41: The Siege of Delhi 1857 (Indian Revolt Against British)

Some call it the Sepoy rebellion, some call it the First War of Indian Independence others call it the Sepoy or Indian Mutiny.

Whatever, you call it, this conflict in 1857-58 was the closest that the British came to losing their empire in India during the 19th century.

This is the second in my series about that Sepoy Rebellion in India in 1857.

If you haven’t already you might want to listen to episode one to find out how & why it started so that this episodes sits in context.

When the Indian Sepoys rose up against the British at Meerut on the 10th May 1857, they headed straight for the nearby city of Delhi.

The city had huge symbolic value for the Indians.

It had been the capital of the Mogul Empire, which had ruled most of India prior to the arrival of the British East India Company, and the last Moghul emperor, Banadur Shah, still resided in the Red Fort.

Admittedly, he now longer had an empire to rule over, and indeed the British had given him the less grand title, King of Delhi.

Nevertheless, he (& Delhi) were symbols of a proud past which the rebel Indian troops wanted to somehow restore or build upon.

Arriving at the city, the sepoys found it almost unguarded and were swiftly able to take control.

As they roamed the streets looking for british soldiers and civilians (as well as Indian Christians) they were joined by local inhabitants (both Hindu and Muslim) and even courtiers form the emperor’s palace.

You may or may not support the argument that this was India’s first war of independence (I’m getting a fair bit of flak from Indians who insist it is) but the events at Delhi (as well as elsewhere) were to prove that this was more than disgruntled sepoys.

There were a variety of anti-British sentiments in India which found their outlet when the sepoys rebelled in 1857.

Whether because he saw an opportunity to revive his fortunes or whether he was coerced by the sepoys and his courtiers, we will never really know, but within a few days, Banadur Shah had given the revolt his endorsement.

How much power and influence he really held was exposed early on when around 50 `British military and civilian prisoners were brought in front of the palace and, despite his protests, were executed..

Nevertheless, the rising at Meerut, the seizure of Delhi and the support of the last Mughal Emperor were enough to help spread the revolt.

It needs to be mentioned here, that the rising was focused in the north of India. The Madras & Bombay Presidencies remained relatively calm throughout 1857-58.

Up in Bengal however, it was a different matter.

54 of the 74 Indian regiments in the Bengal Army rose up.

British troops and civilians were besieged in Agra, Lucknow & Cawnpore.

The East India Company’s capital in Bengal, Calcutta, was effectively cut off from the rest of the territory.

The British were in serious trouble.

Their first objective was to stablilize the parts of Bengal still under their control and prevent more Sepoy regiments arming themselves and joining the revolt.

They swiftly moved to disarm Bengal native Infantry and cavalry units in the Punjab region.

Two things worked to their advantage.

Firstly, as this area, formerly the Sikh Empire, had only recently come under British control there were more British troops here than elsewhere in India.

Secondly, local Sikh soldiers in the Punjab had a low opinion of the (principally) Hindu troops who were mutinying. Consequently, they stayed loyal to the British, as indeed did the Ghurkas from Nepal.

Having secured the Punjab, the British now focussed their energies on re-taking Delhi.

The British commander-in-chief in India, General George Anson now moved towards the city with 3 regiments of British troops and along with loyal Sikhs, Pathans and Gurkhas.

Anson, who had last seen action at the Battle of Waterloo back in 1815, was not in the best of health and by the end of May (just 2 weeks into the revolt) had died of cholera.

He was succeeded by Major General Henry Barnard - a veteran of both the first Afghan and the more recent, Crimean Wars.

In early June, Barnard and his small army captured the Delhi ridge, 2 miles north of the city.

This hard rock elevation, rising to about 60 feet in height, stretched from the Yamuna river in the north, to within 1,200 yards of the city’s Kabul Gate.

A canal to the west of the ridge, protected the rear of the British lines and provided an ample source of drinking water.

Despite occupying the ridge, the British position was precarious.

With only 3,000 men Major General Barnard was in no position to launch an assault on the fortified city.

Instead, he decided that his only option was to adopt siege tactics.

The term “siege of Delhi” is a bit of a misnomer.

With their limited resources, the British stuck to the ridge, meaning that supplies and reinforcements could enter the city from other directions.

In fact, with the numbers against them, it often felt to the British, that they were the ones under siege.

Thanks to their capture of the magazine at the outset of the revolt, the garrison in Delhi were able to conduct an incessant and accurate bombardment of the British positions.

At the very southern tip of the British lines, a strong point had been created at Hindu Rao’s house.

This vulnerable position, just 1,200 yards from the Kabul Gate was the focus of a sustained sepoy attack from 3 directions on the 19th June.

Four days later, on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Plassey (which had marked the East India Company’s growing control on the sub continent) another attack almost broke though.

Only the tenacity of the 60th regiment of Foot (later the King’s Royal Rifle Corps) and the Gurkhas held the position.

Meanwhile conditions in the British siege camp were grim to say the least.

Not only were they in no position to attack and where facing constant bombardment themselves, but they were suffering from the combinations of the weather and disease.

The heat of the Indian summer was raising temperatures inside the british tents to over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees celsius),

The Monsoon rains were soaking everything. Troops recalled having to clean their guns several times a day to prevent them rusting.

When the sun came back out, so did the flies.

A junior officer, Frederick Roberts, recalled that the flies were so numerous, that it was almost impossible to eat a mouthful of food without a fly getting into your mouth at the same time.

Not surprisingly, under these conditions, disease was rife.

It was estimated that anything up to a fifth of the British garrison were in no fit state to fight.

Having already lost the previous commander in chief to cholera at the end of May, it was now the turn of his successor, General Barnard, to also succumb to the same disease on the 5th July.

The rising was less than two months old and the British were now onto their third commander.

That commander was Brigadier Archdale Wilson. His main recent claim to fame was, as the man in command at Meerut , to have dismissed intelligence of the intended rising.

Just as the British faced this latest setback, the army inside Delhi was reinforced by 4 regiments of Bengal Native Infantry plus cavalry and guns under the command of a veteran soldier, Bakht Khan.

Khan, who was now 60 years of age, had spent 40 years serving in the East India Company’s army. He was a veteran of the 1st Afghan War and held the rank of Subedar - the highest officer rank available to Indian soldiers at the time.

His men, marching in good order, raised the spirits of the rebels.

It also raised the spirits of the old emperor, Bahadur Shah who immediately placed Khan in charge of the army in Delhi, although his son remained Commander-In-Chief, as a bit of a face saver.

Finally in mid-August, things started to look up for the British.

A 4,000 strong flying column, named the Punjab Moveable Column, under the command of Brigadier John Nicholson arrived at the British camp.

The 34 year old Nicholson was the youngest Brigadier-General in the Bengal Army and was brave, charismatic and ruthless in equal measures.

He had carried out his orders to disarm the 55th Bengal Native Infantry by killing over 100 of the men when they refused to lay down their weapons.

On another occasion he appeared in the officer’s mess and apologised for his late arrival and the lack of a meal by announcing that he had just hanged the cooks whom he believed had added poison to the food.

Historian, William Dalrymple, had described him as the “Great imperial psychopath.”

His force now doubled the British garrison on the ridge to nearly 9,500 men.

However 1,500 of that number were laid low by either injuries or infection.

Facing them was a force estimated to be anything up to 30,000.

Coming along some days behind Nicholson was a siege train consisting of 14 artillery guns, 6 howitzers and 4 mortars. 

This would double the British artillery ranged against the city and make a breach in the walls more likely.

But of course, that lumbering siege train still needed to reach Delhi.

What if they never made it?

Inside the city, Bakht Khan planned a daring raid. He would intercept it before it ever reached Delhi.

Leaving Delhi with a sizeable force, he made out that he was heading for Agra.

But, he then turned his army northwards to get between the train and the British encampment.

His sudden turn north was spotted by British scouts and Nicholson was hastily sent out to spoil Khan’s plan.

Nicholson’s force consisted of  1,600 infantry, 450 cavalry and 16 horse drawn artillery.

Marching 20 miles then came face to face with Khan’s army.

The Sepoys were entrenched with guns covering the obvious river crossing between the two forces.

They also outnumbered the British 3:1.

In the ensuing battle, Nicholson forded the river upstream and led a 200 yard charge against the Sepoy lines.

For a reason, never fully explained, the veteran Indian commander, Khan refused to move his men forward to support their comrades being assaulted by Nicholson and instead rode hard back to Delhi.

Behind him he left 800 sepoys lying dead, for the loss about 100 of Nicholson’s men.

With Khan now back in Delhi and his force scattered, the siege train moved on, arriving at the Delhi Ridge on the 4th September.

Finally, the British could go on the offensive.

Although, not if Brigadier Wilson had anything to do with it.

Unlike the gung-ho Nicholson, the new commander, was a cautious military man.

Far more a Montgomery than a Rommel or Paton.

Rather like, Montgomery, his troops liked the fact they he wouldn’t needlessly waste their lives in suicidal or vain glory battles….battles like storming the walled city of Delhi which was defended by a force at least three, times if not more, their size.

And don’t forget, that those Sepoys were armed with muskets and cannon, which they had been trained (by European officers) to use.

Any assault would be costly…it could end in failure.

Wilson hesitated.

His senior team, principally Nicholson and the chief engineer, Richard Baird Smith urged him to seize the moment.

Over a period of 5 days, Baird Smith moved his batteries into positions facing the walls.

As some of these batteries were just 200 yards from the walls, the operation to position the guns was bloody. The pioneers and sappers suffered over 300 casualties before the batteries had even opened up on the city.

Finally on the 12th September all four batteries were unleashed.

For over 24 hours, the thick, ancient walls of the old Mughal capital were bombarded and by the end of the 13th they had been breached.

Finally, it was time for Wilson to order the attack.

It was scheduled for dawn the following day, the 14th September 1857.

The British plan was to assault the city in four columns. 

Three would storm through breaches made in the walls whilst the fourth would advance through the suburb outside the Kabul Gate and wait for it to be opened from the inside.

Through the dark night, the British columns moved into position and waited.

As dawn broke, on the 14th the British peered at the breached city walls and…

Found that they had been repaired with sandbags during the night.

Once more the artillery were called upon to clear the breaches and finally, later than planned, the British attacked.

The first column, commanded by Nicholson himself advanced on the breach at the Kashmir Bastion. Nicholson was accompanied by the 75th regiment of Foot (the Gordon Highlanders), the 2nd Punjab Infantry (who had stated loyal to the British) and the 1st Bengal Fusiliers. Despite its name, this last regiment was an East India Company unit comprising of Europeans not Indians.

It had been formed in the very early days of the by the company and had been in operation for 200 years.

The 2nd column commanded by Brigadier Jones, consisting of the 8th Foot Regiment (later the King’s Liverpool), along with another European regiment from the Bengal army and the 4th Sikhs would storm the wall at the Water Bastion.

The third column under  Colonel Campbell (not to be confused with General Colin Campbell) comprised the 52nd Foot (later the Oxfordshire Light Infantry) along with the 1st Punjab Infantry and the Gurkhas, would rush the Kashmir Gate once it was blown by sappers.

Once in the city, Nicholson & Jones would combine and head to the Kabul Gate. Opening it to the waiting fourth column.

Meanwhile a fifth column of 1,000 men (including the 61st Foot, South Gloiucestershire’s) would act as a reserve, moving up behind Nicholson.

Entering the city, the British found the sepoys as well as muslim irregulars and even some local residents waiting for them.

The sepoys positioned on the rooftops fired on the advancing British below, whilst artillery blasted the attackers with grapeshot.

The British were too loose over 3,000 men killed and wounded in the assault.

Nicholson, bold as usual led from the front. Advancing down a small street, he raised his sword above his head to urge his men forward.

At that moment a sepoy managed to shoot him from above into his exposed armpit. It was a mortal wound.

Meanwhile, outside the Kabul Gate the British assault was going horribly wrong.

Advancing through the suburb towards the gate, Major Reid and the fourth column ran straight into advancing sepoys, who were launching a counter attack from the city.

The fourth column fell back on Hindu Rao’s House and the sepoy attack was only blunted by the use of artillery from that strongpoint.

By now, Wilson had entered the city and set up his headquarters at the church of St. James, just inside the Kashmir Bastion.

News was trickling in of the slow progress and serious losses - especially amongst officers.

Then that young officer who I mentioned earlier, Frederick Roberts, arrived with news that Nicholson had been seriously wounded.

In fact, Roberts, was moving through the city when he had come across Nicholson in an abandoned Dollie (a bit like a sedan chair) as the men carrying it were looting a nearby property.

With the assault bogged down and losses mounting, Wilson now contemplated ordering a withdraw.

Once more the senior engineer officer, Baird Smith, convinced him to press home the attack.

When the stricken Nicholson had been told off Wilson’s wavering he had threatened to stagger to the church of St. James and shoot the commanding officer!

The storming of the city took a week.

It was accompanied by looting and a breakdown in discipline as British troops raided liquor stores.

In an alcohol fuelled orgy of violence, residents suspected of being rebels - which basically meant any man -  were butchered. Several hundred suspected rebels were hanged without trial.

On the 18th September (4 days into the battle), Bahadur Shah abandoned his palace, at the Red Fort, and fled the city.

By then, most sepoys, along with the commander Bakht Khan, had followed the Emperor.

It wasn’t until the 21st that Wilson officially declared the city captured.

A day later, Nicholson finally died from his wounds.

The British had lost 1,200 dead and nearly 4,500 wounded or sick during the siege and subsequent storming of Delhi.

Of those, nearly 1,000 were killed in the assault and a further 2,800 wounded.

Figures for the rebels losses are harder to ascertain but most historians put them at around 5,000.

Civilian deaths are a matter for conjecture.

But as always, in this sort of battle (think the Soviet storming of Berlin), many would have been caught in the crossfire and many others simply murdered.

Bahadur Shah and three of his sons fled to Humayun’s Tomb, about 6 miles south of Delhi.

Despite the urgings of Bakht Khan, to accompany him to Lucknow and raise a fresh army, the ageing Mughal emperor, decided to stay put.

Two days later, a British officer, William Hodson, arrived with a small mounted party and demanded his surrender.

Having received a promise of clemency, the old man accompanied Hodson back to Delhi.

A day later, Hodson returned to arrest his three sons.

As he rode back into Delhi a crowd of muslims started to gather around the little convoy.

Hodson, claiming that he feared the mob were trying to release the princes, unceremoniously executed all three with his pistol.

His actions were criticised at the time as well as since.

Lt. Frederick Roberts pointed out that Hodson’s excuse that the mob were about to attack was incongruent seeing as Hodson had found time to order the men to strip before he shot them.

Bahadur Shah was exiled to Rangoon in Burma.

There, in 1862, the last Mughal emperor died.

Rather than sweeping away the British Empire, the revolt had inadvertently swept away the last emperor of the Mughal Empire instead.

The loss of Delhi was a blow for the Indians but they still held large swathes of northern India and were far from finished, as you will hear in this series.

The storming of Delhi sent out a message that the British were not going to quietly leave India, there were going to take the fight to those who were opposing their rule.

And that fight would become increasingly vicious on both sides, but especially the British as they started to take revenge for atrocities on their civilian population.

And one atrocity, above all others, stands out - Cawnpore.

And it is the massacre at Cawnpore that will be the subject of my next talk.

Thanks for joining me today.

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Part three of this series - the massacre at Cawnpore - is coming soon but in the meantime thanks for your support, keep well and I will see you very soon.