From Major-General J. B. Hearsey to Colonel R. J. H. Birch on the forced Christianity issue, 11 February 1857
From Major -General J. B. Hearsey, C.B., Commanding the Presidency Division, to Colonel R. J. H. Birch, C.B., Secretary to the Government of India, in the Military Department,--dated Barrackpore, 11th February 1857.
We have at Barrackpore been dwelling upon a mine ready for explosion. I have been watching the feeling of the sepoys here for some time; their minds have been misled by some designing scoundrels, who have managed to make them believe that their religious prejudices, their caste, is to be interfered with by Government. “that they are to be FORCED to turn Christians.”
2. Any reasonable person would doubt, after the experience we have had, that such an absurd notion could possess them, but nevertheless it is a fact, and it will take time to dispossess their minds of this stupid idea.
3. I was told that a circumstance occurred at Dum-Dum, where the school of practice for the Enfield rifle is assembled, which I may say gave credence amongst them to this supposition.
4. A Sepoy from one of the regiments here was walking to his chowka to prepare his food, with his lota full of water. He was met by a low-caste khalasi (it is said one of the magazine or arsenal men). This khalasi asked him to let him drink from the lota. The sepoy, a Brahmin, refused, saying-- “I have scoured my lota; you will defile it by your touch.” The khalasi rejoined “You think much of your caste, but wait a little, the Saheb-logue will make you bite cartridges soaked in cow and pork fat, and then where will your caste be?” The sepoy made this speech known amongst his comrades at Dum-Dum; the report was not long in travelling to this station; the men brooded over it for some time at Dum-Dum, and though it seems to have been known to the officer there, it was treated as a silly and foolish notion, until Major Bontein perceived it had taken hold of their minds as a fact, when he reported it to me. I lost no time in writing to Calcutta, making known what had occurred, and suggesting a small allowance might be granted to the officer at Dum-Dum to purchase wax and ghee or cocoanut oil by the hands of one of the high caste men, and direct him to grease the bullet portion of the cartridge before the men when they were served out for practice.
5. This I had every reason to believe would practically convince the men of the falsity of the khalasi’s speech, and that every care would be taken that their caste would not be interfered with. It seems to have had all the effect desired at the school of practice at Dum-Dum, and as no cartridges were to be served out or practice was to take place here, I could not dream that it would become a cause of trouble or disaffection at this place.
6. Colonel Abbott sent me a parcel of cartridges and paper; and as the burning of the telegraph bungalow and several officers’ thatched houses had occurred at this station,--certainly by incendiaries, for Sonthal arrows with lighted matches attached to them had been taken, out of the thatch,--I ordered officers commanding corps to parade their men, and explain to them that no grease would be used in the cartridges but what would be applied by one of themselves when they were required to use the new Enfield rifle. The paper sent by Colonel Abbott was not the wine kind of which the common. cartridge is made, and had a glazed or shining appearance; this excited suspicion in their minds, and such was reported to me by Captain N.C. Boswell, Commanding a wing of the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry; and Colonel S.G. Wheler, Commanding the 34th Regiment, Native Infantry, also waited upon me and made known that this shining appearance was deemed by the Native officers and men to be caused by the objectionable fat or grease mixed with the paper in the process of making it.
7. I had a Court of Inquiry assembled, before which the native commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the wing of the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry, were examined as to their opinion and feeling on this point; the proceedings have been sent to Government. Amidst all this business the alarm in Fort William took place, and the company of Europeans was hurried from Dum-Dum without any report being made to me. I had succeeded in putting a stop to the incendiarisrn here by posting strong picquets, and sending patrols constantly through the lines of thatched bungalows, and by issuing an order that all houses burnt were not to be rebuilt with thatched roofs, and that all thatched verandahs or “lean-tos” affixed to pucca houses were to be removed, for the last attempt at incendiarism was the firing of one of these thatched verandahs. The fires occurring at Raneegunge about the same period fixed suspicion strongly on the men of the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry, as Sonthal arrows had been used in igniting the bungalows, and that regiment had been employed in the Sonthal District. I reported the objection the Native officers and men had raised to the glazed paper to Government, and as I deemed it folly to fight with such shadows, recommended it should be changed to the old cartridge paper; to this I lave received no answer. On the 6th instant a Kait sepoy, who can read and understand English, waited in the evening on Lieutenant A. S. Allen, of the 34th Regiment, Native Infantry, and informed him that a meeting was to take place amongst the disaffected men of the different regiments between eight and nine at night, to discuss what should be done to prevent their religious prejudices or tenets from being abused by the Government and Saheb-logue. This was immediately made known to me, as I have reported, and I took measures to find out if it was true. I learnt nothing. The Native officers of the different regiments must have known it, yet they reported it not to their European officers. The day before yesterday a jemadar of the 34th Regiment, Native Infantry, sent one of my orderlies (or a sepoy ) to me to ask my permission to wait upon me. I replied -- “By all means; but the rules of the service required that he should have the consent of his immediate commanding officer.” The jemadar asked for the permission he desired the next day. When questioned by Colonel Wheler and Lieutenant Bunbury, he stated lie wished to communicate all he knew on the subject of evil disposition now prevailing amonst the sepoys. This was made know to Brigadier Grant, who instantly waited upon me to report the circumstance. I directed, a Court to be formed, and that the jemadar's (by name Durriow) statement should be taken on solemn affirmation, which was done, and I forwarded it yesterday to Government.
8. I must mention that I had the whole brigade paraded on Monday afternoon, the 9th, and myself energetically and explicitly explained in a a loud voice to the whole of the men the folly of the idea that possessed them that the Government or that their officers wished to interfere with their caste or religious prejudices; and impressed upon them the absurdity of their for one moment believing that they were to be forced to become Christians. I told them the English were Christian, of “The Book,” i.e., “Protestants;” that we admitted no proselytes but those who being adults could read and fully understand the precepts laid down therein; that if they came and threw themselves down at our feet imploring to be made “The Book” Christians it could not be done; they could not be baptised until they had been examined in the tenets of “The Book” and proved themselves fully conversant in them, and then they must of their own good-will and accord desire to become Christians of “The Book” ere they could be made so. I asked them if they perfectly understood what I said, especially the 2nd Regiment, Native (Grenadier) Infantry; they nodded assent. I then dismissed the brigade.
9. I have since heard from the officers commanding regiments that their Native officers and men appeared quite “khoosh” (pleased) and seemed to be relieved from a heaviness of mind that had possessed them.
10. I cannot but with great caution put any man into confinement, unless I can get full proof of his being one of or a leader at a mutinous meeting, and this is yet wanting.
11. May I state my opinion in regard to the policy of having five or six regiments of native infantry assembled in brigade here, without any European corps of infantry or artillery or cavalry at a point d’appui, in case of a mutiny occurring? You will perceive in all this business the native officers were of no use. In fact, they are afraid of their men, and dare not act. All they do is to hold themselves aloof, and expect by so doing they will escape censure as not actively implicated. This has always occurred on such occasions, and will continue to the end of our sovereignty in India. Well might Sir Charles Metcalfe say-- “that he expected to awake some fine morning, and find India had been lost to the English Crown.”
12. I had written thus far intending to send this letter to Major-General Low, but having just received a note from Major Mayhew, Deputy Adjutant-General, that Government wished me to communicate direct, I have altered it to the address of Colonel Birch, Military-Secretary to Government. I have kept no copy of it.
13. The only circumstance that led to a suspicion of an ill-feeling here was the incendiarism, and I reported it. I could not, nor can I yet fix it, on the sepoys. I can only, as others do, suspect.
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, 24-28.