Rohilkhand, rebellion had been even more rampant and more successful. Although the troops in Rohilkhand rose in revolt a few days earlier than did those in the more northerly districts, the plan of the narrative, leading southwards to Kánhpúr and Lakhnao, renders it necessary that the latter should in the first instance be considered. I therefore propose to carry the reader with me to the districts known as Saháranpúr and Mozafarnagar, to descend thence through Rohilkhand to Fathgarh. BOOK VIII. Chapter VI. 1857. June. The station of Saharanpúr was, before the Saharanpúr. mutiny, essentially a civil station. It was situated on the bank of a small stream, about two miles from the city of the same name, and which was the capital or chief town of the district, also called Saharanpúr. The population of the town amounted to about forty thousand-many of them Mahomedans, with rather a bad character for turbulence. In the earlier portion of the present century Saharanpúr had been one of the frontier stations of the British territories. To guard it a rather strong fort had been built on its northern face. But to such an extent did Description of the civil confidence in their star override in those days all station, suggestions of prudence in the British mind, that on the extension of our frontier the fort had been converted into a civil jail, whilst the Stud Department had been allowed to run up the ditches and mud walls of their paddocks so close to its ramparts that it would have been easy from their cover to pick off the defenders of the place. BOOK VIII. Chapter VI. 1857. May. and of its population. Importance of its situation. When the mutiny broke out at Mírath the European male population of Saharanpúr, including clerks, numbered only six or seven persons. The Eurasians were scarcely more numerous. There was over the treasury a native guard of some seventy or eighty sepoys, commanded by a native officer, and furnished by the 29th Native Infantry at Morádábád. The civil jail guard, numbering about a hundred men, in addition to their duties over the jail, furnished guards to the civil officers' houses. Throughout the district, likewise, was scattered the ordinary police force, amply sufficient in times of peace to repress the disorder of a population numbering even nearly a million souls. The situation of Saharanpúr was still important. It was the point whence the road led to Dérá and to the hill stations of Masúrí and Lándáur ; it was contiguous to Rúrkí, from the canal establishments of which the army before Dehlí was largely supplied with men and materials for forwarding the siege; and it was the seat of one of the Government studs. Yet now the entire district, comprising likewise the Engineers' College, the canal workships and costly aqueducts, seemed to be at the mercy of the sepoys and the disaffected natives, for there were no European troops who could be summoned with any hope that the call would be responded to. There were indeed European troops at Mírath, some seventy miles distant. But, until after the fall of Dehlí, timidity bordering upon panic, selfishness utterly neglect * Robertson's District Duties during the Revolt. ful of the general public weal, ruled with fatal BOOK VIII. effect the military counsels at that station. Chapter VI. 1857. May. Fortunately there were men at Saharanpúr whose bold spirit and ready resource supplied the Mr. Robert place of soldiers. The magistrate, Mr. Robert Spankie. Spankie, was an able public servant, full of energy and mental power. His lieutenant, Mr. Dundas Robertson, joined to a manly and encr- Mr. Dundas getic nature a clear head and a coolness not to be surpassed. A fit associate with these was Lieutenant Brownlow, of the Engineers, cool, daring, enterprising, and resolute. With such men at Saharanpúr there was yet a glimmering of hope that the crisis might be surmounted. The news of the outbreak at Mírath reached Saharanpúr on the evening of the 14th of May; that of the massacres at Dehlí on the following day. At a meeting convened by Mr. Spankie it was decided to hold the station, but to despatch the women and children to Masúrí. This arrangement was carried out at once. As soon as possible after the departure of the ladies, those of the gentlemen of the station who had remained behind determined to unite and occupy one house. The clerks and Eurasians, invited to join them, showed at first some disinclination, but in a day or two they changed their minds and acceded to the proposal.† Robertson. They send the non-com batants to Masúrí. threatened Space will not permit me to detail in full the Dangers that preliminary dangers which threatened these few Saharanpur. bold men. Now, it was the mutiny at the not * Two quitted it, ostensibly to escort the ladies. BOOK VIII. Chapter VI. 1857. May. Zeal and energy dis Robertson. 300 MR. ROBERTSON'S ENERGETIC MEASURES. distant station of Mozaffarnagar; now, it was the approach of two mutinous companies of the sappers and miners; now, a combination of the villagers to attack them. This last-named danger, a very serious one, was warded off by acting on the principle, so conspicuous during the mutiny, that "boldness is prudence." Instead of waiting for the intended onslaught, Mr. Robertson, enplayed by Mr. listing in his cause some influential and well disposed landowners, anticipated it, attacking and capturing the conspirators. Continuing to pursue this policy, Mr. Robertson, taking with him a few of the 4th Lancers (native); a detachment of the 29th Native Infantry, and some police; proceeded to the most important and the most disaffected parts of the district to assert British authority. By a combination of tact and daring Mr. Robertson accomplished a great deal. He soon ascertained, however, that the landowners sympathised with the rabble, and that the fact that rebellion, not plunder, was their object, would make his task extremely difficult. Further success, he felt, would depend on the fidelity of the sepoys. But soon amongst these appeared the usual symptoms of disaffection. On the 30th of May, Mr. Robertson had been joined by two companies of the 5th Regiment of Native Infantry. These mutinied on the 3rd of June. But Mr. Robertson still continued his noble efforts in the cause of order; nor, though the detachment of the 29th Native Infantry revolted on the 11th of withstanding. July, did he, or his superior, once relax their hold on the district. This was still virtually British Disaffection amongst the sepoys. Mr. Robert. son holds his ground not. when the fall of Dehlí removed from the native mind the calculations which till then had inspired them to resist. BOOK VIII. Chapter VI. 1857. May. At the civil station of Mozaffarnagar, about Mozaffar midway between Saháranpúr and Mírath, the nagar. native guard over the treasury was furnished by the 20th Regiment of Native Infantry, quartered at Mírath. This regiment took a prominent part in the famous outbreak of the 10th of May. It was not to be expected, therefore, that the detachment would abstain from following the example thus set. For three days, however, it did abstain. Nor did the sepoys composing it make any demonstration until the British magistrate on the spot had given a signal proof of his belief in the collapse of British rule. That official, Mr. Berford, with a precipitancy as unworthy Mr. Berford. as it was rare, closed the public offices on the receipt of the bad news from Mírath. He subsequently took refuge in a small house in the town, withdrawing the guards posted over the jail for his own personal protection. The con- The popula sequence of this abnegation of authority was the rise of the district. Landowners and peasants alike believed that the sun of British rule had set, never to rise again. Every man who had a grievance, the plunderers by profession, the plunderers by opportunity, seized the golden chance. Nor were the sepoys then backward. They broke and the open the treasury, carried away all they could mutiny. convey away, and marched for Morádábád. The balance fell to the townspeople and district revolters. There was no one to prevent or to tion rises, sepoys |