Why did the soldiers of Barrackpore revolt against the British officers?
Answers
The mutiny had its roots in British insensitivity towards Indian cultural sentiments, combined with negligence and poor supply arrangements, which caused growing resentment amongst the sepoys of several regiments of the Bengal Native Infantry after a long march from Mathura to Barrackpore. The lack of transport for personal effects and cultural concerns about being transported by sea caused apprehension and when troops from the 47th Native Infantry appeared on parade, the troops refused to march towards Chittagong, unless their grievances were remedied. Attempts to resolve the dispute failed and dissent spread to elements of the 26th and 62nd Regiments. The Commander-in-Chief, India, General Sir Edward Paget, ordered the troops to lay down their arms before considering their requests for redress. When the sepoys refused, their camp was surrounded by loyal soldiers from the 26th and 62nd Regiments and two British regiments. After a final ultimatum, the camp was attacked with artillery and infantry and around 180 sepoys were killed, as were a number of civilian bystanders.
In the aftermath, a number of mutineers were hanged and others sentenced to long periods of penal servitude. The 47th Regiment was disbanded and its Indian officers dismissed, while its European officers were transferred to other regiments. The incident was largely suppressed in the media, with only limited information being released to the public but there was Parliamentary criticism of the East India Company government for its heavy-handedness in dealing with the sepoys' grievances.[4]
The soldiers of Barrackpore revolted against the British after the new Enfield rifle were introduced to be used by the sepoys of Barrackpore.
When the Rifles came in circulation it came to the knowledge of sepoys that the paper that was to be bitten off before loading the rifle was greased with Cow and Pig fats.
The majority of sepoys in the British army were Hindus and Muslims and for them cows and pigs were holy animals respectively. Therefore, it was not at all accepted by them to use the rifle and they thought that British were messing up with their religious sentiments.
This was the reason that led to outbreak of revolt by sepoys of barrackpore.