Franks Forage No 45 The Indian Mutiny.
We are all familiar with the family connection with the Indian Mutiny through Captain Powlett Lane, Caroline Lucy’s husband. There is another instance of the involvement as will be seen from the following letter. Nynee Tal, 22nd June 1857 My dearest Papa I write not with a long-detailed account of this awful hole we have just got ourselves into as you can read that in the papers. I write only to relate how it affects these parts and persons who are near me. The Indian community have seen the truth of the saying “In the midst of life we are in death”. You will have read Meerut, Delhi so I will begin with Rohilcund. There are about 5 stations and troops more or less in all. The head of the Bareilly, where there are 2 regiments, my station 30 miles south with about 200 sepoys. Nynee Tal is the front range of the Himalayas to the north of Bareilly, about 20 miles. This division has always been notoriously turbulent. Well, as soon as the news came of the revolt in other places, this joined. About 1 o’clock on Sunday 30 May, the firing of cannon grapes and musketry announced to the officers that their troops had revolted. They killed as many as they possibly could and afterwards stuck their heads on poles. The Musselmen raised the green banner of the Prophet and the Hindoos called out that the Empire of the Company was at an end. The officers, civilians and others galloped up here as fast as they could and came in an expiring state, after riding 80 miles in the heat of the day under a tropical sun. Many officers have been killed but I did not know them well. 2 judges (civilians), one, whose house I was staying in and the other, who was judge of the station I was staying at were discovered in this house. The enraged townspeople dragged them forth, had a mock trial, found them guilty of Christianity and condemned them to immediate execution. The poor doctor who gave me my certificate was punished with innumerable sword cuts. The same regt. (another company) in my station, immediately and at the same time began the same thing. The Colonel ran for his life and has escaped. Everything that I had was carried off; my buggy and horse harness, in fact everything I have and if I had been there myself they would probably hanged me on my own gallows. At the other station in this division they killed every soul; 3 civilians among the number. The poor assistant in my term at college ran to the top of a house. They pitched him headlong down and then killed him with their bayonets. In every place they have done much the same. Many women and children have been likewise massacred. 11 North West civilians have fallen (not Bengal mind) so if it pleased God to cure them of this fever and save me going to England I should be assuredly promoted. The country is in a fearful state; every record, every register is burned. Martial Law is everywhere proclaimed. Every man’s hand is against another’s. The excitement here is intense. We have formed a volunteer corps for the hill, about 120 English. Once we have got 200 soldiers, mountaineers, quite staunch so that there is no fear is my opinion. I am still very ill but of course all communication is stopped with Calcutta. My idea is, it is the punishment for the way we have behaved to the natives – we have flattered them in all this religious prejudice-we have only taught in their schools the books they wish; the sepoy has been pampered. Now I hope the reign of opinion and its folly is over and the reign of conversion and the sword will be in. My losses, as well as everyone’s near me have been very severe but we have escaped the slaughter so have reason to be thankful. If I were only in good health as I have passed and could do well but my poor emaciated, nervous body is more fit to be down on a couch in the Cottage garden, then control the turbulent spirits of India. I should be much obliged however, if you would send me a revolver (one ---- size, Dean and Adams) and a small sword in a case full length fit for actual service. The troops here are having very hard fighting and what is a great deal worse they have to march at this awful season. Poor wretches, I pity them. That’s all. With kindest love to you and Mama, Aunts Jane and Eliz and E Mary, I am, my dearest Papa, your most aff. son (dying) T. Fairfax This letter in the family archives at Charlecote is a copy of the original written by Thomas Edward Fairfax, second son of Sir Henry Fairfax, 1 st baronet and great-great uncle to Sir Edmund. Thomas was born in 1832 and died in 1882 aged 50 and was unmarried. A barrister, he worked in India for the Bengal CS. His account corroborates much of the historical record of the mutiny. He was in Scotland at the time of Sir Henry’s death in 1860. Mama was Sir Henry’s second wife, Sarah who he married in 1851, his first wife, Archibald having died in 1844. Aunts Jane and Elizabeth were Jane and Elizabeth Williamson Ramsay who had inherited Maxton in 1838. E Mary was Thomas’ sister. Nynee Tal is a resort on the shores of a lake at the foot of the Himalayas and it is recorded that many British fled there during the revolt. Meerut is where the revolt traditionally began when both Muslim and Hindu sepoys rebelled against the use of animal fat to grease cartridges as the use of pig or cow fat would be against their respective religious observances.
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