CHAPTER V

THE SIEGE OF ARAH —THE FAILURE OF A
MUDDLED RELIEF EXPEDITION — VINCENT
EYRES  BRILLIANT SUCCESS

THE   PATNA   DISTRICT

IN 1857 Patna, which stands on the right or south
bank of the Ganges, 370 miles north-west of
Calcutta, contained 158,000 inhabitants, 38,000 of
whom were Muhammadans. It was the stronghold in
India of the extreme Moslem sect, called Wahabis.
The garrison of Danapur, the cantonment 10 miles to
the west of the city, consisted of i English and
3 Native battalions, and i company of British
and I of Native artillery. Mr. Tayler, the Com¬
missioner of the district, was a man of energy and
determination, with a sound knowl'edge of Native
affairs. After the Meerut outbreak he frequently
urged the disarming of the Sipahi battalions, but his
advice was disregarded. He carried out, however, the
disarmament of the citizens, and arrested many
notables. When a rising occurred on July 3, by the
help of 150 Sikhs, under Captain Rattray, Mr. Tayler
put it down with a strong hand, and executed 14 out
of 31 men he had arrested.

The Government at Calcutta, which had the advice
of the acting Commander-in-Chief, who, having been

previously Chief Staff Officer of the  Bengal  Army,

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