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JULY, 19261
THE MUTINY AT INDORE
125
To Captain Hungerford, Commanding at Mhow.
Sir,
I am commanded by His Highness the Maharaja Sahib to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, and to inform you, in reply, that a few of those troops who were supposed to have mixed up with the mutineers have returned, and measures will at a proper time be taken to ascertain the extent of their guilt.
His Highness had ordered an attack to be made on the Mhow and Indore mutineers, as soon as the safety of the town was secured by their march from before it. The Komisdar of Teerana has now, according to orders, assembled about 1100 men, together with two guns, and was to attack them at or near Rajwas ; an attacking column has also been in pursuit of a few stragglers towards Jamere; a third column, to the strength of 350 horse, was sent on yesterday; and a fourth column, of two guns of horse artillery, 100 sepoys, and 50 horse, has been despatched from Indore yesterday. Letters have also been addressed to Soindia's authorities at Shahjeanpore and Oojein, as well as to the Rajas of Dewass and Nursingur, to send succour, copies of which are enclosed for your information; and the result of these operations shall soon be made known.
Circular orders are also issued, offering a reward of Rs. 5,000 for any one bringing Saadut Khan the ring-leader's head, Rs. 500 for that of Bunsgopal, and Rs. 500 for that of Mahomed Ali, and smaller rewards of Rs. 150 for the head of each officer and man amongst them respectively.
Gunesh Ramchunder, an intelligent man, has been directed to wait on you as Vakeel at Mhow; and though Gunesh Shastree, having so much to do on his hands at this place, cannot be spared for a constant attendant at Mhow, he has, however, been directed to be going to and fro, and will wait on you every second day, or as occasion may require.
No means shall be spared on the Durbar's part to prove its usual sincerity and loyalty to the British Government, and His Highness rests assured they will find in him as staunch a friend as he hopes he has always proved to be.
Yours etc., July 8th, 1867.
(Signed) Ramchunder Rao. Letter 428-Mhow, July 8th, 1857.
Sir,
mes.
Not having heard anything from Colonel Durand, and having received no authentic intelligence of his whereabouts, I beg to continue my report to the Bombay Government, as the nearest authorities, and beg that a copy of my letter may be forwarded to the Supreme Government.
1. My last letter forwarded was dated the 5th, and contained copies of letter to the Mabaraja and his reply. I omitted to state therein that I had blown up the magazines in the cavalry and infantry lines which were full of ammunition, and which, being distant upwards of one mile from the Fort, I feared might fall into the hands of enemies.
2. On the 3rd July I proclaimed martial law throughout Mhow; and having suggested the advisability of such a step to the Maharaja of Indore, he has done the same throughout his territory.
3. By the evening of the 3rd a heavy battery was mounted and in position in front of the north gate of the Fort. The north battery consists of one 10-inch howitzer, one 8-inch, one 24 pounder, one 18 pounder, and two 12 pounders. The south battery, of four 18 pounders, was armed on the morning of the 5th. Ammunition for all these pieces, to the extent of twenty rounds per gun, has been made up by the Deputy Commissary of Ordnance ; supplies of all descriptions are laid in for one month; two light guns are also mounted on each of the four corner bastions of the Fort, and small arms placed in the bastions, and every preparation made to resist any attack that might be made upon us,
