THE MANIPUR DISASTER. - THE FULL DETAILS!
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| The Manipur garrison retreats to Cachar (Silchar) |
From The Times of April 4 we glean further, details of the disaster which occurred to the Manipur expedition last March. Manipur is a tract of country situated in the heart of the hilly country lying between Chittagong, Burmah, Cachar, and Assam, embracing a territory of 8000 square miles, and with a population roughly estimated at a quarter of a million. It has been a source of trouble for the last quarter of a century. The people are of Tartar origin, but claim to be Hindu. Manipur is chiefly known to the world as the home of the game of polo, where it is said to have been played 120 years ago.
It appears that in September last there was a revolution in Manipur, the Maharajah's brothers, one of whom was the Senaputti, or commander-in-chief, conspiring to depose him. There was much blood shed, but the Government of India resolved to interfere, and sent Mr Quinton, Chief Commissioner of Assam, with his assistant secretary. Mr Cossins; two assistant commissioners, Mr Gurdon and Mr Woods; Mr Grimwood, the political agent, and his wife; Mr Melville, the telegraph official; Colonel Skene, Captain Butcher, Lieutenants Lugard and Chatterton, and Dr. Calvert, 42nd Goorkhas ; Captain Boileau and Lieutenant Brackenbnrg, 44th Gurkhas; and Lieutenant Simpson, 43rd Gurkhas. With these were 470 men of the 44th and 42nd Regiments, and each had 70 rounds of ammunition.
Mr Quinton ordered a Durbar on the 22nd March, but political negotiations having failed, a force was sent to arrest Jubraj on the 24th, and his palace was attacked at dawn. The Manipuri's offered a stubborn resistance, and the British forces were compelled to discontinue the attack and retire to the residency. Here they were attacked in turn by the enemy, 6000 strong, with several heavy guns, said to have been manned by sepoys formerly in the British service. The guns were then placed within 150 yards of the Residency, which was shelled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A. truce was made at 8 p.m. The Chief Commissioner, Colonel Skene, Mr Grimwood, Mr Cossins, Lieut. Simpson and a bugler went to meet Jubraj half way, but were seized and made prisoners. At midnight the Manipuris again opened fire at the Residency, and the compound became untenable. One shell struck the stables and killed all the horses. The garrison exhausted their ammunition. It having been decided by all during the evening that evacuation would be inevitable, it was carried out about 2 am. on the 26th, and the garrison marched across the hills. There was opposition at every Thana. They met Captain Cowley and the 43rd Gurkhas at 10 a.m. on the 26th, who gave every help.
The 42nd Regiment's casualties were Colonol Skene, prisoner; Lieutenant Lugard, slightly wounded; 11 sepoys wounded, 97 men missing; Captain Empson, prisoner; 2 native officers, 67 men, including all the Longthobal detachment; and two sepoys, killed. Gurkha's - Lieutenant Brackenblury, killed; one sebedar, two havildars; 10 sepoys, killed, 9 wounded, 2 missing. The officers who escaped were Captain's Butcher"and Chatterton, Lieutenant Lugard, Mr Woods, Dr. Calvert, Mr Gurdon, and Mrs Grimwood. The garrison on their way then fell in with Captain Cowley's party,' and were escorted to a place of safety. The treasury at the Residency was looted by the rebels. Mr Quintons sepoys had only 40 rounds per man,
and no commissariat. Later telegraph advises report that the rebels have.been punished, and the British Residency retaken, and that Jubraj, who had retreated with a remnant of his followers to the mountains, was about to surrender.
