First Siege of Lucknow
| 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 | ||
This was part of the Events at Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny
Contents
Summary
After the mutiny of the 1st Oude Infantry was quelled on 3 May, Henry 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
Denis Dempsey's VC Wikipedia
Henry Gore-Browne's VC Wikipedia
Thomas Duffy's VC Wikipedia
George Lambert's VC Wikipedia
Abraham Boulger's VC Wikipedia
Patrick Mylott's VC Wikipedia
James Thompson's VC Wikipedia
Samuel Lawrence's VC Wikipedia
William Dowling'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
The defence of Lucknow: a diary recording the daily events during the siege of the European Residency by at Staff Officer 1858 (Google Books)
The Siege of Lucknow, A Diary by The Honourable Lady Inglis 1892 (archive.org)
Recommended Reading
"Indian Mutiny" by Saul David 2002 ISBN 0141005548
"My Indian Mutiny Diary" by WH Russell 1967 ISBN 0527781207
