... the Indian Rebellion of 1857 has been contested and argued over. Speaking in the House of Commons in July 1857, Benjamin Disraeli labelled it a 'national revolt' while Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister, tried to downplay the scope and the significance of the event as a 'mere military mutiny'.[155] Reflecting this debate, the early historian of the rebellion, Charles Ball, sided with ... adopted many years before in India), in which sentenced rebels were tied over the mouths of cannons and blown to pieces when the guns were fired. In terms of sheer numbers, the casualties were mu...

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