From Major-General J. B. Hearsey to Major A. Sanders about relocating the sepoys, 5 February 1857

From Major-General J. B. Hearsey, C.B., Commanding the Presidency Division, to Major A. Sanders, Deputy Quartermaster-General of the Army,--No. 43, dated Head-Quarters, Presidency Division, Barrackpore, 5th February 1857.

        I beg that you will do me the honor to submit, for the consideration and orders of Government, my strong recommendation that the wing of the 2nd Native Infantry (Grenadiers) now at Raneegunge may be relieved by a similar detachment of the 63rd Regiment from Soorie, to enable the former to return to Barrackpore.

        2. I am induced to make this proposal for the following reasons :--

1st,--The wing of the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry, at this station is more than usually short of European officers, having only attached to it one captain and three subalterns, two of the latter being very young and inexperienced lads.

2nd.--By re-uniting both wings, therefore, the corps will be rendered more efficient, though even then the number of senior officers present will be much too few.

        3. The head-quarters wing has been for the last nine months on detached duty in the district, during which period both officers and men have been receiving a higher rate of pay (full batta), which is, in my opinion, a distinction not altogether desirable to draw between the Wings of the same regiment longer than is absolutely unavoidable.

        4. Had the wing at Barrackpore been more efficient in point of officers than it is, I might have felt disposed to suggest that it should relieve the other at Raneegunge, but under existing circumstances this measure would not be at all expedient.

        5. I further desire that the 2nd Regiment Native (Grenadier) Infantry should be brought together, that I may have an opportunity of inspecting that corps, for from the circumstance of the bungalows being set fire to at Raneegunge and also in this cantonment simultaneously, I have a strong suspicion that an ill-feeling exists in that regiment, which by having it together under my own eye I may be able to remove.

        6. I am therefore of decided opinion that the detachment for Raneegunge should be furnished by the 63rd Regiment, Native Infantry, and the Government may probably consider that a smaller force than a complete wing is now sufficient for the duties of that outpost. Perhaps a couple of companies, or 200 men, would answer every military purpose, in consideration of the present easy communication by railway between Raneegunge and Barrackpore.

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, 6-7.