Delhi Campaign
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Summary
Once the news of the mutinies at Meerut and Delhi became known, units were called to Umballa to form a siege army for Delhi. Major General George Anson, Commander-in-Chief in India, died of cholera on 27 May and was succeeded by Major General Henry Barnard. Joined from Meerut by Brigadier Archdale Wilson, Barnard reached Delhi on 8 June where he established a position on a ridge north of the city.
The 3,000 British forces, vastly outnumbered by the rebels, were too weak to storm the city. They fought a series of engagements with the mutineers during June and July. Barnard died of cholera on 5 July and was succeeded by General Thomas Reed who relinquished command to Wilson twelve days later due to ill health.
Brigadier John Nicholson arrived with his movable column on 14 August and on 8 September Sir John Lawrence brought reinforcements with heavy siege artillery. The assault on the city began on 14 September and by 21 September Delhi was recaptured.
Delhi Army
1st Umballa Brigade
Brig Halifax, 75th Queen's Regiment
- 75th Queen's Regiment
- 1st Bengal Europeans
- One troop of Horse Artillery
2nd Umballa Brigade
Brig Jones, 60th Royal Rifles
- One wing of 60th Royal Rifles
- Two squadrons of 9th Lancers
- One squadron of 4th Bengal Lancers
- One Troop of Horse Artillery
Meerut Brigade
Brig A Wilson, Royal Artillery
- One wing of 60th Royal Rifles
- Two squadrons of Carabineers
- One Field Battery
- One troop of Horse Artillery
- Native Sappers
- 120 Siege Artillerymen
Biographies
Entries in the Dictionary of Indian Biography 1906:
Henry Barnard (1799-1857)
James Hope Grant (1808-1875)
William Hodson (1821-1858)
James Neill (1810-1857)
John Nicholson (1821-1857)
Thomas Reed (1796-1883)
Henry Tombs (1824-1874)
Archdale Wilson (1803-1874)
External Links
The Delhi Campaign Article by Maj Agha Humayun Amin
1st Bengal European Fusiliers in the Delhi Campaign Google Books
Map of Delhi 1857-58 www.columbia.edu
Siege of Delhi Google Books
Siege of Delhi Wikipedia
rlc-conductor.info then click on "Articles, Features & Essays" then click on "A Trying Occasion: An account of the Indian Mutiny" which gives an account of the blowing up of the Delhi[ammunition] magazine on the 11th May 1857 by Ordnance Officers and Conductors
Richard Wadeson's VC Wikipedia
