MANGAL PANDAY
A soldier in the army of
British East India Company, Mangal Pandey was one of the first freedom fighters
of India. Pandey was a Sepoy who rose against the British rule during the Great
Revolt of 1857. Mangal Pandey attacked his British officers, revolted against
the greased cartridges being used by the British forces and played a pivotal
role in the Barrack pore Unrest. Mangal Pandey fought with diligence for the
freedom of this country and due to his rebelliousness he was hanged till death
in 1857.
Early life
Mangal
Pandey was born on 19 July 1827 in a Brahmin
family. in Nagwa,
a village of upper Ballia district,
Uttar Pradesh.[2]
He had joined the East India Company's army in 1849. Pandey was a soldier in
the 6th Company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry and is primarily known
for his involvement in an attack on several of the regiment's officers. This
incident marked an opening stage in the Indian
rebellion of 1857, and paved the way for his death.
The 1857 incident
At Barrackpore on the
afternoon of 29 March 1857, Lieutenant Baugh, Adjutant
of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI), was informed that several men of his
regiment were in an excited state. Further, it was reported to him that one of
them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in front of the regiment's guard room by the
parade ground, armed with a loaded musket,
calling upon the men to rebel and threatening to shoot the first European that
he set eyes on. Baugh immediately buckled on his sword, placed loaded pistols
in his holsters, mounted his horse, and galloped to the lines. Pandey took
position behind the station gun, which was in front of the quarter-guard of the
34th, took aim at Baugh and fired. He missed Baugh, but the bullet struck his
horse in the flank, and horse and rider were brought down. Baugh quickly
disentangled himself and, seizing one of his pistols, advanced towards Pandey
and fired. He missed. Before Baugh could draw his sword, Pandey attacked him
with a talwar
(a heavy Indian sword) and closing with the adjutant, slashed Baugh on the
shoulder and neck and brought him to the ground. It was then that another
sepoy, Shaikh Paltu, intervened and tried to restrain Pandey even as he tried
to reload his musket.
English Sergeant-Major
Hewson, had arrived on the parade ground, summoned by a native officer, before
Baugh. He had ordered Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, the Indian officer in command of the
quarter-guard, to arrest Mangal Pandey. To this, the jemadar stated that
his NCOs had gone for help and that he could not take Pandey by himself. In
response Hewson ordered Ishwari Prasad to fall in the guard with loaded
weapons. In the meantime, Baugh had arrived on the field shouting 'Where is he?
Where is he?' Hewson in reply called out to Baugh, 'Ride to the right, sir, for
your life. The sepoy will fire at you!' At
that point Pandey fired.
Hewson had charged towards Pandey as
he was fighting with Lieutenant Baugh. While confronting Pandey, Hewson was
knocked to the ground from behind by a blow from Pandey's musket. The sound of
the firing had brought other sepoys from the barracks; they remained mute
spectators. At this juncture, Shaikh Paltu, while trying to defend the two
Englishmen called upon the other sepoys to assist him. Assailed by other sepoys, who threw stones
and shoes at his back, he called on the guard to help him hold Pandey, but they
threatened to shoot him if he did not let go of the mutineer
Some
of the sepoys of the quarter-guard then advanced and struck at the two
prostrate officers. They then threatened Shaikh Paltu and ordered him to
release Pandey, whom he had been vainly trying to hold back. However, Paltu
continued to hold Pandey until Baugh and the sergeant-major were able to get
up. Himself wounded by now, Paltu was obliged to loosen his grip. He backed
away in one direction and Baugh and Hewson in another, while being struck with
the butt ends of the guards' muskets.
In the meantime, a report of
the incident had been carried to the commanding officer General Hearsey, who
then galloped to the ground with his two officer sons. Taking in the scene, he
rode up to the guard, drew his pistol and ordered them to do their duty by
seizing Mangal Pandey. The General threatened to shoot the first man who
disobeyed. The men of the quarter-guard fell in and followed Hearsey towards
Pandey. Pandey then put the muzzle of the musket to his chest and discharged it
by pressing the trigger with his foot. He collapsed bleeding, with his
regimental jacket on fire, but not mortally wounded.
Pandey
recovered and was brought to trial less than a week later. When asked whether
he had been under the influence of any substances, he stated steadfastly that
he had mutinied on his own accord and that no other person had played any part
in encouraging him. He was sentenced to death by hanging, along with Jemadar
Ishwari Prasad, after three Sikh members of the quarter-guard testified that
the latter had ordered them not to arrest Pandey.
Mangal
Pandey's execution was scheduled for April 18, but was carried out ten days
before that date. Jemadar Ishwari Prasad was executed by hanging on April 21
