MUTINY AT DINAPORE, JULY 1857; THE ADJUTANTS RE-UNITED Captain J. Burn, 40th Bengal Native Infantry, and Captain J.M. Evans, 7th Bengal Native Infantry, were Adjutants of their respective Regiments at Dinapore, the military cantonment for Patna, where mutiny broke out on 25.7.1857 after a bungled attempt to disarm them. An Officer wrote home: 'We had just had tiffin and I was playing at billiards when there was a tremendous row, and all the Officers rushed from the Mess ... I ran about 100 yards into the square as I expected to see the Sepoys show their ugly faces directly ... The 7th and 8th Native Regiments had left their lines and were all standing and shouting with their muskets in their hands by the Magazine; the 40th were close to us outside their lines, wavering if they should go or not. However when we showed ourselves they fired at us. Fortunately no one was hit, although the bullets came near and hit the trees ... The Adjutant [of the 40th], a very fat man of the name of Burns, stood firm, and put his hand on his heart, and said "you brutes!" They would not however fire while he stood there; but the other Officers finding the fire too hot retreated, and then Burns did the same, the men blazing away at them all. By a miracle no one was hit though bullets were flying all around ... The 10th Queen's and the Artillery went [towards the 40th] at the double, and then all the Sepoys of this Regiment ran off as hard as they could go to join the 7th and 8th. (Christison MSS as quoted in The Great Mutiny, India 1857, by Christopher Hibbert refers.) Subsequent to the outbreak at Dinapore the mutineers from Evans's and Burn's Regiments marched off to join the warlord Kunwar Singh and to take part in the investment of the Arrah House, which, successfully defended by a small but resolute group of Europeans, was famously to prove a turning point in the Mutiny. Notwithstanding the aforegoing officer's account, not all of Burn's Regiment mutinied. A portion of the 40th, about a hundred strong, refused to join their comrades and remained staunch. Unfortunately these loyal Sepoys were attacked in camp in mid-August by 'drunken and insubordinate' men of H.Ms 10th Regiment (Lincolns), on returning from operations in Jagdishpur in a totally undisciplined state. Five Sepoys were killed and twelve natives including a woman were injured. The "massacre" was effectively hushed up at the time but was roundly condemned by Sir James Outram who immediately relieved the 10th of Town duties and replaced them with men of H.Ms 5th Fusiliers newly arrived from the U.K.
Pair: Lieutenant-General J. Burn, 40th Regiment of Native Infantry, India General Service 1854-95, one clasp, Pegu (Lieut., Adjt., 40th Regt. N.I.); Indian Mutiny, no clasp (Lieut. & Staff Offr., 40th Regt. N.I.), surname corrected, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise generally very fine

Details
Pair: Lieutenant-General J. Burn, 40th Regiment of Native Infantry, India General Service 1854-95, one clasp, Pegu (Lieut., Adjt., 40th Regt. N.I.); Indian Mutiny, no clasp (Lieut. & Staff Offr., 40th Regt. N.I.), surname corrected, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise generally very fine

INDIAN MUTINY 1857-58, no clasp (Lt. & Adjt. J.M. Evans, 7th Bengal L.I.), extremely fine (3)

Lot Essay

Lieutenant-General James Burn was born in January 1829 and was appointed an Ensign in December 1845, joining the 40th Regiment of Native Infantry in July of the following year. Advanced to Lieutenant in July 1851, he fought in the Second Burma War of 1852-53, when he was present at the storming of the Great Pagoda at Rangoon, and, between 1855-56, in the Sonthal Campaign. As outlined above, Burn - the 'very fat man' - next witnessed action on the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny and went on to serve as an Adjutant and Staff Officer in the Sasseram Field Force in 1858. This would appear to have been his last stint of active service, but steady promotion followed until he attained the rank of Lieutenant-General in August 1890.

Captain John Mitchell Evans was born in December 1825 and was appointed an Ensign in the 7th Bengal Native Infantry in December 1845. Advanced to Lieutenant in April 1852, he was serving as Adjutant of the Regiment at the time of the outbreak of mutiny at Dinapore, as described above. Evans next served as Second-in-Command of the Arakan Battalion, gained advancement to Captain in the 6th Bengal European Regiment in January 1859 and retired in May 1864.