Sepoy

a native Hindu enrolled in the British East Indian army. Owing to the effect of a torrid climate on European troops, the Indian government has found it advisable, from the date of first occupation, to employ natives as soldiers. The Sepoy is more active, temperate, and enduring than the British soldier, but is not his equal in battle. About 150,000 Sepoys wear the British uniform. In 1857-8 the Sepoys, enraged to find that a new cartridge required the touching of grease--an act abhorrent to their Mohammedan faith--rose in the "Sepoy Mutiny." See Black Hole; Havelock; Lucknow; Bagpipe