![]() Many native infantrymen (sepoys) believed that these new cartridges introduced in early 1857 had been greased by cow and pig fat. The traditional explanation of the offensive rifle cartridges causing the initial outbreak of mutiny is only part of the story. There were many causes of the Indian Rebellion. There is very little comment about the wider rebellion and about its diverse meanings, except that they sketch out some native conceptions and understandings of British rule in India, and the extent to which the British government (and even Parliament itself) was directly involved in creating the conditions which led to the mutiny and then to the wider rebellion. ![]() The sources are highly individual and relate almost exclusively to the personal experiences of the narrators, usually confined to what they see and their immediate concerns. They shed light on the condition of the rebels' armies and encampments, the nature of their fighting tactics, the extent and importance of oral communication and rumour in this whole episode, and the great personal difficulties of remaining loyal to the British. ![]() The handful of surviving Indian narratives tell us a great deal about the rebellion, however. Apart from official proclamations from the Rebellion's leaders, few original Indian accounts survive, and many historians have pointed out that this is an obvious example of history being written by the victors. Although there is an abundance of first-hand narratives of the year-long Rebellion from Britons and other Europeans, Indian historical voices are largely silent. Indian soldiers in the army of the East India Company in Bengal rose up against their officers, captured and killed many civilians, and nearly overthrew British rule in northern India. THE INDIAN REBELLION-or Mutiny-of 1857 was one of the most significant events in the history of the British Empire.
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