Chapter V: The Opening Tragedy

The city of Meerut stands on a grassy plain, to the northeast of Delhi, and distant some thirty two miles. At the date of the mutiny, its population was about forty thousand souls. The cantonments lie two miles to the north of the town, and contained accommodations for twenty thousand troops.

On the afternoon of Sunday, May 10, the native troops at Meerut mutinied, and the first massacre of the lurid series began. The slaughter of all the Europeans was determined on, and would have been carried out but for the lack of unanimity among the mutineers, though there is good reason for believing that the outbreak was not premeditated, but the result of a rumor that arrangements had been made to seize their arms.

The Third Cavalry and the Twentieth Regiment clamored to begin the massacre at once, but the Eleventh Native Infantry held back so persistently that the exasperated Twentieth fired a volley into them. This did what was wanted, and the Eleventh joined the other two bodies in a rush for the parade ground, with frenzied execrations against the "sahib loge."

Colonel Finnis, commanding the Eleventh, spurred his horse on a run to the parade ground, where he made an impassioned appeal to the soldiers to stand by their colors and to refrain from entering into a useless revolt. In the midst of his fervid harangue, a sepoy of the Twentieth raised his musket and shot him in the back. A volley followed, and he tumbled from his saddle riddled with bullets.

Seeing him fall, the other officers knew it was death to stay, so they galloped to the Rifles and Sixth Dragoons. The less murderous Eleventh helped to get them away from their enemies.

Meanwhile a party of soldiers had ridden to the lockup, where a company of mutineers had been confined by the English officers for refusing to use the new cartridges. They numbered eighty five, and, in accordance with the sentence of the court martial, were in irons. These were quickly knocked off, and the men released. In addition, a thousand other prisoners undergoing sentence for various offenses were set at liberty. Then pandemonium was let loose.

Murder, fire and outrage reigned supreme, and no pen dare write the atrocities that marked the opening scene of the awful drama of the Sepoy Mutiny. The officers' bungalows, public edifices, the mess houses of the troops, and in short the structures between the native lines and Meerut were fired. Night closed in while the conflagration was raging, and the yell of the frenzied wretches mingled with the roar of the flames, which carried millions of sparks upward, and filled the sky with a glare that was seen a score of miles away. Wherever there was a chance for plunder, there rushed the mob like so many tigers. Age and sex were not spared, and the scenes which marked the first revolt in India were a forerunner of what was to follow. The telegraph lines to Delhi were cut, so that no news of the revolt reached Delhi until the following day, when it was carried thither by natives on horseback. General Hewitt had neglected to place a guard over the disaffected sepoys in irons, and he now failed, although quite a force remained at his disposal, to attack or follow the mutineers, who were marching toward Delhi.

Thus the misgiving of Luchman was confirmed. Instead of waiting until the 31st, the preconcerted time for the general rising, the sepoys at Meerut precipitated it three weeks in advance. The Rubicon was crossed, and the rebels could only push on to the end, whatever that might prove to be.

Sated with plunder and murder, the rabble drew off and took the road to Delhi, which was now their rallying city. To express their scorn of General Hewitt and his soldiers, they went into camp only six miles distant and were not disturbed.

The excitement in Delhi was intense when the news came of the massacre at Meerut. Luchman was one of the first to receive the tidings, and he lost no time in hastening home to the missionary. It was about the middle of the forenoon, and an anxious consultation was held. It was decided that the best thing to be done was to stay in the house until nightfall. If they were unmolested up to that time, an attempt would be made, under the guidance of the native, to get out of the city.

The day was a most trying one to the little family, who hardly ventured to show themselves in their own compound. They knew that the massacre was likely to begin at any hour and minute in Delhi, where the "loot" that awaited the impatient fanatics was the most stupendous known in modern times. There was untold wealth awaiting them in the shape of Cashmere shawls, bodies covered with gold lace, skirts of dresses, watches, jewelry, gold bullion, beds of silk and down, and the vast treasures in the Bank of Delhi.

Early in the evening, Luchman returned with full news of what had taken place, and with the still more alarming tidings that the mutineers had reached Delhi.

"We must leave at once," said Dr. Avery, compressing his lips.

"You are right, sahib," added Luchman; "let there be no delay."

"Whither shall we go?" asked Mr. Hildreth.

Rather curiously, with all his cunning, Luchman was not able to answer this question satisfactorily to himself. He explained why. His first thought was to throw himself and friends on the protection of the soldiers, but the indecision of the commandant at Delhi caused him to distrust such a refuge. The troops would fight bravely, but with a blundering head and scant numbers, the worst was to be feared.

Luchman stated that the first step was to get outside of the city as soon as possible. When that should be done, he would be better able to decide whether it was wise to rely upon the English soldiery, or whether they should try to reach Kurnal or some other remote point, where for a time they would be comparatively safe.

There could be no argument against the counsel of the native, and the little group prepared to leave.

It was idle to attempt to carry off their property with them as it would be sure to draw attention and bring an attack. Such trifles as could be easily carried and concealed were hastily gathered together. Dr. Avery insisted that he meant to take all his possessions with him, inasmuch as he had brought them thither, though he came with empty hands.

What they needed more than anything else were firearms and weapons with which to defend themselves. In this respect, they made a fair showing. Avery had his two revolvers, while Marian carried a small one which he had presented to her on a previous visit. It was hardly thought that she would be called upon to use it, but it was by no means impossible, and she was an expert with the weapon. Her father owned a pistol and gun, while Luchman carried his formidable knife and had also secured a revolver. This completed the armament of the company, Mrs. Hildreth being the only member without a weapon.