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BOOK VII.

CHAPTER II.

Mr. Beadon's

Macdonald

WHILST the events recorded in the preceding Danger of chapter had been enacted in Calcutta itself, the line. state of affairs in Bengal and in Bihár had scarcely been of a nature to justify the jaunty confidence expressed by Mr. Beadon on the 25th of May. The first information that the line of six hundred miles was actually in danger of being broken was conveyed to Government on the 12th of June from Major Rohní, a station in the Santhal district, about at Rohní. three hundred miles from Calcutta. This station was the head-quarters of the 5th Irregular Cavalry, commanded by Major Macdonald, one of the best officers of the Bengal Army. This officer was taking tea in front of his bungalow on the evening of the 12th of June, in company with his Adjutant, Sir Norman Leslie, and the Assistant Surgeon of the regiment, Dr. Grant. During a pause in their conversation, Dr. Grant rose with the intention of entering the bungalow. In the act of rising, he noticed the stealthy approach of

BOOK VII. Chapter II.

1857. June.

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three men, apparently strangers. As he turned to point them out to his companions, the intruders rushed upon them with drawn swords. Unarmed and taken by surprise, the Englishmen could defend themselves only with their chairs. But before he could do even this Sir Norman Leslie was cut down. Major Macdonald was scalped and received two other wounds on the head. Dr. Grant also was wounded. It would have gone hard with both had the assassins persevered; but suddenly and most unaccountably they turned and fled.

As no symptom of mutinous disposition had appeared in the 5th Cavalry, and as Major Macdonald believed in the loyalty of his men, it was at first conjectured that the assassins were discharged sepoys. A few days later, however, a sowar confessed that they belonged to the regiment. They were at once seized, tried, and sentenced to be hanged. This sentence, Major Macdonald, with a courage which was great, though not rare, carried out in the presence of the entire regiment. A moment's weakness on his part would have been the signal for a general rising. Subsequent events proved that there was at the time an organised conspiracy in the regiment; that many had been aware of the plot to assassinate the three officers, that they "waited its success to rise." They were deterred at this critical time solely by the courage and determination of Major Macdonald.*

Major Macdonald thus I never for a moment expected related the circumstances at to leave the hanging scene the time:"To tell the truth, alive; but, I determined to

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BOOK VII. Chapter II.

1857.

Barhámpúr.

A comparatively trifling incident at Barhámpúr -caused by the action of a sowar of the 11th Irregular Cavalry, who not only released some June. deserters from the 43rd Native Infantry, appre- Mutinous hended by the police, but likewise incited the incident at men of his regiment and of the 63rd Native Infantry to mutiny-influenced the Government to retain some European Infantry at that station. This measure would, I need scarcely point out, have been wholly unnecessary had the Government taken the precaution to disarm the native regiments.

But it was at the great station of Patná, Patná. the Mahomedan capital of the country cast of Banáras, that the strain was most severely felt. This city, containing 300,000 inhabitants, a large proportion of whom were Mahomedans, is

do my duty, and well knew have had a dozen balls through the effect that pluck and de- me; so I seized a pistol, clapcision had on natives. The ped it to the man's ear, and regiment was drawn out. said, with a look there was Wounded cruelly as I was, no mistake about, "Another I had to see everything done word out of your mouth, and myself, even to the adjusting your brains shall be scattered of the ropes, and saw them on the ground." He trembled, looped to run easy. Two of and held his tongue. The the culprits were paralysed elephant came up, he was put with fear and astonishment, on his back, the rope adjusted, never dreaming that I should the elephant moved, and he dare to hang them without was left dangling. I then an order from the Govern- had the others up and off in ment. The third said he the same way. And after would not be hanged, and some time, when I dismissed called on the Prophet, and on the men of the regiment to his comrades to rescue him. their lines, and still found my This was an awful moment: head upon my shoulders, I an instant's hesitation on my really could scarcely believe part, and probably I should it."

BOOK VII. Chapter II.

1857. June.

Garrison of
Dánápúr.

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situated on the right bank of the river Ganges, three hundred and eighty miles north-west of Calcutta, and ten miles east of the military station of Dánápúr.

Patná owed its importance partly to its traditions; partly to the fact that it was the capital of one of the richest provinces in the country; partly likewise to its being the head-quarters of the Wáhábís-the extreme Mahomedan party in India. It was ruled by a Commissioner, corresponding directly with the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal. Subordinate to it and to its Commissioner were the districts of Gayá, to the south, with a chief town of the same name, fifty miles distant; of Sháhábád, comprising the country between the Ganges, the Karamnásá, and the Són, and having as its capital Arah, about thirtyfive miles to the west of Patná; of Sáran, with Chaprá, forty miles to the north, as its capital; of Champaran, with Motíhárí, as its chief station; and Tirhút, between Nipál and the Ganges, represented by the civil station of Mozaffarpúr. In these stations the magistrate represented the executive power.

The station of Dánápúr was garrisoned by three Native Infantry Regiments, the 7th, 8th, and 40th, by one company of European and one of Native Artillery, and by Her Majesty's 10th Foot. Dánápúr was the head-quarters of a division, and its divisional commander was Major-General Lloyd, an officer who had rendered excellent service in his day, and who, but four years before, had been selected by Lord Dalhousie to suppress the Sánthál

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Chapter II.

1857.

June.

insurrection—a task which he had accomplished BOOK VII. with judgment and discretion. His command at Dánápúr was extensive in its range. To the north it included all the country to the foot of the Nipál hills; to the east it reached Barhámpúr; to the south Hazáríbágh and Rámpúr. The troops protecting this vast extent of country were, with one exception, massed at Dánápúr. That exception was the 12th Regiment of Irregular Cavalry, commanded by a most distinguished officer, Major Holmes. This corps was stationed at Sigaolí, about a hundred miles to the north of Dánápúr.

of the Patná

The province of which Patná was the capital, Peculiarities was, I have said, one of the richest in the division. possession of the English. It owed its importance partly to the fact that for several years it had been the chosen ground for the development of native industry by English landholders working with English capital; partly, and to a far greater extent, to the circumstance that the native landowners were, as a rule, men of ancient lineage and of large estates.

Before the arrival of reinforcements from Persia, Ceylon, and Barmá, the European regiment at Dánápúr was the only English regiment in the long line between Calcutta and Lakhnao. Having in view the extent of country it had to guard, its proximity to the influential city of Patná, to the fact that many of the native landowners of Bihár were men commanding a large following, it still seems strange that the expedient so successfully adopted at Láhor and other places-the expedient of disarming the native troops-was not carly

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