The end

The end of the war came at Gwalior and here India produced one of its most famous warriors and for the times one of the strangest,a woman. The war came to an end with a bloodbath;vendetta of the soul but also the righteous sense of dominion. She had been born to a Brahmin family around 1828 in Varanasi. In 1858 the British attacked Gwalior; they laid siege to the city .On June the 17th during the Battle of the Gwalior forts (above) Rani set fire to herself so the story goes as she did not want to become the prisoner of the British. Colonel Molleson saw her as a created martyr as he said."Her countrytmen will always see her as driven by ill-treatment into rebellion".Although she lived only till 22, she remains a living legend. Her life is a thrilling story of courage. I am sure many of you may have heard her name mentioned before, . 

Jhansiki Rani was born in the year 1835 in the holy city of Varanasi, and her name was Manu. Unfortunately she lost her mother when she was only four, so the duty of bringing her up fell principally on her father. Along with formal education she acquired the skill in sword fighting, horse riding and shooting. Manu later became the wife of Gangadhar Rao, Maharaj of Jhansi, in 1842. From then on she was known as Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.

In 1851 the Rani bore a son but her fate was cruel and she lost her child within three months. The Maharaja passed away on the 21st November 1853. Although prior to this the couple has adopted a boy to be their heir, the British government claimed they did not recognise the right of the adopted boy to the kingdom. It was their policy at the time that the British would directly annex any kingdom without an heir.

Before his death Gangadhar Rao personally petitioned the East India Company that his adopted son Damodar Rao be recognized as his heir, and died with the same hope. But in 1854 it was proclaimed that the East India Company would not recognize Damodar Rao, and ordered the Rani to vacate the fort and live in the palace in return for a pension of Rs. 5,000 per month (a considerable sum in those days). The Rani was enraged and determined not to let go of the kingdom, but had at that time no power to oppose the might of the British, so she complied with the orders and was determined not to give up. She was extremely popular with the people, and held a lot of sway, and bided her time for the right moment.
After the British took over her government her daily routine changed. Every morning from 4am to 8am were set apart for bathing, worship, meditation and prayer. From 8am to 11am she would go out for a horse ride and practice shooting and sword fighting. Thereafter she would bathe again, feed the hungry, give alms to the poor and then have food; then rested for a while. After that she would chant the Ramayana. She would then exercise lightly in the evening. Later she would go through some religious books and hear religious sermons. Then she worshipped her chosen deity and had supper. All things were done methodically, according to her strict timetable. 


(below one of the few Indian Sepoy Mutiny producers William Hocker Bengal Horse artillery plus the Gurkhas who sent 10,000 men from Nepal to team up with Campbell)

THE INDIAN MUTINY. HODSONS HORSE. Part 8

What Ban Tarleton had been to the British rebels in the American colonies William Hodson was to the murdering sepoys and ruffians, who had mutilated,raped and killed women and kids. He was fearless and rode 30 miles at the gallop with his irregulars to hit the mutineers where they didn't expect to be hit. His men were indians and they wore khaki and called themselves Hodson's Horse.These riders became the Bengal Lancers.The three main players on the British side didn't last long.Havelock died of dysentry, Outram soldiered on for another few years but died because of his exertions in India during the mutiny and Hodson was shot in the liver when they returned to Lucknow.

1. A soldier was ready to blow a door when Hodson appeared, told him to leave it and then kicked the door in, on its opening he was shot in the liver.He had been the epitomy of the British Cavalry leader, a great leader in war.His only portrait that I know of is below, the one wearing the Pith helmet.His grave is still in India pictured below( Apart from Britains the mutiny is barely covered by the 54mm figure.Britain's did something but not a success. Below are some 28 mm by OLD GLORY(to be continued)

The final episode of the sepoy Mutiny were the lies put out by the Indepenedence movement for india.With this in mind we may remember how the British forces defended India in its hour of need then gave it up immediately after; this was of course the final year of WW2.
Any sane person knows that if the British at Impala had not have stopped the Japs then India would be Jap to this day.Compare some Old Glory metals of the mutiny, see how these compare with the plastic in the post above; the image of Lord Roberts sabrering the sepoy; he won his V.C after taking the colour flag of the sepoys at Khudaganj.
( continued above)

lucknow

1. 
   The arrival of Sir Colin Campbell was weeks away so Havelock had to wait.In that time he sent a messenger to Campbell , he was told four days but it was more like four weeks, the residency was a mere shell but he fought on. When Campbell arrived he did not jopin the garrison but kept things quiet outside so Havelock spirited away the civilian population under many disguises and covers, they marched with the military plus Havelock's troops towards Cawnpore, it was over.The British flag had never been taken down as it fluttered in the residency. Havelock died shortly=cholera. Here are some images for your pleasure. The first are the bones left after one of the massacres.Then two www.soldier.com figures of the cavalry of Havelocks relief column plus infantry.The red coat is by Clydecast who by the way are still in production.(The owner told me that while he is not selling much he still keeps the soldiers available) To be continued.See other parts below

THE INDIAN MUTINY 7th Part "A KIND OF FEVER"

THE INDIAN MUTINY 7th Part "A KIND OF FEVER"

If you walk the Thames embankment you'll see a little memorial to Outram, no one knows who he was today but all Victorian children knew him.It is in Victoria Gardens;pay your respects next time cos now you know.
Go further to Trafalquar Square and see Havelock's one.

(That friend of you and me, that Neo-Liberal Mr Ken Livingstone waged a campaign to get Havelock and Outram displaced by people Ken likes; Winnie Mandella and some of his bizzare friends maybe?)
The regiments of the British crown had started to look like the Sepoys and they cried CAWNPORE!!!! CAWNPORE!!!!! as the Texans had cried THE ALAMO once in a voice of revenge.
But this was real revenge, revenging the rapes, the mutilations of women and kids.
60 miles in 24 hours=fighting at the end of it.
When the British found the charnel house of the Bibighar in Cawnpore they made the murderers lick up the blood, they added some hot water so it became liquid again then the murderer was forced to lap it and then hanged.
Others were forced onto cannons while officers drank champagne in deck chairs and the human body was blown to pieces , bits and fragments.
They bayoneted as they went for Palmerston had called the atrocities "To be perpetrated only by demons". And you know what? He was right.
The merciless bayonet searched and found and the Indians called the British revenge "The Devils Wind".
India had never been a united kingdom so the idea of a war of independence was wrong, it had been a petty series of war lords who had an idea of justice all their own.
And nothing has changed.Today you are free to starve to death,that's where Independence took them.