From Lieutenant-Colonel W. St. L. Mitchell to Major A. H. Ross concerning his troops, 16 February 1857
Demi-official from Lietenant-Colonel W. St. L. Mitchell, Commanding the 19th Regiment, Native Infantry, Berhampore, to Major A.H. Ross, Assistant Adjutant-General, Barrackpore,--dated Berhampore, 16th February 1857.
I received your letter of the 13th February 1857 yesterday; by the same post I received a letter from Colonel Birch, Military Secretary to Government, dated Council Chamber, Fort William, 13th February 1857, informing me that a kossid had been sent to my regiment from some men in the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry, at Barrackpore, requesting the men of my regiment to support them in raising a disturbance. This morning early I went to the lines of my regiment and made private enquiries of the sergeant-major, the subadar-major and the drill-havildar, each separately, and they declared positively in the presence of my adjutant that no kossid had arrived in the lines: if any kossid had arrived and tried to create a bad feeling towards Government in the minds of the men of my regiment, they would certainly have heard of it and reported the circumstance to me. At eleven o'clock this day I assembled all the Native commissioned and non-commissioned officers (pay and color havildars) of my regiment at the mess-house, and questioned them as to what reports they had heard regarding the Enfield rifle and ammunition about to be served out to the Bengal Army: the subadar-major replied that the report was that the cartridges about to be served out to the army were made up with cows’ and pigs’ fat, so that when the sepoys bit off the end of the cartridges they would lose caste. I asked all present if they believed such a report; they said they did not believe that Government would serve out anything with cows’ and pigs’ fat to Hindu and Mussulman soldiers, as both were contrary to their religious prejudices. There has not been the slightest appearance of uneasiness in the minds of the men of the 19th Regiment, Native Infantry. About a fortnight ago a Brahmin pay-havildar, a man of good character, and in whom I have great confidence, said to me-- “What is this story everybody is talking about, that Government intends making the native army use cows’ and pigs’ fat with the ammunition for their new rifles?” I asked him if he believed there was any truth in the report; he replied he could not believe it. I assured him he might set his mind at rest on the subject, for if the men of the regiment had any doubts on the subject, I would apply to the Major-General Commanding the Division to allow the pay-havildars of companies to provide any grease that was required for their companies, so that the men of the regiment might see what grease they used and how it was prepared. This conversation was circulated through the regiment, and nothing more was thought of it.
If any kossid was sent from Barrackpore, whatever message he may have brought has had no effect upon the men of my regiment.
I have desired the native commissioned and non-commission officers of my regiment to report to me without delay any rumours connected with the army that may reach the regiment from any quarter. At the close of this meeting I had paras. 6, 7, 8, and 9 of section 9 of the Standing Orders for the Native Infantry read and explained to all present.
I have now been nearly sixteen months in command of the 19th Regiment, Native Infantry, and I consider the men as a body are quiet, orderly and obedient, and some of the native officers very superior to the generality of native officers; I mean they are well educated men for their rank in life.
If anything occurs here to make me change my opinion, I will immediately report the same to you for the information of the Major-General Commanding the Division.
From: Selections from the Letters Despatches and other State Papers preserved in the Military Department of the Government of India, 1857-58. Edited by George W. Forrest. Calcutta: Military Department Press 1893, 39-40.