During the afternoon of 29th March 1857, a sepoy (a native soldier) of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (an Honourable East India Company regiment) – Mangal Pandey – tried to raise a mutiny amongst his fellow soldiers in Barrackpore. It is thought that he did so because of the growing unrest due to the introduction of a new type of bullet cartridge for the Enfield P-53 rifle. It was rumoured that the cartridge was greased with animal fat from cows and pigs, which could not be consumed by Hindus and Muslims respectively.
Sergeant-Major Hewson arrived on the scene and ordered the quarter-guard to restrain Mangal Pandey and arrest him. They were reluctant to do so, and before he could intervene himself, Lieutenant Baugh – the Adjutant of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry – rode up.
On hearing in the disturbance Mangal Pandey was causing, Lieutenant Baugh had ridden over to the Guard Room to bring the incident to an end. Mangal Pandey shot at the Lieutenant but missed him. The Lieutenant's horse was hit, and both were brought down. The Lieutenant got up and tried to shoot back at Pandey with his pistol ... but he missed, and before he could reload, Pandey slashed the Lieutenant with a heavy Indian sword (a talwar), cutting him about the shoulder and neck, and bringing him to the ground. Another sepoy – Shaikh Paltu – tried to intervene to stop the attack, but his efforts proved unsuccessful.
Hewson ran at Pandey, but was knocked to the ground by Pandey's rifle butt. Shaikh Paltu tried to defend the two Englishmen and shouted to other sepoys to come to his aid. They did not, and instead they began to throw stones at him. The loyal sepoy then pleaded for help from the quarter-guard, but they had turned belligerent and threatened to shoot Paltu if he did not let go of the Pandey. A struggle then ensued, during which the two British soldiers were able to get up and withdraw, and Paltu had to let Pandey go in order to escape further attacks from his fellow sepoys.
The local commanding officer – General Hearsey – then rode up with his two sons, both of whom were also officers. He drew his pistol and ordered the quarter-guard to seize Mangal Pandey. The General's threat to shoot anyone who disobeyed had the desired effect, and the quarter-guard moved towards Pandey. The latter then tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest with his rifle, but he failed and only wounded himself.
Pandey was tried for mutiny less than a week later, along with Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, who had commanded the quarter-guard, and who was accused of telling his soldiers not to arrest Mangal Pandey. (A jemadar was the lowest rank of Indian officer.) Both were found guilty, and Mangal Pandey was executed on 8th April. Ishwari Prasad was executed on 21st April, and on 6th May the 34th Bengal Native Infantry was disbanded in disgrace.
For his part in the affair, Shaikh Paltu was promoted to the rank of havildar (sergeant), but was murdered soon afterwards.
Mangal Pandey's actions – and his subsequent execution – soon became well-known throughout the Honourable East India Company's armies, and was one of the catalysts for the outbreak of mutinies that soon followed. The Great or Indian Mutiny resulted in the eventual replacement of the Honourable East India Company's rule of Indian by rule by a British Viceroy on behalf of the British government. After the Mutiny was crushed, the rump of the Honourable East India Company's armies was disbanded or absorbed into the new British Indian Army.
Within India, Mangal Pandey is thought of as one of the instigators of what is regarded by modern historians as India's First War of Independence. In 1984 a commemorative postage stamp was issued that bore his image, and the place where he attacked Lieutenant Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson is now a park wherein is a cenotaph bearing his name.
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Sergeant-Major Hewson arrived on the scene and ordered the quarter-guard to restrain Mangal Pandey and arrest him. They were reluctant to do so, and before he could intervene himself, Lieutenant Baugh – the Adjutant of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry – rode up.
On hearing in the disturbance Mangal Pandey was causing, Lieutenant Baugh had ridden over to the Guard Room to bring the incident to an end. Mangal Pandey shot at the Lieutenant but missed him. The Lieutenant's horse was hit, and both were brought down. The Lieutenant got up and tried to shoot back at Pandey with his pistol ... but he missed, and before he could reload, Pandey slashed the Lieutenant with a heavy Indian sword (a talwar), cutting him about the shoulder and neck, and bringing him to the ground. Another sepoy – Shaikh Paltu – tried to intervene to stop the attack, but his efforts proved unsuccessful.
Hewson ran at Pandey, but was knocked to the ground by Pandey's rifle butt. Shaikh Paltu tried to defend the two Englishmen and shouted to other sepoys to come to his aid. They did not, and instead they began to throw stones at him. The loyal sepoy then pleaded for help from the quarter-guard, but they had turned belligerent and threatened to shoot Paltu if he did not let go of the Pandey. A struggle then ensued, during which the two British soldiers were able to get up and withdraw, and Paltu had to let Pandey go in order to escape further attacks from his fellow sepoys.
The local commanding officer – General Hearsey – then rode up with his two sons, both of whom were also officers. He drew his pistol and ordered the quarter-guard to seize Mangal Pandey. The General's threat to shoot anyone who disobeyed had the desired effect, and the quarter-guard moved towards Pandey. The latter then tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest with his rifle, but he failed and only wounded himself.
Pandey was tried for mutiny less than a week later, along with Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, who had commanded the quarter-guard, and who was accused of telling his soldiers not to arrest Mangal Pandey. (A jemadar was the lowest rank of Indian officer.) Both were found guilty, and Mangal Pandey was executed on 8th April. Ishwari Prasad was executed on 21st April, and on 6th May the 34th Bengal Native Infantry was disbanded in disgrace.
For his part in the affair, Shaikh Paltu was promoted to the rank of havildar (sergeant), but was murdered soon afterwards.
Mangal Pandey's actions – and his subsequent execution – soon became well-known throughout the Honourable East India Company's armies, and was one of the catalysts for the outbreak of mutinies that soon followed. The Great or Indian Mutiny resulted in the eventual replacement of the Honourable East India Company's rule of Indian by rule by a British Viceroy on behalf of the British government. After the Mutiny was crushed, the rump of the Honourable East India Company's armies was disbanded or absorbed into the new British Indian Army.
Within India, Mangal Pandey is thought of as one of the instigators of what is regarded by modern historians as India's First War of Independence. In 1984 a commemorative postage stamp was issued that bore his image, and the place where he attacked Lieutenant Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson is now a park wherein is a cenotaph bearing his name.
Bob, I'm sure you know that's why British troops often referred to mutineers as 'Pandies', but thought I'd mention it for any readers who might not.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI wasn't sure whether or not to include that fact in my blog entry. Now you've included it in your comment, I don't think I need to now.
All the best,
Bob
Bob - In view of your recent postings in respect of colonial warfare, the thought occurs whether you will be planning to include such conflicts in your forthcoming volume on the same. The AWI is out of court, of course, although the War of 1812 might (just) qualify; but I was thinking more about the Bolivarian wars of independence in Latin America.
ReplyDeleteThe suspended (but ongoing) Gatonegro War of Independence is quite firmly based on such conflicts, for which I didn't even need to build new armies!
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo,
DeleteI do want to venture down to South America again someday, both to revisit the almost constant civil wars in Cordeguay and to fight the War of the Grand Chapo. But for the present, Colonial and World War II seem to be dominating my thoughts and plans. That said, I'm often prone to sudden changes of direction, so it may well be worth watching this space ...
All the best,
Bob
The South American Wars of Liberation could be covered by the smallest scale set of rules in the Napoleonics book. Most of the battles weren't that big by European standard - generally they were on a par with War of 1812 actions.
DeleteI think some tweaking of modifiers to cover the specifics would be required, but that would be it.
Kaptain Kobold,
DeleteI totally agree that the lowest level PNW rules would be ideal for re-fighting the South Anerican Wars of Liberation. It is a very tempting idea ...
All the best,
Bob