From Lieutenant-Colonel W. St. L. Mitchell to Major A. H. Ross about the Court of Inquiry, 28 February 1857

Demi-official from Lieutenant-Colonel W.St.L. Mitchell, Commanding the 19th Regiment, Native Infantry, to Major A.H. Ross, Asistant Adjutant-General, Barrackpore,--dated Berhampore, 28th February1857.

        Yesterday, after my letter to your address was despatched, a Court of Inquiry was assembled at the mess-house at eleven o'clock, the proceedings of which will be continued to-day, and these proceedings will, in all probability, elucidate the whole matter.

        Yesterday evening the adjutant reported to me that the men, instead of sleeping in their lines, had assembled for the purpose of sleeping by the bells-of-arms; they were however quite orderly, and made no noise, but appeared to dislike leaving their arms. I did not think it right to do anything further last night than order a parade this morning. I formed a hollow square, had out the four senior sepoys from each company, and asked them their objections to the cartridges; they said that they were doubtful about their being greased. I opened cartridges of all sorts, service and blank, left us by the 7th Regiment, Native Infantry, and some balled practice lately received from Calcutta. I burnt them before the men, but as amongst the blank cartridges there were some made with a more highly glazed paper, they accepted the other paper as all right but mistrusted the glazed; they said they would be satisfied if both papers equally stood the test of water; of course the unglazed paper took up water readily, and they expressed their opinion the other was greased. I enclose the two different sorts of paper; one of each kind has been wetted and one not. I told the men that I would not allow them to seize the kotes, and that if they did it to-night, I would put a section of each company on duty over the kotes with double sentries. I write to you in a demi-official form the information of the Major-General Commanding. When the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry are closed, I will then send you a statement of the whole business. I have kept a copy of this letter. I don't enter it into the letter book, as the contents would soon be spread over the lines. I had not time to take a copy of my letter to you yesterday, but will thank-you to send me a copy at your leisure.

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, 43-44.