Early in that year the excitement about the alleged pollution of the new cartridges had made itself felt in every cantonment, and on the night of February 27th, the 19th Regiment, stationed at Barhampur, being ordered for parade the following morning, and with a great fear upon them that they would be forced to use the obnoxious cartridges, seized upon the bells of arms and broke out in a tumult. The men, however, appeared more panic-struck than mutinous, and were induced to retire to their lines. On the following morning the regiment fell in on parade as usual, contrite and humble. But it was impossible to overlook the offence, and the regiment was accordingly ordered to Barrackpur to be disbanded.
Four Native Infantry regiments were at that time stationed at Barrackpur,—the 2d Grenadiers, the 43d, the 34th, and the 70th. The station was commanded by Brigadier Charles Grant, the division being commanded by General John Hearsey. Many of the Sepoys believed there was a deliberate plot on the part of the English to destroy the caste of the native soldier. On the 28th January General Hearsey reported that an ill feeling was said to exist among the Sepoys at Barrackpur, in consequence of a report having been spread that they were to be forced to embrace the Christian faith. Incendiarism made its appearance in the station, and was clearly traced to the soldiery. A few days after the story of the greased cartridges first transpired, the telegraph station at Barrackpur was burnt down; and other fires, chiefly among the officers’ bungalows, followed night after night. The suspicions and fears of the Sepoys increased every day, and General Hearsey endeavoured to restore confidence to their minds by a well-spoken and careful address to the regiments of the brigade. His earnest words had a good effect upon the men for a time, but it was only transitory; and when they heard what had been done by the 19th at Barhampur, the excitement increased, and an impression got abroad that Government was gathering together a force of European cavalry and artillery, which would suddenly come upon them and destroy them. General Hearsey a second time addressed the regiments on parade on the 17th March; but it was plain as the month drew to a close that the hopes which he once entertained of the speedy subsidence of the alarm would be disappointed. ‘For when the troops at Barrackpur knew that the 19th were to be disbanded, and that an English regiment had been brought to execute the punishment, they believed, more firmly than they had believed
