<P> Another suggestion they put forward was to introduce a new drill , in which the cartridge was not bitten with the teeth but torn open with the hand . The sepoys rejected this , pointing out that they might very well forget and bite the cartridge , not surprising given the extensive drilling that allowed 19th century British and Indian troops to fire three to four rounds per minute . British and Indian military drills of the time required soldiers to bite off the end of the Beeswax paper cartridge , pour the gunpowder contained within down the barrel , stuff the remaining paper cartridge into the barrel , ram the paper cartridge ( which included the ball wrapped and tied in place ) down the barrel , remove the ram - rod , return the ram - rod , bring the rifle to the ready , set the sights , add a percussion cap , present the rifle , and fire . The musketry books also recommended that , `` Whenever the grease around the bullet appears to be melted away , or otherwise removed from the cartridge , the sides of the bullet should be wetted in the mouth before putting it into the barrel ; the saliva will serve the purpose of grease for the time being '' This meant that biting a musket cartridge was second nature to the Sepoys , some of whom had decades of service in the Company 's army , and who had been doing musket drill for every day of their service . The first sepoy who rebelled by aiming his loaded weapon at a British officer was Mangal Pandey who was later executed . </P>
<P> Another suggestion they put forward was to introduce a new drill , in which the cartridge was not bitten with the teeth but torn open with the hand . The sepoys rejected this , pointing out that they might very well forget and bite the cartridge , not surprising given the extensive drilling that allowed 19th century British and Indian troops to fire three to four rounds per minute . British and Indian military drills of the time required soldiers to bite off the end of the Beeswax paper cartridge , pour the gunpowder contained within down the barrel , stuff the remaining paper cartridge into the barrel , ram the paper cartridge ( which included the ball wrapped and tied in place ) down the barrel , remove the ram - rod , return the ram - rod , bring the rifle to the ready , set the sights , add a percussion cap , present the rifle , and fire . The musketry books also recommended that , `` Whenever the grease around the bullet appears to be melted away , or otherwise removed from the cartridge , the sides of the bullet should be wetted in the mouth before putting it into the barrel ; the saliva will serve the purpose of grease for the time being '' This meant that biting a musket cartridge was second nature to the Sepoys , some of whom had decades of service in the Company 's army , and who had been doing musket drill for every day of their service . The first sepoy who rebelled by aiming his loaded weapon at a British officer was Mangal Pandey who was later executed . </P>
the first sepoy who refused to use the greased cartridge
the first sepoy who refused to use the greased cartridge
Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey