How did the Mutiny of 1857 start? Give a brief description of the events concerning the uprising in Meerut.
The uprising of 1857 started in the afternoon of 10 May, 4857 in the cantonment of Meerut. It broke out in the lines of the native infantry. It then quickly spread to the cavalry and soon engulfed the whole city. The ordinary people of the city also joined the sepoys who took up arms and attacked the white people. They ransacked their bungalows and burnt their property. They also destroyed the government buildings like the jail, the court, the treasury, and the post office and cut down the telegraph lines to Delhi. The next day, i.e., on 11th May 1857, the sepoys reached the gates of the Red Fort in Delhi. They briefed Bahadur Shah, the last Mughal king, about the incidents in Meerut and requested him to both bless and lead the uprising against the white men. At first, the emperor was a bit hesitant but later on, he accepted their demand. His approval gave legitimacy to the revolt as it was carried on in the name of the Mughal emperor.
