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SEPTEMBER, 1926]
6. Many applications were made to the commanding officer for some precautions to be taken for the safety of the wives and families of officers and men; but Colonel Platt placed such implicit confidence in his men,' that nothing was done beyond placing a guard of Sepoys of the 23rd Regiment N. I., every night, over the houses of the officers of that regiment.
THE MUTINY AT INDORE
171
7. On the morning of the 1st July, about half-past 8 or 9, guns were heard firing in the direction of Indore; at 11 a.m. Colonel Platt called at my house with a note from Colonel Durand. Colonel Durand wrote :
"Send the European battery as sharp as you can. We are attacked by Holkar."
I rode down to the barracks and turned out the battery, escort was ordered to accompany the battery for its defence; two men were therefore told off for each gun and waggon, and mounted on the limber boxes, armed with muskets. The battery was trotted to Rhow, half way to Indore. There a Sowar rode up to me with a note in pencil from Colonel Travers, commanding the Bhopal Contingent, saying "We are retreating on Simrole, on the Mundlaysir road from Indore."
The Sowar added that Colonel Durand and the officers and ladies from the Residency were with Colonel Travers, that Colonel Durand had not retired on Mhow, as Mhow was in Holkar's territories, and would be attacked by Holkar's troops either that night or the follow. ing morning. There being no road to Simrole which I could follow, the battery was brought back to Mhow as quickly as possible.
8. Colonel Platt met me on re-entering cantonments. I gave him Colonel Travers' note, and told him what the Sowar had said, requesting permission at the same time to take my battery into the Fort, as the Fort could be defended for any length of time. Colonel Platt would not hear of it. At the artillery barracks all the wives and families of officers and and men had taken refuge. The barracks could not be well defended, from their extent and position. I urged repeatedly on Colonel Platt, during the afternoon, the advisability of defending the Fort; but only at the very last moment could he be persuaded to allow me to enter it. At half-past 6 p.m. Colonel Platt rode down to the artillery barracks, and told me to enter the Fort. He had strengthened the guard at the gateway to fifty men from his own regiment.
9. I afterwards learnt that, about 6 p.m., Sepoys had been sent round to all the cantonment guards to warn them, and the guards at officers' houses, that there would be a rise of the whole of the troops that night.
10. At dusk, the mess-house of the 23rd Regiment N. I. was observed to be on fire; and before 10 p.m. several other houses were in flames. About 10 p.m. shots were heard in the direction of the cavalry and infantry lines; and immediately afterwards several officers of both corps ran into the Fort, stating that both regiments were in open mutiny, and that they had been fired upon both by troopers and Sepoys. I ordered the guard within the Fort to be disarmed, and their muskets were taken from them. Colonel Platt rode înto the Fort about 10 p.m., and ordered me to turn out my battery. There was a little delay in doing this, from the horses being knocked up, and from several of the drivers having already deserted; and before we were ready, Colonel Platt, accompanied by his Adjutant (Captain Fagan), rode out of the Fort. We followed them in about ten minutes; but did not see them again. On advancing up the infantry parade (the lines being more than half a mile from the Fort) we were several times fired upon, but saw no one. The infantry parade ground was illuminated by the blazing bungalows, but the huts of the men were in darkness, When opposite the centre of the infantry lines I halted, expecting to be joined by Colonel Platt or his Adjutant. My staff serjeant, bugler, and myself rode up to the bells of arms, but no one could be seen. Whilst thus halted the battery was again fired upon. I unlimbered, and fired several rounds of grape and round shot into the lines. There was some groaning and noise, but nothing visible; and in a few minutes everything was perfectly quiet,
