What weapons were used at the cawnpore massacre?

Answer 1

This was a particularly horrible part of the 1857 Indian Mutiny (or war of independence in some people's eyes).

Until that year, mostly Indian princes and rulers since India wasn't ruled by Britain per se, but Britain had a lot of control through the East India Company). After several disagreements on both sides, eventually rumours of tallow fat on weapon cartridges (Cows are a sacred animal to Hindus) and lard as well (pigs are unclean to Muslims) sparked off the rebellion, which began in a vast scale of destruction, partly led by the Indian princes and rulers, but often very disorganised and violent.

During the rebellion, a British garrison at Cawnpore held out against the rebel sepoys until they were granted passage to barges to take them away to safety. As they reached the barges, the sepoys opened fire on the British, and cavalry rode into the water, cutting down the men. Only one barge escaped.

After this, the leader, an Indian ruler called 'Nana Sahib' held the surviving women and children prisoner in a building called the 'bibigarh'. When he learned that the British forces were closing in on Cawnpore, he ordered the women and children to be killed. There was some disagreement among the sepoys, but they went to the house, and couldn't get inside because the women had barricaded the door. They fired high on purpose, so Nana Sahib sent for local Muslim butchers in to kill the women and children (even small babies weren't spared). They went in with axes and knives and sliced them up, dumping the remains in a well. A couple of surviving children were chased outside and caught by the Sepoys who quickly beheaded them.

The British forces arrived at Cawnpore too late to prevent the massacre, and were shocked and stunned by what they found. The massacre upset them so much that the effect on them was incredible. Any Indian mutineers caught were shown no mercy, and all Indians were treated with suspicion that warranted their murder in return.

And that's the full story on one of the worst parts of British-Indian history.

Answer 2

Just talking about the massacre of women and children at the Bibighar, soldiers initially fired muskets, but most aimed to miss. The vast majority were therefore despatched with swords or butchers' cleavers.

At the boats, a variety of weapons were used, including muskets, swords and artillery.

Check out 'Our Bones are Scattered' by Andrew Ward or my own fictional, but accurate, account of the massacres in 'Cawnpore' (by Tom Williams).