Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/185

 BARRACKPUR. four Pargands, Bengal



on the Hugh'

river,

Lat. 22° 45' 40" N., long. 88° 23' 52" e.

175 15 miles above Calcutta.

Population (1881), including Hindus, 3623 Muhammadans,

Nawdbganj, 17,702, namely, 14,050 and 29 ‘others.’ The name of the place

is

said to be derived from the

having been stationed here since 1772. The natives call Chdnak,’ after Job Charnock, the founder of Calcutta, who

fact of troops

Barrackpur built a

‘

bungalow

here, in

which he occasionally

lived,

and established a

small bazar (1689). To the south of the cantonment is Barrackpur Park, which is laid out with much taste. Within this park is the suburban

residence of the Viceroy of India, built by Lord Minto and enlarged

and also the tomb of Lady Canning. Milicantonment on the i6th of September 1882 I battery of Royal Artillery, consisting of 8 officers and 150 men, a detachment of European and a regiment of Native infantry. Barrackpur has played an important part in two Sepoy mutinies. In 1824, when Bengal troops were required to take part in the Burmese war, the 47th Bengal Infantry, which was stationed here, was warned for foreign service. Though at first willing enough to march, a greatly exaggerated account of the check received by the British troops at Ramu cooled their enthusiasm ; and when a lying story was circulated, that, owing to the failure of the efforts of the Commissariat Department to obtain land transport, the men were to be put on board ship and taken to Rangoon by sea, the excitement, which had been gradually gaining force, developed into a determination to resist. In spite of the attempts at conciliation made by Colonel Cartwright, who commanded the regiment, they mutinied on parade on the 30th October, declaring that they would not go to Burma by sea, and that they would not march unless allowed ‘double battaJ A second time (on the ist November) the Sepoys were mutinous on parade; and the following morning Sir Edward Paget, the commander-in-chief, after an ineffectual attempt at explanation, told the Sepoys that they must either obey the order to march or ground their arms. They refused, and a battery of European artillery, which Sir Edward Paget had brought with him, supported by two English regiments, opened upon the mutineers. They broke at once, and made for the river, throwing away their arms. Some of them were shot, some drowned, and others hanged ; and the number of the regiment was removed from the Army List. Barrackpur was again the scene of mutiny in 1857. Early in that year the excitement about the alleged pollution of the new cartridges had made itself felt in every military station, and many of the Sepoys firmly believed that the English were deliberately plotting to destroy the caste of the native soldier, and to force him to embrace Christianity. A thousand absurd rumours obtained ready credence, despite the endeavours of General Hearsey, commanding the division, to allay

by the Marquis of Hastings tary force stationed in the

—