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The Indian Mutiny: A Brief History
The Indian Mutiny: A Brief History
The Indian Mutiny: A Brief History
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The Indian Mutiny: A Brief History

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The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to present-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, northern Madhya Pradesh, and the Delhi region. The rebellion posed a considerable threat to Company power in that region, and was contained only with the fall of Gwalior on 20 June 1858. The rebellion is also known as the India's First War of Independence, the Great Rebellion, the Indian Mutiny, the Revolt of 1857, the Uprising of 1857, the Sepoy Rebellion, and the Sepoy Mutiny. The Mutiny was a result of various grievances. However the flashpoint was reached when the soldiers were asked to bite off the paper cartridges for their rifles which were greased with animal fat namely beef and pork. This was, and is, against the religious beliefs of Hindus and Muslims. Other regions of Company-controlled India – such as Bengal, the Bombay Presidency, and the Madras Presidency – remained largely calm. In Punjab, the Sikh princes backed the Company by providing soldiers and support. The large princely states of Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore, and Kashmir, as well as the smaller ones of Rajputana, did not join the rebellion. In some regions, such as Oudh, the rebellion took on the attributes of a patriotic revolt against European presence. Maratha leaders, such as the Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, became folk heroes in the nationalist movement in India half a century later; however, they themselves "generated no coherent ideology" for a new order. The rebellion led to the dissolution of the East India Company in 1858. It also led the British to reorganize the army, the financial system and the administration in India. India was thereafter directly governed by the crown as the new British Raj.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 29, 2013
ISBN9781301983391
The Indian Mutiny: A Brief History
Author

Andrew Knight

Andrew Knight is an author who lives in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire with his wife and 2 children. He has written 4 books to date, which have been translated into several languages and on sale in all ebook stores worldwide. His first book, Expectant Father for all new dad's. Written exclusively for men with practical advice. The Brief History series explains complex British empire conflicts in a simple and easy way. The Boer Wars The Zulu Wars The Indian Mutiny @ajknight31

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    The Indian Mutiny - Andrew Knight

    License Notes

    The Indian Mutiny – A Brief History

    Andrew Knight

    Copyright Andrew Knight 2013

    Published at Smashwords by UK Independent Publishers

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

    Disclaimer

    Although the author has made every reasonable attempt to achieve complete accuracy of the content in the e-book, he assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions and is meant to inform and entertain the reader.

    Table of Contents

    License Notes

    Disclaimer

    Table of Contents

    Map

    Introduction

    Timeline

    Background

    Rebelion

    Tallow Greased Cartridges

    Civilian Disquiet

    The Bengal Army

    Start of Rebelion

    April 1857

    States During the Rebelion

    The Revolt

    Sieges

    Central Indian Campaign 1858

    Aftermath

    About The Author

    Introduction

    The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to present-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, northern Madhya Pradesh, and the Delhi region. The rebellion posed a considerable threat to Company power in that region, and was contained only with the fall of Gwalior on 20 June 1858. The rebellion is also known as the India's First War of Independence, the Great Rebellion, the Indian Mutiny, the Revolt of 1857, the Uprising of 1857, the Sepoy Rebellion, and the Sepoy Mutiny. The Mutiny was a result of various grievances. However the flashpoint was reached when the soldiers were asked to bite off the paper cartridges for their rifles which were greased with animal fat namely beef and pork. This was, and is, against the religious beliefs of Hindus and Muslims. Other regions of Company-controlled India – such as Bengal, the Bombay Presidency, and the Madras Presidency – remained largely calm. In Punjab, the Sikh princes backed the Company by providing soldiers and support. The large princely states of Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore, and Kashmir, as well as the smaller ones of Rajputana, did not join the rebellion. In some regions, such as Oudh, the rebellion took on the attributes of a patriotic revolt against European presence. Maratha leaders, such as the Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, became folk heroes in the nationalist movement in India half a century later; however, they themselves generated no coherent ideology for a new order. The rebellion led to the dissolution of the East India Company in 1858. It also led the British to reorganize the army, the financial system and the administration in India. India was thereafter directly governed by the crown as the new British Raj.

    Timeline

    March 1857 – Mutiny at Berhampore

    May 10th – Mutiny at Merrut

    May 11th – Mutineers Advance on Delhi

    May 30th – Open mutinies across the country

    June 4th – Benares Mutiny

    June 5th - Cawnpore Mutiny

    June 8th – Battle of Badli-ki-Serai

    June 27th – Cawnpore Massacre

    July 10th – Havelock mobile column of 1,000 troups advances on Cawnpore

    July 15th – Havelock’s column fights two battles close to Cawnpore at Aoung and Pandu Naddi and wins both

    July 15th – Women and Children are massacred at Cawnpore

    July 16th – Nicholson’s column marches on Delhi

    July 25th Havelock marches on Lucknow

    July 29th – Battles of Unao and Bashirganj

    August 5th – 2nd Battle of Bashirganj

    August

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