User blog:HanSolo69/Failed Horseback Rebellions! Sepoy Mutineers vs. Confederate Bushwhackers

When a major superpower nation governs over a large range of territory, rebellions are inevitable. Usually, it is the oppressed (or those who perceive themselves to be oppressed) who put their foot down and decide to strike back. In the mid 19th century, this was especially true. Two of the major players of the time, Great Britain and the United States, experienced their own rebellions within the same ten years: the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and the American Civil War. Today, we will be examining the rebels of these two conflicts; specifically, their mounted volunteer combatants. The Sepoy Mutineers, the former mercenary group who turned on the British Empire to fight for Indian independence, versus the Confederate Bushwhackers, a ragtag group of guerillas waging war with the Union in Missouri and Kansas. Both are deadly, both are tenacious, both ultimately failed, but only one will be crowned...

THE DEADLIEST FICTION WARRIOR!!!

Sepoy Mutineers
A sepoy was an Indian soldier serving under British or other European orders. They were originally recruited by the East India Company but were eventually picked up by the British Army. They were made up of volunteers and forced recruits from mainly the Brahmin and Rajput communities.

Sepoys are probably most known for the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major, but ultimately unsuccessful, the uprising in India between 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the form of a mutiny of sepoys of the Company's army in the garrison town of Meerut, 40 miles northeast of Delhi (now Old Delhi). It then erupted into other mutinies and civilian rebellions chiefly in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, though incidents of revolt also occurred farther north and east. The rebellion posed a considerable threat to British power in that region and was contained only with the rebels' defeat in Gwalior on 20 June 1858. On 1 November 1858, the British granted amnesty to all rebels not involved in murder, though they did not declare the hostilities formally to have ended until 8 July 1859. Afterwards, British increased the ratio of British to Indian soldiers within India. From 1861 Indian artillery was replaced by British units, except for a few mountain batteries. The post-rebellion changes formed the basis of the military organization of British India until the early 20th century.

Important to note that the legendary Gurkhas originally started out as a sepoy unit.

Stats

 * circa. 1857
 * 34 y/o
 * 5'6"
 * 116 lbs.

Confederate Bushwhackers
Bushwhacking was a form of guerrilla warfare common during the American Revolutionary War, American Civil War and other conflicts in which there were large areas of contested land and few governmental resources to control these tracts. This was particularly prevalent in rural areas during the Civil War where there were sharp divisions between those favoring the Union and Confederacy in the conflict. The perpetrators of the attacks were called bushwhackers. The term "bushwhacking" is still in use today to describe ambushes done with the aim of attrition.

Bushwhackers were generally part of the irregular military forces on both sides. While bushwhackers conducted well-organized raids against the military, the direst of the attacks involved ambushes of individuals or families in rural areas. In areas affected by bushwhacking, the actions were particularly inflammatory since they often amounted to fighting between neighbors, to settle personal accounts. Since the attacks were non-uniformed, the government response was complicated by trying to decide whether they were legitimate military attacks or criminal, terrorist actions.

The term "bushwhacker" came into wide use during the American Civil War (1861-1865): it became particularly associated with the Confederate guerrillas of Missouri, where such warfare was most intense.The conflict with Confederate bushwhackers rapidly escalated into a succession of atrocities committed by both sides. Union troops often executed or tortured suspects without trial and burned the homes of suspected guerrillas and those suspected of aiding or harboring them. Where credentials were suspect, the accused bushwhacker was often executed, as in the case of Lt. Col. Frisby McCullough after the Battle of Kirksville. Bushwhackers frequently went house to house, executing Unionist farmers

Important to note that famed outlaw Jesse James got his start as a Confederate bushwhacker in Missouri.

Stats

 * circa. 1863
 * 27 y/o
 * 5'9"
 * 155 lbs.

Weapons Analysis
Close Range: TBD

Mid Range: TBD

Long Range: TBD

Special Weapons: TBD

X-Factors
Brutality goes to the Bushwhackers, hands down. While the British accused the sepoys of many atrocities, none were ever proven. The bushwhackers, however, were infamous for their ruthlessness. They were responsible for the Centralia Massacre, where bushwhackers executed and then mutilated the corpses of 24 Union soldiers. They were also responsible for the lesser-known Lawrence Massacre, where they raped, pillaged, and burnt down the pro-Union town of Lawrence, Kansas.
 * When it comes to training, the Sepoys get the edge. They originally worked for the East India Company, which was a sovereign power under the British crown, meaning they had training provided by (arguably) the world’s best army. The bushwhackers had some standard training and personal experience but were still more or less a ragtag group of volunteers.
 * In tactics, I narrowly gave the edge to the Bushwhackers. The sepoys were better trained, yes, and were experienced with siege combat. However, they still, for the most part, stuck the standard British tactics of “stand in a line and shoot”. The bushwhackers, on the other hand, employed guerrilla-style hit-and-run tactics, which led them to several important victories over the superior Union Army.
 * The Sepoys get the edge in logistics. Up until the Mutiny of 1857, they had the full financial support of the British crown. The bushwhackers, however, weren’t even standard Confederate troops, meaning they were in even worse shape supply-wise.

Voting & Notes

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 * Voting ends Friday, February 23rd

See ya soon!