Volume: 18, No: 02 ; February-2024
30th June (1857) will come and go and hardly anybody will visit Chinhat, Ismailganj, no ink will be spent by the print media nor magicians of electronic media will take a pause and travel back in time, and no odes will be sung. And it is not due to the shortage of material, Wiki has a long article, and if somebody is a job aspirant, and Googles it, many coaching sites will spring up to help with detailed answers. The Plethora of books cover it.
But my experience is, that one may pick up ten random persons in Lucknow and at least half of them will be flummoxed about this historic battle. This collective amnesia in Lucknow about 1857 is hard to understand, maybe the dominant narrative of the Nazakat, Nafasat and Nawabi period makes the valor of 1857 just a footnote. Chinhat began the long-drawn resistance of Awadh, a siege of residency and is of as much importance as Meerut, Delhi and Jhansi in the saga of 1857. It was one of the very few significant victories, the Indians achieved against the British in 1857-58.
Various accounts have varied emphasis and give diverse answers to questions like, why Lawrence decided to attack with a limited force or who was the real power behind Indian fighters.
The Battle of Chinhat was fought on the morning of 30 June 1857, between British forces and Indian rebels, at Ismailganj, near Chinhat. The British were led by The Chief Commissioner of Oude, Sir Henry Lawrence. The insurgent force, which consisted of mutineers from the East India Company’s army and retainers of local landowners, was led by Barkat Ahmad, a mutineer officer of the Company’s army. The rebels were in well-prepared positions, behind stone walls and in the village, and soon inflicted heavy casualties on Lawrence’s force, especially the 32nd Foot. The regiment’s acting commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel William Case, was killed, as were several officers. Many Indian soldiers, especially Indian artillerymen, left overturning their guns and cutting the traces on the horses.
By about 11.30 AM British Army retreated to residency and the siege of residency began. Freedom struggle in UP (Volume II) gives a detailed version and I am sharing some excerpts from there. On Tuesday, 30th June a spy informed the Chief Commissioner that seven Companies of Tilangas, two pieces of artillery driven by horses and one Risala had reached the Hanuman (Mahabir) Temple at Aliganj, which is at a distance of 2 miles from Lucknow. The rest of the army, composed of different units, and having ammunition, is marching behind in ranks. The whole army was about 15000 strong…………..(details not clear)
The Chief Commissioner ordered that because only a part of the army had reached the city, the rest should be checked while still on the way. Thereupon, 300 Sikhs, 80 horsemen, 1200 Bargandazes, 5 Companies of Tilangas, five Companies of white men, 50 heavy pieces of artillery driven by horses and bullocks with Major Carnegie, Mahmud Khan Kotwal, and the Christian clerks of the office, some on the elephant and others on horse-back, started from the Residency two to three hours before dawn. When they reached the Iron Bridge they enquired from the way-farers about the strength of the army, who said that only a portion of the army was at hand and the rest spread like a storm up to Nawabganj.
The British army advanced for some distance and reached the Kukrail River at dawn. There was no trace of the army there. Then they scolded the spy who said that the rebels stayed in the groves and were preparing for a fight. Upon this, they fired gunshots. But all the gunshots went over their heads and left them safe. Rebels thought it to be a good omen and then they gathered courage. Next, they advanced both from the right and the left and as the rebel soldiers stated, they saw Col. Hague (Hick) moving towards them in his Bagghi. The horsemen rushed towards him and he trotted his horse……….(Text not clear) Both armies met. The guns of the English armies could not be used. The English army was defeated and so it tried to retire to Ismail Ganj. But it could not do so because there was a difference of opinion. The rebel army keeping the Ganj (town) to the back, fired. When the English army could not stand as they were surrounded from all sides., it retreated.
The two armies were pitched against each other and there was a battle ranging up to Iron Bridge. The rebel horsemen pushed up to the Iron Bridge, but they were shelled by the Guns from Macchi Bhawan and residency and their advance was checked. Those who could escape the fire scattered out in the town.
Ahmadullah Shah was wounded in the foot and alighted at Rasad Khan Kothi (Observatory). Thus the control of the British ceased, in Awadh, but for the residency on 30th June 1857 and it took more than a year-long battle to restore it.
Telegram from Sir Lawrence : Went out this morning eight, miles to meet the enemy, and were defeated through misconduct, chiefly of Artillery and Cavalry, many of whom deserted. The enemy followed us up and we were besieged for four hours. Shall likely be surrounded tonight. Enemy very bold, and our Europeans very low. Looks upon his position now as ten times worse than it was yesterday. It is very critical. Unless we are relieved in 15 or 20 days, we shall hardly be able to maintain the ground.
The next part (next month) will try to provide some more details of the battle of Chinhat and explore some more issues.
Credits : Freedom Struggle in UP Vol II (Pages 52 to 54) - (Shared by: Mr.A.K. Srivastava)
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