Government Records Punjab--Mutiny Records Reports part 2

· 1911 · Text public domain; the scan hosted non-commercially, with credit · archive.org ↗

1Despatch of

2troops under

3Captain

4Fraser and

5Major Cham-

6berlain.

7Disaffection

8among the

9establishment

10of the Sutlej

11Preventive

12Line.

13Measures for

14disarming

15members of

16the Preven-

17tive Line.

1822 MUTINY REPORTS. [ Cuap,

19consisting entirely of recruits uninstructed in the use of arms,

20with about 30 of the Police Battalion.

2142. At the requisition of the Commissioner, the

22Brigadier Commanding at Mooltan immediately detached a

23party of 80 sowars of the lst Regiment Irregular Cavalry to

24'folumba in company with Captain Fraser, Assistant Commis-

25sioner. The next day, the 18th idem, this detachment was

26followed by another of 100 sowars under Major Chamberlain.

27It was considered advisable to retain the Infantry until two

28guns of the new battery could be equipped for the ficld and

29also because the services of these troops might be more urgent-

30ly required on the Sutle}.

3143. The order for the dismissal of Hindoostanees had

32been extended to the establishment of the Sutlej Preventive

33Line, a great proportion of which consisted of that class ; but

34from the difficulty of obtaining substitutes the order could not

35at once be carried out. Symptoms of insubordination had

36appeared among the men, and several of them, chiefly Rangurs

37from the Hansee territory, had deserted with their arms and

38proceeded towards that district.

39It was therefore necessary to arrance for the suppression

40of these dangers and also to provide for the safety of the

41country on the Sutlej, where many of the tribes are of

42predatory habits and where there are some towns of wealth

43and importance.

4444. The Commissioner accordingly instructed Captain

45Tronson, Captain of Police, and Major Voyle, Deputy Com-

46missioner, to proceed at once to Kuhror, the head-quarters of

47the Sutle} Preventive Line, with 100 Mounted Police, and after

48withdrawing a portion of the ferry guards from the Sutlej to

49disarm the men of the Preventive Line and then to proceed

50towards Pakputtun, the most considerable town in the southern

51portion of the Googaira district.

52These duties were fully and efficiently performed by Major

53Voyle and Captain Tronson ; but, as their operations have been

54detailed in the report of the former officer, it is unnecessary to

55repeat them.