How 85 sepoys’ refusal sparked a revolt on Apr 24, 1857

MEERUT: April 24, 1857, was a Friday. Col Carmichael Smith, commandant of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry Regiment, had ordered 90 sepoys to assemble and use the disputed "greased cartridges". The previous evening, the sepoys had taken an oath not to touch the cartridges. Thus, out of the 90 sepoys, 85 troops refused to use them. This was the first mass opposition to British authority triggering the Revolt of 1857. On the anniversary of the day when the troops refused to use 'greased cartridges', TOI revisits history.

Amit Pathak, fellow, Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research (CAFHR), and author of '1857 - A Living History', said, "The planners of the uprising had been trying to start a revolt ever since January 1857 but had failed till then. The April 24 incident, in fact, happened by chance. Loading an Enfield rifle-musket required tearing the greased cartridge — which is said to have been made with a mixture of cow and pig fat — with one's teeth. There were general orders to the entire Bengal army by the senior authorities that no officer should ask his sepoys to use the Enfield rifle until further orders. But Col Carmichael Smith took it upon himself to tell his men how to use the cartridges without biting them. Had it not been for Smyth's initiative, the uprising was planned for May 30."

The British maintained that the cartridges were not objectionable but because the sepoys refused to use them, the parade was dismissed which was followed by the proceedings at the court of inquiry in Meerut. After April 24, various fire incidents were reported in Meerut — the cause of which Britishers could not identify. The revolt had already begun.

However, on May 8, the troops of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry were found guilty by a court martial and handed out severe sentences — following which the rebellion officially started on May 10, 1857.

"Though it still remains debatable, it was believed that the cartridges that were introduced on April 24 had a mixture of cow and pig fat — while the cow was holy for Hindus, the pig was profane for Muslims. This move united Hindus and Muslims who rose against the British in rebellion. The Indians, indeed, put up a strong fight against the British and fought irrespective of religion, caste and creed," said Manoj Gautam, curator, Government Freedom Struggle Museum, Meerut.
Historians further believe that because 99.9% of Indians were illiterate back then, religion was the only ideology that they understood and this could bind them together for their country.

"With a number of failed attempts to start the uprising, April 24, 1857 was a day which sparked the Revolt. The main cause that held all the Indians together was their religion. Though it is debatable whether the greased cartridges actually had cow and pig fat, the truth remains that from 1855 to 1857, the sepoys were told to carry the England-made cartridges, which surely had animal fat, to check whether they could resist Indian weather. However, in those two years, they were not ordered to use them. The greased cartridges were carried by the sepoys without being informed about the animal fat it contained. This was enough to hurt their religious sentiments and forment a a mass opposition," said Pathak.