Author:

Samir Mondal

Independent Research Scholar
MA in History
Department of History
Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan
Birbhum, West Bengal, India

Email: samirmondal1999@gmail.com

Abstract: The Behrampore incident of February 1857 constitutes one of the earliest expressions of collective sepoy resistance within the Bengal Presidency prior to the wider outbreak of the Revolt of 1857. Despite its chronological and analytical importance, it has remained marginal in mainstream historiography, which privileges the dramatic uprisings at Meerut and Delhi. This article reconstructs the Berhampore episode through colonial archival records, contemporary narratives, and modern historiographical interpretations. It argues that the refusal of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry to accept the Enfield cartridges was not merely an instance of indiscipline but a structured and collective articulation of accumulated grievances embedded within the Bengal Army. Furthermore, the British response—particularly the disbandment of the regiment—contributed significantly to the diffusion of disaffection across cantonments, especially Barrackpore. By situating Berhampore within a broader analytical framework, this article reinterprets the early phase of 1857 as a process of escalation rather than a sudden rupture.

Key Words: Berhampore Cantonment, Controversy, Historiography, Mutiny etc.