________________
SEPTEMBER, 1926]
THE MUTINY AT INDORE
173
16. 3rd July.-Proclaimed martial law this morning throughout the station of Mhow. Parties of troopers and Sepoys having been reported as still in their lines and harbouring in the villages in the vicinity, I moved out two guns escorted by volunteers. We first marched through the Sudder Bazar, recovered a large quantity of muskets from the Kotwallee, and disarmed those men not belonging to the police. Then went to the cavalry lines. Several troopers were seen skulking about the lines, and two cavalry horses saddled broke out of a neighbouring village, and galloped past the guns. The troopers were driven out and followed by several officers; they ran down to the nullah in rear of their lines, and then turned and fired. Corporal Potter, of the Artillery, cut one man down. Fired the village in rear of the cavalry lines from whence the horses broke out; fired another village in rear of the infantry lines, in which, and in the lines, several Sepoys were seen. As many more were supposed to be hidden in the houses, fired several round shot into the lines. Wrote this day to the Maharaja (letter B), as it was reported to me that Holkar's troops, accompanied by the mutineers from Mhow, meant to attack the Fort. By the evening of the 3rd July two light guns were mounted on each of the four corner bastions of the Fort. A heavy battery of one 10 inch howitzer, one 8 inch howitzer, one 24 pounder, one 18 pounder, and two 12 pounders, was formed and armed outside the northern gate of the Fort. Small arms and ammunition were placed in the bastions, and every preparation made to repulse any attack made by Holkar or any portion of his army. Men and officers worked unceasingly and uncomplainingly. Py this evening, too, Mr. Madras had laid in stores for a fortnight.
17. As the magazines of the cavalry and infantry regiments were full of ammunition, and might fall into the hands of enemies, a party was turned out on the 4th under Captain Brooks, 1st Light Cavalry, the guns under Lieutenant Mallock, Artillery, to blow them both up; both magazines were blown up successfully. A hole was blown through the southern curtain of the Fort, and preparations made to arm another battery for the protection of that side of the Fort. (Report sent in to the Adjutant-General of the Bombay Army, marked C.)
18. On the morning of the 5th another heavy battery of four 18 pounders was placed in position to protect the southern face of the Fort. About 10 a.m. two of Holkar's principal men, his minister the Bhao Rao Ramchunder, and his Buxee Khooman Sing, accompanied by Captain Fenwick, an East Indian in the service of the Maharaja, came to the Fort with a letter from the Maharaja (marked C 2). They stated the Maharaja had been quite unable to control his mutinous troops and expressed on his part deep regret at the occurrences at Indore, a detailed account of which was handed to me by Captain Fenwick. They offered also to send over the remaining treasure from the Residency to Mhow, and were prepared to carry out any measures I might advise for opening up communication through and tranquillizing the country. The minister also stated that the mutinous troops from Mhow and Indore had marched the preceding evening towards Dewas, having carried off with them nine (9) lacs of rupees from the Residency treasury, and having seized at Indore every horse, bullock, camel, and cart that they could find for the transport of their baggage. They had taken also with them nine guns belonging to the Maharaja. By evening of the 5th Mr. Madras had laid in stores of all kinds for one month. The station was perfectly quiet; the inhabitants of the Bazaars carrying on business as usual; burning and thieving in Bungalows put a stop to; and night alarms at an end. On the night of the 5th thirteen elephants were sent in by Holkar for the use of General Woodburn's column, and forwarded at once to Mundlaysir.
19. On the morning of the 6th July a general court-martial was assembled, for the trial of a gun lascar of my company for mutiny and desertion. The prisoner was sentenced to fifty lashes, but the punishment was commuted to dismissal. The troops from Indore who accompanied the mutineers from Mhow, not being allowed to share in the treasure, returned to Indore last night, and, having received some assistance from Holkar, marched immediately in pursuit to try and recover the treasure,
