Meanwhile there were fatal delays in turning out the Europeans. The
Rifles were paraded for church, and time was lost in getting arms and
serving out ball cartridges. The Carabineers were absurdly put through a
roll-call, and then lost their way among the shops and gardens.
Meanwhile European officers were being butchered by the infuriated
sepoys. Men and women were fired at or sabred while hurrying back in a
panic from church. Flaming houses and crashing timbers were filling all
hearts with terror, and the shades of evening were falling upon the
general havoc and turmoil, when the Europeans reached the native lines
and found that the sepoys had gone, no one knew whither.
The truth was soon told. The mutiny had become a revolt; the sepoys were
on the way to Delhi to proclaim the old Mogul as sovereign of Hindustan;
and there was no Gillespie to gallop after them and crush the revolt at
its outset, as had been done at Vellore half a century before. One
thing, however, was done. There were no European regiments at Delhi;
nothing but three regiments of sepoy infantry and a battery of native
artillery. The station was commanded by Brigadier Graves; and there were
no Europeans under his orders excepting the officers and sergeants
attached to the three native corps. Accordingly telegrams were sent to
Brigadier Graves to tell him that the mutineers were on their way to
Delhi.
Monday at Delhi was worse than the Sunday at Meerut. The British
cantonment was situated on a rising ground about two miles from the
city, which was known as the "Ridge." The great magazine, containing
immense stores of ammunition, was situated in the heart of the city. One
of the three sepoy regiments was on duty in the city; the other two
remained in the cantonment on the Ridge.
The approach to Delhi from Meerut was defended by the little river
Hindun, which was spanned by a small bridge. It was proposed to procure
two cannon from the magazine and place them on the bridge; but before
this could be done the rebel cavalry from Meerut were seen crossing the
river, and were subsequently followed by the rebel infantry. The
magazine remained in charge of Lieutenant Willoughby of the Bengal
Artillery. He was associated with two other officers and six conductors
and sergeants; the rest of the establishment was composed entirely of
natives.
Brigadier Graves did his best to protect the city and cantonment until
the arrival of the expected Europeans from Meerut. Indeed, throughout
the morning and greater part of the afternoon everyone in Delhi was
expecting the arrival of the Europeans. Brigadier Graves ordered all the
non-military residents, including women and children, to repair to
Flagstaff Tower--a round building of solid brickwork at some distance
from the city. Late detachments of sepoys were sent from the Ridge to
the Cashmere gate, under the command of their European officers, to help
the sepoys on duty to maintain order in the city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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