Difference between revisions of "First Siege of Lucknow"

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|combatant1=[[East India Company]]  
 
|combatant1=[[East India Company]]  
 
|combatant2=Rebel Sepoys
 
|combatant2=Rebel Sepoys
|commander1=[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Henry_Lawrence Sir Henry Lawrence]
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|commander1=[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Henry_Lawrence Sir Henry Lawrence]<br>[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/216/mode/2up/search/Inglis Brig John Inglis]
 
|commander2=  
 
|commander2=  
 
|strength1=855 British troops<br>712 Indians<br>153 civilian volunteers<br>1,280 non-combatants  
 
|strength1=855 British troops<br>712 Indians<br>153 civilian volunteers<br>1,280 non-combatants  
|strength2= 8,000 sepoys and several hundred local irregulars
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|strength2= 8,000 sepoy<br>Several hundred local irregulars
 
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[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IzQoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA316&dq=Lucknow+Residency&hl=en&ei=TRIyTMOQBsvcsAaupeTNBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false The Story of the Lucknow Residency] Google Books<br>
 
[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IzQoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA316&dq=Lucknow+Residency&hl=en&ei=TRIyTMOQBsvcsAaupeTNBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false The Story of the Lucknow Residency] Google Books<br>
 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Oxenham William Oxenham's VC] Wikipedia<br>
 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Oxenham William Oxenham's VC] Wikipedia<br>
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hope_Moncrieff_Aitken Robert Aitken's VC] Wikipedia<br>
 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh] Wikipedia
 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh] Wikipedia
  

Revision as of 18:05, 1 November 2010

First Siege of Lucknow
Part of Indian Mutiny
Date: 1 July-27 September 1857
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Presidency: Bengal
Co-ordinates: 26.812800°N 80.901300°E
Result: British success
Combatants
East India Company Rebel Sepoys
Commanders
Sir Henry Lawrence
Brig John Inglis
Strength
855 British troops
712 Indians
153 civilian volunteers
1,280 non-combatants
8,000 sepoy
Several hundred local irregulars
Casualties
Lucknow 1857

This was part of the Events at Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny

Summary

After the mutiny of the 1st Oude Infantry was quelled on 3 May, Lawrence anticipated trouble and brought civilians into the Residency which he fortified. Mutiny broke out on 30 May in the 13th, 48th and 71st Bengal Native Infantry stationed in the cantonment some four miles from the city. They were driven out by the 32nd Regiment of Foot though a number of Europeans were killed.

News came on 30 June that rebel forces were gathering north of Lucknow. Lawrence set out to meet them with the 32nd Regiment and remaining loyal elements of the Native Regiments. At the Battle of Chinhut numbers of sepoys defected and the force was compelled to retreat to Lucknow where the siege proper began. Lawrence was wounded and died on 4 July being succeeded by Brigadier John Inglis.

At the end of July Maj-Gen Henry Havelock attempted to relieve the city from Cawnpore but was forced to retire due to lack of forces. In September Maj-Gen Sir James Outram with reinforcements took command at Cawnpore and mounted a relief expedition under Havelock who drove the rebels from their strongpoint at the Battle of Alambagh. Havelock fought his way through to the Residency but it proved impossible to evacuate the sick and non-combatants. He therefore remained besieged while a small force occupied the Alambagh.

External Links

Indian Mutiny 1857-58 The British Empire website
Siege of Lucknow Wikipedia
The Story of the Lucknow Residency Google Books
William Oxenham's VC Wikipedia
Robert Aitken's VC Wikipedia
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Wikipedia

Historical books on-line

A Personal Journal of the Siege of Lucknow by Capt R P Anderson 1858
A Personal Narrative of the Siege of Lucknow by L E Ruutz Rees 1858

Recommended Reading

"Indian Mutiny" by Saul David 2002 ISBN 0141005548
"My Indian Mutiny Diary" by WH Russell 1967 ISBN 0527781207