Latoo the mutiny village: War of
1857 in Silchar
By Jyoti Lal Chowdhury
The whole nation is now commemorating 150 years of War of
Independence. The rising of 1857 was no doubt a major event
with its deep imprint on our national history. Cachar, a
remote district of the British India, also felt the impact
of the rebellion.
Latoo, a nondescript village, close to Bangladesh, was the
battleground of the historic Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Quite
ironically, this glorious chapter in the annals of the
freedom struggle of the country is glossed over by
historians. No steps have been taken to clear the jungle of
Latoo and raise memorial in honour of the brave soldiers who
lie ‘unheard, unsung and unhonoured’.
Historian E.A. Gait in his book History of Assam recounts
that in November, 1857, three companies of the 34th Native
Infantry stationed at Chittagang mutinied and after burning
their residential lines broke open the jail and plundered
the treasury. Then, they marched towards Comilla and from
there moved into the jungle of Tippera hill and subsequently
entered southeast of Syllet.
Gait adds as soon as Mr. Allen, member of the board of
revenue, heard of their movement, he was directed to
intercept them. On his advice, Major Bying, commandant of
the Sylhet Light Infantry, now known as 8th Gorkha Rifles,
set out with 160 men and reached Pratapgarh, 80-mile distant
in the short span of 26 hours. On receiving information that
the rebels were expected to pass through Latoo, 28 miles
away, Major Bying, along with his contingent, made night
march and reached Latoo early in the morning.
The rebels around 200 of them came up soon afterwards who
just within a gap of 30 yards from the enemy position tried
to gain them over by appealing to their religious feeling as
well as nationality. Failing this, the rebels taunted by
calling them “Kristan ka kootas’ and goolams.”
But only answer they received was steady fire. Dr. Sujit
Choudhury, eminent educationalist and historian and editor
of The Mutiny Period in Chachar quoting from correspondences
of Capt. Robert Stewart, Superintendent of Cachar, says, “In
the ensuing gun battle that took place on December 18, 1857,
Major Bying, and five of his soldiers were killed.”
Subedar Ajodhya Singh of the rebels displayed exemplary
strategy and won the battle. The battle, known as the battle
of Latoo, in fact, was the War of Independence in the
North-East. Notwithstanding the victory, the mutineers left
behind 26 of their comrades dead. Some of them were buried
in the hillock of Malegarh nearby which is still visited by
curious people. The letter of Capt. Stewart, addressed to
the Secretary, Government of Bengal, dated December 22,
1857, throws light on the Latoo episode:
“….late on the night of 19th I received a letter from Mr
Dod, who had accompanied the force sent with Major Bying
from Sylhet in pursuit of the mutineers of the 34th Native
Infantry, informing me that after having marched to
Pratapghar, Major Bying’s force upon certain information
received marched to Latoo along river Kushiara and there had
been an engagement with the mutineers on the morning of
December 18th in which 26 of them lost their lives. The
remainder had fled, it was said in the direction of
Pratapgarh with a view to making towards Cachar and
Manipur.”
Robert Stewart’s letter on the battle and subsequent event
makes disparaging observation on how Bengalis, the dominant
community in the area, were sieged with fear despite
exemplary show of indomitable spirit by their countrymen. He
mentions: “The people of this district are much alarmed,
the Bengalis being in the greatest fear. The badmashes are
all on the look out for a favourable opportunity to plunder….”.
These cynical comments by Stewart were provoked by the
killing of Major Bying by the rebels. People in general in
the area not only gave help and cooperation but also
inspired the sepoys in revolt. They guided them through
jungle-infested paths, gave them shelter and food. Despite
hurdles, nothing could stop the mutineers. Their plight has
been brought out by Stewart in these words, “They did not
obtain one particle of nutritious food and were compelled to
eat jungle roots and berries.”
E.A Gait notes that the successor in command of Major Bying,
Lt Ross did not think it wise to follow the mutineers into
the jungle. But, after a few days, the rebels were attacked
by a detachment of Sylhet Light Infantry under Lt. Ross and
were again put to fight. Stewart records that being in
disarray, “several of them died of hunger and disease”.
The rebellious soldiers and their chivalry had stirred the
heart and soul of the people of the region deeply. Their
story of glorious battle, their supreme sacrifice, their
agonies have passed into ballads and folk songs. Amalendu
Bhattacharjee, a scholar of folklores, said, “Latto
floklores tell tales of the great historic even and the
feeling and emotions of the people of the time.” It also
tells of Quisling Kala Mia who acted as informer of the
occupation army of the British. The folk songs, better known
as battle songs are still sung in Latoo, Mohanpur and
Narsingpur. Some of them unfold the betrayal of Kala Mia who
passed on information to the British agents about the
movement and strategy of the sepoys in mutiny. Quite
poignant are the tales of several rebels who had died of
hunger and disease and unable to carry their children had
dashed them on the ground and left them to die.
The campaign of the British assisted by Kukis and Lushais
against the mutineers who retreated tactically in groups
only to regroup marched through the inhospitable forested
terrain of Daholia, and then changed direction from moving
to Lushai Hills and advanced towards Manipur in order to
join hands with the Manipuri rebels after crossing the
Katakhal river. The Britishers continued to chase them.
The mutineers almost exhausted, many of whom wounded, and
camped in the deep jungles of the Mohanpur close to Silchar.
Taking advantage of their adversity, the soldiers of Lt.
Ross swooped down on the famished rebels and brutally
tortured them. Those who escaped did not lose heart. Nor
were they subdued. They succeeded in reaching Bhuban Hills
on Manipur border and could forge an alliance with Manipuri
prince Narendrajit Singh and his royal troop, waging war
against the British occupation.
On way to Bhuban Hills, the mutineers had confrontation with
the contingent of Lt. Ross. There was another bloody
encounter at Binnakandie near the hills that cost the life
of 18 mutineers. The British army too lost two of their
soldiers. In all, the rebels had lost 185 of their officers
and sepoys. The mutineers could hardly proceed further as
they were in total disarray. Quite significantly, women too
took up arms and fought gallantly along with their male
counterparts and suffered untold miseries. Many of them died
in action and many were taken prisoners and executed. But,
their resistance against the British force for long one
month after Latoo the episode, notwithstanding the death of
their commanders and loss of men, lack of ration, extreme
physical and mental exertions and rough terrain, has become
a part of the glorious history of India’s freedom
struggle. All India Radio, Silchar, has rightly recreated
the almost forgotten annals of our country’s war of
independence by abridging the historical events in 13
episodes and broadcast them for the viewers across the
valley of Barak in Assam.
(The author can be contacted at Satsang Ashram Road,
Silchar, Assam-788 007 e-mail: jlchowdhury@ yahoo.co. in)
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