"My Dear Major: The General has just received a telegram with terrible
news from Meerut. 'Native troops mutinied, murdered officers, women,
and children, opened jails and burned cantonments, and marched to
Delhi.' It is reported that there has been a general rising there
and the massacre of all Europeans. Although this is not confirmed,
the news is considered probable. We hear also that the native
cavalry at Lucknow have mutinied. Lawrence telegraphs that he has
suppressed it with the European troops there, and has disarmed the
mutineers. I believe that our regiment will be faithful, but none
can be trusted now. I should recommend your preparing some fortified
house to which all Europeans in station can retreat in case of
trouble. Now that they have taken to massacre as well as mutiny,
God knows how it will all end."
"Good Heavens! who could have dreamt of this?" the Major groaned.
"Massacred their officers, women, and children. All Europeans at
Delhi supposed to have been massacred, and there must be hundreds
of them. Can it be true?"
"The telegram as to Meerut is clearly an official one," Bathurst
said. "Delhi is as yet but a rumor, but it is too probable that
if these mutineers and jail birds, flushed with success, reached
Delhi before the whites were warned, they would have their own way
in the place, as, with the exception of a few artillerymen at the
arsenal, there is not a white soldier in the place."
"But there were white troops at Meerut," the Major said.
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