During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, communication relied on traditional means like messengers, couriers, and postal services. Telegraph lines, though present, were limited. The fluid nature of the conflict often disrupted communication channels, making coordination challenging for both British forces and rebel groups across the Indian subcontinent.

Planning and Coordination

Similar Pattern: The similarity in the pattern of the revolt across different regions was due to its planning and coordination. 

• Proper Communication: Clear evidence existed of communication among the sepoy lines of various cantonments.
  • Example: The 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry, after refusing new cartridges, communicated with the 48th Native Infantry about their decision.
• Coordinated Movements: Movement of sepoys or their representatives from one station to another suggests planning and discussion concerning the uprising.
  • Strategic Move: The patterns and evidence pointing to planning and coordination bring forth several questions regarding the orchestrators and their strategy. 
• Frequent Panchayats: Charles Ball, a historian, mentioned frequent panchayats in the Kanpur sepoy lines, indicating some decisions were made collectively.
• Captain Hearsey of Awadh: An incident involving Captain Hearsey of the Awadh Military Police provides a hint. 
  • Protection: He was protected by his Indian subordinates, when the 41st Native Infantry desired his imprisonment or death.
• “Sepoys as Architects”: Given the shared living conditions, common lifestyle, and often similar caste backgrounds of sepoys, it’s plausible  that they decided on their course of action together, showcasing that the sepoys were the architects of their own revolt.

Leaders and Followers

Unity in Resistance: The events of 1857 saw leaders and warriors from across the country unite in a fierce struggle against British dominion.

• Ahmadullah Shah’s Call to Arms: Ahmadullah Shah, a maulvi from Faizabad, predicted the end of British rule, rallying a large force against them in Lucknow.
• Delhi’s Ghazis and Bakht Khan: In Delhi, religious warriors or ghazis sought to eliminate the British, while Bakht Khan emerged as a principal military figure. 
• Local Leaders Stepped Up: In various places, leadership was either assumed or imposed:
• Nana Sahib: In Kanpur, Nana Sahib became the leader after pressure from sepoys and locals.
• Rani of Jhansi  and Kunwar Singh of Arrah in Bihar found themselves in similar situations.
  • Kunwar Singh’s Rebellion: In Bihar, Kunwar Singh, an elderly zamindar, allied with rebel sepoys, resisted the British for several months.
• Leadership Transition: In Lucknow, following the dethroning of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, his son Birjis Qadr became the people’s choice as leader.
• Seeking Traditional Leadership:For successful resistance against the British, the rebels needed leadership and organization. Oftentimes, rebels sought those who held power before the British takeover.
• Reluctant Leadership: In Meerut, for instance, sepoys approached the Mughal emperor in Delhi, Bahadur Shah, to lead the revolt. 
  • Though initially hesitant, he eventually assumed a nominal leadership role, particularly after sepoys entered the Mughal court.
• Rise of Ordinary Leaders: However, not all leaders were from nobility. Many ordinary individuals, including religious figures, also played key roles.
  • Example: A fakir in Meerut became a point of interest for sepoys.
  • Role of Religious Figures:Post the annexation of Awadh, religious leaders in Lucknow prophesied the fall of the British.
  • Inspiration: Leaders like Shah Mal and Gonoo inspired local communities to rebel.

Vishnubhatt Godse’s Account from “Majha Pravaas”

Vishnubhatt Godse’s Encounter: Vishnubhatt Godse, a Brahman from Maharashtra, narrated his encounter with sepoys while traveling to Mathura for a yajna.

• Warning of Upheaval: The sepoys warned of an impending massive upheaval, believing that the British aimed to obliterate Hindu and Muslim religions.
• British Imposition of Rules: According to the sepoys, the British formulated a list of eighty-four rules, which they presented to prominent kings and princes in Calcutta.
• Rejection by Prominent Rulers: These rulers reportedly rejected these rules, cautioning the British of significant consequences and unrest if implemented.
• Planning for Religious War: The rulers supposedly returned to their domains in anger, planning collectively for a religious war. 
• Communication: This covert plan was allegedly disseminated from Meerut’s cantonment through letters to various other cantonments.

Subedar Sitaram Pande’s Memoirs from “From Sepoy to Subedar”

Subedar Sitaram Pande’s Loyalty and Dilemma: Subedar Sitaram Pande, who served the British for 48 years, witnessed the suppression of the rebellion, even when his son, a rebel, was executed by the British.

• Influence of Annexation of Oudh: Sitaram Pande believed that the annexation of Oudh sowed seeds of mistrust among the sepoys against the British government.
• Role of Agents and Propaganda: Agents from the Nawab of Oudh and the King of Delhi traveled across India to gauge the army’s disposition. 
  • They influenced the sepoys by recounting the perceived treachery of the foreigners towards their king.
• Religious Offense These agents disseminated numerous lies and promises to incite the soldiers to revolt, with the intention of reinstating the Emperor of Delhi.
• Spread of Rumors: Around the same period, rumors spread about the new rifle cartridges being lubricated with cow and pig fat, offending both Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments.
  • Sepoys from regiments communicated this information, leading to widespread agitation.
• Assessment and Advice: While many highlighted that the British had respected their religious beliefs for four decades, the annexation of Oudh had already provoked discontent. 
• Conversion: There was a prevalent belief that the cartridge introduction was a ploy by the British to convert everyone to Christianity.

Conclusion

The 1857 revolt relied on traditional communication like messengers and panchayats. Leaders like Rani Lakshmibai and Shah Mal emerged alongside religious figures. Rumors and propaganda fueled anxieties, highlighting the challenges of communication during this turbulent period.