The first big step towards freedom

Uneasy calm prevailed at Umballa (now Ambala) in the events leading up to May 10, 1857. The 'sedition' was palpable. Detachments from regiments in the North Western Provinces had gathered to practice with the Enfield rifle. However, sepoys had informed officers that they feared exclusion from their caste owing to the 'adulterated grease' in the cartridges.

George Carnac Barnes, the then Commissioner and Superintendent, Cis-Sutlej States, in his report on the 1857 'mutiny' said, “A change in the shape of a turban had led, in 1806, to the mutiny and massacre of Europeans at Vellore; and there can be no doubt that the danger to their caste, supposed to be hidden in the obnoxious cartridge, was sufficient cause, in the existing temper of the sepoys, to incite a revolt.”

According to Barnes, “Sedition was spread from corps to corps by letters and fanatical mendicants, and organised by secret deliberations, until at last a general spirit of disaffection pervaded all ranks of the Native Army and wanted only a pretext to explode into open rebellion.”

Rs 1,000 reward, but no takers

The incendiary fires began on March 26 at Umballa, when an attempt was made to fire the house of Subedar Hurbuns Singh of 36th Native Infantry. The incidents continued till May 1. In total, there were 13 fire incidents.

Even a Rs 1,000 reward, with the sanction of the Judicial Commissioner for Punjab, failed to identify the culprits.

European barracks were burnt down, a police station was set on fire, and, from time to time, flames mysteriously but determinedly broke out, despite the vigilance of Captain Howard and his police, observed T.D. Forsyth, the then Deputy Commissioner of Umballa, in his report.

General Sir H Barnard, who had reached Umballa in April, instituted inquiries among native soldiers. A Sikh sepoy, Sham Singh, informed them that Muslims and Hindus were united in resisting tampering with their religion. On May 7 and May 8, it was reported that the following week would see bloodshed in Delhi and Umballa, and that a general mutiny would occur. However, commanding officers dismissed the warnings.

Umballa regiment up in arms

Hours before the bloody revolt at Meerut on May 10, 5th and 60th regiments of Native Infantry at Umballa took up arms early that morning. The Subedar was summoned and ordered to dismiss his men, but he did not comply and kept them armed throughout the day. “It was too plain that he had acted on a concerted plan, which, if carried out, would have caused the loss of our treasury," said Forsyth.

However, General Barnard managed to pacify the troops, who then returned to their lines. The next day, he addressed the native regiments and assured them that if they behaved well, their misconduct would be overlooked.

By May 11 and May 12, news of the mutiny at Meerut and further mutineers reaching Delhi arrived at Umballa. “This was shortly followed by the appalling announcement of a general massacre of all the Christian inhabitants of Delhi,” reported Forsyth.

Tensions in Umballa were escalating, and more forces were deemed necessary to control the sepoys. The Maharajah of Putteeala (now Patiala) and the Rajas of Nabha and Jind were summoned for assistance.

On May 13, the Putteeala king arrived with a force of 1,000 men and was assigned to protect Thanesar and Ludhiana. "The Rajah in a moment broke up his camp and started for that place, thus displaying, from the very outset, that alacrity and devotion to our cause," said Forsyth.

The Raja of Jind was sent to Karnal with his forces. The Raja of Nabha and the Nawab of Malerkotla were requested to march to Ludhiana, and the Raja of Faridkot was asked to place himself under the orders of the Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur.

All points of the main road (GT Road) were secured. The next objective was to secure the treasuries. Local jaghirdaars were placed at the disposal of district officers, and deployed to thanas and tehsils.

However, the "Rangurhs" of Panipat and Hisar were in rebellion. As the Gujjars revolted in Saharanpur, two companies were sent to Jagadhri.

The king of Nalagarh tried to exploit the unrest in Shimla and foment disturbance, so two companies were sent to Ropar, but they mutinied.

'Mutineers' blown in front of Artillery

According to Barnes’ account, 20 mutineers from 45th and 57th regiments, who had escaped from the Ferozepur cantonment, were tried by him at Umballa and he sentenced them to death. They were “blown away from guns at a general parade of all the troops at the station; their executioners were the Native Artillerymen.”

Some 100 soldiers were captured in a fort of Maharaja of Putteeala, but his Dewan released them by mistake. Barnes said, “There was a general unwillingness (from which I believe the Maharaja himself was not exempt) to surrender mutineers to the fate that awaited them.”

A message was received at Umballa on June 7 that the Jalandhar brigade had mutinied and was approaching the Sutlej. Villages in Assandh also mutinied and attacked police stations.

On September 1, 5th and 60th Native Infantry were formally disbanded at Umballa. Some sepoys tried to escape but were dealt with by the Europeans. “They were ordered into the Umballa gaol; on being paraded for the purpose, a voice from the ranks called out, ‘fly’, and they instantly broke and fled. The Europeans fired and pursued them. In ten minutes, 135 were killed, 33 were made prisoners, and the rest, about 30 men, made good their escape," Barnes stated.

“Had the Ambala troops succeeded like those at Meerut, the British would have found their work of a century undone overnight,” KC Yadav says in ‘Revolt of 1857 in Haryana’.

Telegram dispatches

This morning the 60th and 5th Regiments were in an excited state and under arms on their parade ground. Cavalry and Artillery ordered out, but no actual row. The guard over one treasury turned out under arms and were in an excited state. I ordered the Police Corps to be in readiness and in their own lines. I have consulted with the General, who has sent an officer of the 5th to the Treasury Guard to dismiss the men to their lines, if necessary. The General will not give any orders without your sanction. This step will not, I think, be necessary unless some further disturbance takes place. (From Umballa to Rawulpindee; from—Deputy Commissioner to Sir John Lawrence, Chief Commissioner, Punjab; Lahore: May 10, 1857)

'Ensure European officers present'

I have received your message. If the General wishes that a detachment of the Police Battalion should take charge of the Treasury, I agree. You can arrange accordingly with the Commandant. But unless the Regular Guard is considered untrustworthy, I suggest that they be not relieved. To do so is to distrust them, and perhaps bring on a collision which might be avoided. If the Regulars be relieved, European officers should be present. It will be a delicate matter, and will demand much careful and prudent management. (From—Rawulpindee To Umballa; from— Sir John Lawrence, Chief Commissioner, Punjab, to T. D. Forsyth, Deputy Commissioner; May 11, 1857)

'Leave… all bungalows burnt down'

‘We must leave office. All the bungalows are burnt down by the sepoys from Meerut. They came in this morning. We are off: don’t roll to-day. Mr. C. Todd is dead I think. He went out this morning and has not returned yet. We heard that nine Europeans were killed. Good-bye.’ (Sd. H. W . B A R N A R D , Major-General; This message was sent across all stations from Umballa; Copy of a telegraphic message received this afternoon at the Umballa office from the office at Delhi; May 11, 1857)

'Cantonment in state of siege'

Cantonment in a state of siege. Mutineers from Meerut, 3rd Light Cavalry: number not known, said to be one hundred and fifty men: cut off communication with Meerut: taken possession of the bridge-of-boats. 54th Native Infantry sent against them, but would not act. Several officers killed and wounded. City in a state of considerable excitement. Troops sent down, but nothing certain yet. Further information will be forwarded. Copy to be sent to Brigadier in Command. (Message from Delhi; From Brigadier Graves Commanding at Delhi to Brigadier Commanding at Umballa; May 11, 1857)

'Native troops in open mutiny'

Meerut 12 p.m., 11th May. Native Troops in open mutiny. Cantonments south of Mall burnt. Several European officers killed. European Troops under arms defending barracks, Electric telegraph wire cut. (Sd.) J. Waterfield, Major, Deputy Adjutant-General; From Umballa to Jullunder, Lahore, Rawulpindee, Ferozepur, Sialkote and Peshawur; From Brigadier Major to Officers Commanding respectively; May 11, 1857)

'Massacre of Christians'

A General massacre of all Christian population has taken place at Delhi, All communication cut off between this and Delhi. Telegraph cut. The magazine taken possession of by the mutineers. Names— Simon Fraser, Douglas, Beresford, Colonel Ripley, Nixon, Davis, Reveley, together with many others murdered. It is absolutely necessary that, we have immediate aid here, having all Native Troops on the eve of outbreak here. I have called the Putteala Raja to his frontiers, and he will be close to Umballa tomorrow morning with I hope one thousand men. We shall require his men to protect Thanesur at once. Troops are coming down from Kussowlie. The Commissioner has not come yet. What orders? (From Umballa to Lahore; From Deputy Commissioner to Colonel Macpherson, Military Secretary; May 12, 1857)

Rebellious Regiments

According to R Montgomery, the then judicial Commissioner for Punjab, the following regiments revolted in Punjab during the siege of Delhi.

May 14: A large portion of 45th and 57th Native Infantry; Ferozepur

May 21: 55th Native Infantry; Hotee Murdan

June 7: 6th Light Cavalry, 36th and 61st Native Infantry; Jalandhar

June 8: 3rd Native Infantry; Phillaur

July 7: A part of 14th Native Infantry; Jhelum

July 9: Wing of 9th Light Cavalry and 46th Native Infantry; Sialkote

July 14: Part of 5th Native Infantry; Thanesar

July 30: 26th Native Infantry; Lahore

August 19: 10th Light Cavalry; Ferozepur

August 28: 51st Native Infantry; Peshawar

September 30: Remnants of 5th and 60th Native Infantry; Umballa

Montgomery stated that the most serious mutiny was at Sialkot, where men set ablaze the DC's offices and records, and set free prisoners. Villagers in the neighbourhood of the station plundered it. Nineteen soldiers were executed, 141 shot, and 11 imprisoned.

The doomed men

Report of DC Amritsar, FH Cooper

'After the mutiny of 26th Native Infantry on July 30, six soldiers were blown away by the Commanding Officer of the station, 285 were executed, 35 were counted as drowned and 150 were killed by the police in punishments. Of the 285 executed, 232 were shot dead. In his book, ‘The Crisis in the Punjab: From the 10th of May Until the Fall of Delhi’, Cooper wrote, “Ten by ten the sepoys were called forth. Their names having been taken down in succession, they were pinioned, linked together, and marched to execution; a firing-party being in readiness. Every phase of deportment was manifested by the doomed men, after the sullen firing of volleys of distant musketry forced the conviction of inevitable death: astonishment, rage, frantic despair, the most stoic calmness....'

Mirza Ghalib’s diary

Celebrated Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib maintained a diary of events, entitled ‘Dastambo’, from May 11, when mutineers arrived from Meerut, to September 20, when the British recaptured Delhi. Describing the event of the entry of Meerut mutineers in Delhi, he noted, “Some of the malicious Sowars… from Meerut entered the city, all of them composed but vociferous and in their eagerness to kill their masters, thirsting for the blood of the English. The watchmen of the city gates…who had full knowledge of the secret plot (literally ‘fellow oathtakers’ ‘ham-sogand’)…welcomed these uninvited or (maybe) invited guests…(in any case) the Sowars…found the sentries hospitable…”