The outbreak of the great Mutiny of the Native Indian Army took place on 10th May, 1857, at Meerut. There had been considerable unrest in India for some time; England had lost prestige in the Crimean War the year before, and a tradition existed that her power in India would last only a hundred years. The immediate cause of the Mutiny was the issue of cartridges for the new Enfield rifle lubricated with grease from cows (sacred animals to the Hindus) or from pigs (unclean to the Mohammedans). Warnings of the coming storm were disregarded.
Risings were accompanied by massacres, pillage and sieges of isolated garrisons at Lucknow, Cawnpore and other places, and for some time the situation was critical.
The 1st Battalion had been in India since 1845 and when the Mutiny started was at Meerut under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Jones. The Battalion at the moment was mustering for evening church parade. On hearing the news it immediately fell in, and Captain Muter, the senior officer present, instantly dispatched a company to secure the Treasury. The Battalion then marched towards the city, and, being joined by the 6th Carabiniers and a battery of Horse Artillery (all the European troops available), it proceeded to occupy the lines of the native troops, thus effectively preventing the mutineers from establishing themselves in the city, so that they were forced forthwith to retreat towards Delhi. The story is told that while hurrying to the native lines the Battalion came upon the body of a lady lying dead and mutilated by the roadside. This lady was well known both to the officers and men for her devotion and care for the women and children of the Battalion and the men as they passed, exasperated at the sight, raised their rifles in the air and swore to avenge her death. The Battalion, and their leader. known later as "Jones the Avenger," made good their oath.
Hindun, 30th/31st May, 1857
Marching in pursuit, under Brigadier Archdale Wilson, the Meerut troops fought two successful actions upon the Hindun River, in which the 1st Battalion were prominent, and on 7th June it joined the army under Major-General Sir Henry Barnard at Alighur.
The Siege of Delhi, June to September 1857
At one o'clock on the following morning the whole of Barnard's force moved against Delhi. On reaching
Badlee-ke-Serai it was found that the mutineers were strongly posted in an entrenched position along the ridge from the flagstaff to Hindoo Rao's house, overlooking the cantonments and city, but after a sharp engagement the ridge was cleared of the enemy and occupied by our troops. Thus began the famous siege of Delhi, full of glorious memories to all Sixtieth Riflemen. From then to the final assault on the city (8th June to 20th September) the Battalion was constantly employed either as outposts near Hindoo Rao's house or in repelling the assaults made by the mutineers upon our position on the ridge. It is recorded that the Regiment was during this period engaged in twenty-four separate actions.
On the morning of 14th September, after six days of bombardment, two breaches were considered practicable in the walls of the city, one in the curtain to the right of the Kashmir Gate, the other to the left of the water bastion. The assault was delivered at three points, namely, upon the two breaches and the Kashmir Gate, while a fourth column followed as reserve. The whole of the Battalion was split up in skirmishing order to cover the advance of the assaulting columns, and in this congenial duty they greatly distinguished themselves.
The assaults were successful, and after an heroic struggle the city was partially occupied by nightfall. But it was not until 20th September that the place and its defences were completely in the hands of our troops, and then only after continuous hand-to-hand fighting in the streets. The services of the 1st Battalion were officially pronounced to be "pre-eminent in the memorable siege and capture." "All behaved nobly," wrote Lord Canning, the Governor-General of India in his final Delhi despatch (dated 9th November, 1857), "but I may be permitted to allude somewhat to those Corps most constantly engaged from the beginning, the 60th Rifles, the Sirmoor Battalion, and the Guides. Probably not one day throughout the siege passed without a casualty in one of these Corps; placed in the very front of our position, they were ever under fire, and their cheerfulness, their steadiness, their high qualifications as skirmishers, were beyond commendation." Their losses in action show the nature of the service. The Rifles commenced with 440 of all ranks; a few days before the storm then received a reinforcement of nearly 200 men; their total casualties were 389.
We may conclude this page of the Regiment's history by citing the judgment of General Sir Archdale Wilson, under whom they served, who described the Battalion as "a glorious example both in its daring gallantry and its perfect discipline."
Eight members of the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Heathcote, Ensign Lisle Philips, Colour-Sergeants Waller and Garvin, Bugler Sutton, and Riflemen Divane, Thompson and Turner, were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallant conduct during the siege.
