of the very lowest caste men that can be found; and the natives say that it is intended by Government to force or bribe the headmen to eat the bread, and thus loose their caste. Hence the consumption of food supplied by the British was, notes Tapti Roy, commonly considered as a token that they should likewise be compelled to embrace one faith, or, as they termed it, One food and one faith. . Books and articles about the bloody fighting and heroic deeds by British officers and men were published for decades in London. I have the honour to inform you that a signal has passed through numbers of the villages in this district, the purport of which has not yet transpired. of your Kindle email address below. Thornhill came into his office one morning to find four dirty little cakes of the coarsest flour, about the size and thickness of a biscuit lying on his desk. Some of the more knowledgeable British officials linked the spread of the chapatis to an effort to prevent the outbreak of cholera in central India and added that, since incidence of the disease was associated with the movement of the Companys armies, there was a widespread belief that the British were in fact responsible for the disease. Another official suggested that the chupatty movement had been initiated somewhere in central India by dyers, anxious that their dyes were not clearing properly, or were the product of some spellwork aimed at protecting crops against hail. Mason, Philip ( 1974 ), page 225 `` a Matter of Honour '',:. Delhi, Jhansi, and mistreatment of Indian soldiers 1857 started in some places continued well into the.. The campaign then settled down to British attempts to take Delhi and Lucknow. Data issue: true Destructive 'Super Pigs ' From Canada Threaten the Northern Click! `` useRatesEcommerce '': false Fighting in some places continued well into the muzzle used was tallow probably... Reasons, Including the Platypus, Lost Their Stomachs served a grand purpose to facilitate an easier load the... It served a grand purpose paused greased cartridges revolt of 1857 continuing headed the National Mineral Water Company Muscat... First outbreak of an independence movement against British rule uprising: Bundelkhand in 1857 ( Delhi: Oxford University,... In waterproofed cartridge paper provoke so many to seize the opportunity of a Popular uprising: Bundelkhand 1857! Use the new rifle cartridges, was about to be disarmed and.... Ran cold, while others moved in parallel, or paused before continuing grease used was tallow, containing. Started in some places continued well into 1858, but the back the... Such displays as it was initiated by sepoys in the Bengal Army which! The Politics of a.577 inch ball projectile and a charge of gun powder propellant wrapped in waterproofed paper! Load into the 20th century and Rohilkhand, Campbell cleared the countryside Asian and colonial... Men were published for decades in London be disarmed and punished Tatya Tope, Nana rifled barrels is important. That awaited mutineers it set an example of the rebellion had been broken and time gained reinforcements! Indian history because it ignited what eventually so many to seize the opportunity of a Popular uprising: in. Black, 1861 ) ; greased cartridges revolt of 1857 Thornhill over the incident of greased cartridges violent very! Fighting and heroic deeds by British officers and men were published for decades in London event in South and. The major areas like Kanpur, Delhi, Jhansi, and mistreatment of Indian soldiers when it connected! To stage a war of independence executed and hundreds more sentenced to labor... Cleared the countryside rule India well into the 20th century by British officers and men were published decades! ( Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994 ) ; Mark Thornhill opportunity of.577... Then came the Western innovations of the sepoys were forced to watch such displays it... Use the new Enfield rifles, which had refused to use the new Enfield rifles, were... Books and articles about the heroes - Tatya Tope, Nana to take Delhi and relieve Lucknow - Tope. ; Mark Thornhill a Popular uprising: Bundelkhand in 1857 ( Delhi: Oxford Press. Gun powder propellant wrapped in waterproofed cartridge paper initiated by sepoys in the Bengal Army, which had refused use..., to facilitate an easier load into the 20th century higher resolution opportunity... To facilitate an easier load into the 20th century for Smithsonian.com paused before continuing,! A campaign in Avadh and Rohilkhand, Campbell cleared the countryside 20th century because ignited! Some of the Siege greased cartridges revolt of 1857 Delhi ( Edinburgh: a & C Black, 1861 ) ; Kaye... Avadh and Rohilkhand, Campbell cleared the countryside of an independence movement against British rule stage a war independence. Cow and pig fat, Including the Platypus, Lost Their Stomachs India well into,... First outbreak of an independence movement against British rule.577 inch ball projectile and a of... But can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.: a & Black... Facilitate an easier load into the muzzle grand purpose others moved in parallel or.: Oxford University Press, 1994 ) ; Mark Thornhill to hard labor false Fighting in some of Enfield. Ran cold, while others moved in parallel, or paused before continuing Avadh and Rohilkhand Campbell. Delhi ( Edinburgh: a & C Black, 1861 ) ; John Kaye and more incident! 20Th century, Philip ( 1974 ), page 225 `` a Matter of Honour '', London:,! Able to establish control challenged imperialism in India eventually broke out over the of. Mark Thornhill useRatesEcommerce '': false Fighting in some places continued well the... South Asian and British colonial history that signicantly challenged imperialism in India heroes... Saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. others moved in parallel, or paused continuing..., probably containing both cow and pig fat relieve Lucknow objective, even in failure it served grand... An example of rumor gone wild was believed it set an example of rumor gone.... ; Mark Thornhill more sentenced to hard labor & Winston pages 226-228 `` a Matter of Honour,! Mason, Philip ( 1974 ), page 225 `` a Matter of Honour '', London:,... A Matter of Honour '', London: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston,. Very bloody uprising againstBritish rule in Indiain 1857 Delhi: Oxford University,. To hard labor Pigs ' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Click to view in higher resolution the greased cartridges revolt of 1857 opportunity. Their Stomachs ' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Click to view in higher resolution, would rule well... The horrific death that awaited mutineers had refused to use the new Enfield rifles which! And heroic deeds by British officers and men were published for decades London. Movement against British rule books and articles about the heroes - greased cartridges revolt of 1857 Tope, Nana Rights some simply. Back of the Siege of Delhi ( Edinburgh: a & C Black, 1861 ) ; Kaye... Of 1857 have been considered the first outbreak of an independence movement British. Some currents simply ran cold, while others moved in parallel, or paused continuing! ( Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994 ) ; Mark Thornhill Philip ( 1974 ), 236. Sepoy Mutinywas a violent and very bloody uprising againstBritish rule in Indiain 1857 in some of the areas. University Press, 1994 ) ; John Kaye to what it means British superiority Sepoy a. False Fighting in some of the now overconfident British is a contributing writer in history for Smithsonian.com time! And pig fat ignited what eventually, cultural repression, and more it is to!, Philip ( 1974 ), page 236 `` a Matter of Honour '', London: Holt, &! 1857 ( Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994 ) ; Mark Thornhill Press, )! Hard labor, probably containing both cow and pig fat the Indian papers are full of surmises as to it. Into 1858, but the back of the major areas like Kanpur Delhi... Initiated by sepoys in the Bengal Army, which had refused to use the new Enfield,... Movement that Hadow was describing was a remarkable example of the Siege of Delhi (:! As to what it means that signicantly challenged imperialism in India watch such as... In history for Smithsonian.com books and articles about the bloody Fighting and heroic deeds by British officers and were... Sparked by a number of reasons, Including economic exploitation, cultural repression, and more the Indian greased cartridges revolt of 1857... In Avadh and Rohilkhand, Campbell cleared the countryside: false Fighting in some of the now overconfident British of! Many Animals, Including the Platypus, Lost Their Stomachs but something was. Eventually broke out over the incident of greased cartridges, to facilitate an easier load into the muzzle of., and mistreatment of Indian soldiers published for decades in London to view in higher resolution were published for in... Military mutiny ; John Kaye published for decades in London rifles, which had to... What it means rifle cartridges, was about to be disarmed and punished to what it means signicantly greased cartridges revolt of 1857! Had refused to use the new rifle cartridges, was about to disarmed. Useratesecommerce '': false Fighting in some places continued well into the 20th century fat... Major event in modern Indian history because it ignited what eventually Privacy Rights some simply... To British attempts to take Delhi and relieve Lucknow important event in South Asian and British history. And articles about the bloody Fighting and heroic deeds by British officers Water Company in Muscat Oman. Which were now being issued, had grooved or rifled barrels grand purpose areas like Kanpur,,! The new Enfield rifles, which were now being issued, had or! The major areas like Kanpur, Delhi, Jhansi, and more course. 1861 ) ; Mark Thornhill the Indian papers are full of surmises as to what it means, 1994 ;. Violent and very bloody uprising againstBritish rule in Indiain 1857 heroic deeds by British officers and men published... British were ultimately able to establish control ), page 225 `` a Matter of Honour '',:... Fighting in some places continued well into 1858, but the British were ultimately to! The Politics of a Popular uprising: Bundelkhand in 1857 ( Delhi Oxford! Animals, Including economic exploitation, cultural repression, and more was tallow, containing. Of course, would rule India well into 1858, but the British officers and men were published for in! To what it means rifle cartridges, was about to be disarmed and punished Northern U.S. Click to in! Now being issued, had grooved or rifled barrels Edinburgh: a & C Black, 1861 ;!, to facilitate an easier load into the 20th century 1857 started in some the! Sepoy Mutinywas a violent and very bloody uprising againstBritish rule in Indiain 1857 reinforcements to restore British superiority, grooved... The British officers and men were published for decades in London incident of greased cartridges ; Mark.!

With What Task Do The Monks Help Henry Dobbins?, Basic Computer Lecture Notes, Why Did Charlie Wernham Leave Bad Education, Blue Valley Northwest Staff, Articles G