Battle of Agra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Agra
Part of Indian Rebellion of 1857
Agra Fort ramparts
Date 10 October 1857 Location Near Agra, India Result British victory
Belligerents
British Empire	Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Edward Greathed	Emperor Bahadur Shah II
Strength
1,900 Indian soldiers 750 British soldiers 12 guns	10,000 12 guns
Casualties and losses
433 including 101 Europeans and 332 Indians	4,800

The Battle of Agra was an important fight during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. It happened after a long wait, or "siege," around the city of Agra in India. This battle helped the British gain control of a key area. It allowed them to connect their forces across northern India.

In the early days of the rebellion, the area around Agra became very chaotic. Many British officials and their families sought safety inside the Agra Fort. Indian soldiers, called sepoys, who had rebelled against their British leaders, approached Agra. They defeated a small group from the fort. However, they did not have the big cannons needed to attack the fort itself. So, they moved on to join other rebels near Delhi.

For several months, the British inside the fort were mostly stuck there. They did not take strong action against the rebels. When the Siege of Delhi ended with a British win, the people in Agra Fort worried about rebels coming their way. They asked a British army group for help. This group arrived and helped the fort. But they set up camp outside, thinking they were safe. The Indian rebels then launched a surprise attack. However, the British soldiers, who were used to fighting, quickly regrouped. They defeated the rebels and scattered them. This victory helped the British connect their forces across northern India. It also allowed them to send troops to help at the Relief of Lucknow.

What Was Happening Before the Battle?

Agra: A Key City in India

The city and fort of Agra are located near the Yamuna River. The famous Taj Mahal is also close by. Before the rebellion, Agra was a very important center. It was the main city for the North-Western Provinces of India. The top British official there was John Russell Colvin.

Soldiers in Agra

Nearby, there were British and Indian soldiers. The British soldiers included the 3rd Bengal Fusiliers and an artillery group with cannons. There were also two regiments of Indian soldiers, the 44th and 67th Bengal Native Infantry. Many of the British soldiers were new to India and were often sick. The main military leader was an older officer named Brigadier Polwhele.

The Start of the Rebellion

Indian soldiers in the Bengal Army had been unhappy for a while. They worried that the British East India Company was changing Indian society and their traditions. On May 10, 1857, soldiers in Meerut rebelled. They then went to Delhi and asked more soldiers to join them. They also asked Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar to lead a rebellion across the country. Delhi soon fell to the rebels.

News Reaches Agra

News of the rebellion spread quickly. The British in Agra were warned by telegraph. But Indian messengers also spread exciting stories. On May 17, Colvin held a meeting. He first wanted to move everyone into the Agra Fort. But others convinced him that the local people were loyal. They thought showing panic would cause trouble.

However, public order quickly broke down. People were unhappy about high taxes. Other local disagreements also started. Indian police guards left their posts. Armed groups roamed the countryside.

The Fight at Sacheta Village

Disarming Indian Soldiers

Even though their officers said they were loyal, the Indian soldiers in Agra seemed unhappy. So, on May 31, the British took away their weapons. These soldiers were then sent home. The British then heard that a large rebel army was coming from Fatehpur. This army included about 7,000 foot soldiers, 1,500 cavalry, and 8 cannons. These were well-trained soldiers who had joined the rebellion.

Moving into the Fort

A group of soldiers from the state of Kotah, who were supposed to help the British, joined the rebels on June 4. Colvin finally allowed about 6,000 British civilians and their families to move into the fort. They moved so quickly that most people left their valuable belongings behind.

A Difficult Battle

On June 7, Brigadier Polwhele led his troops to face the rebels. They did not take enough water or ammunition. The soldiers wore heavy uniforms. They started marching at 11:00 am, in the hot summer sun. The rebels had taken over a village called Sacheta. From there, they fired heavily on the British.

Some British soldiers eventually captured the village. But the rebels had more cavalry. They went around the British and attacked from behind. Some rebel cavalry even burned houses in the British area. The British suffered many losses and ran out of ammunition. They retreated into the fort, leaving one cannon behind.

Uprising in Agra City

That afternoon, the British defeat caused a big uprising in Agra city. The police left their jobs and let thousands of prisoners out. This made the chaos even worse. Mobs looted and burned every house in the British area. Brigadier Polwhele, however, seemed calm and went to dinner.

Inside the fort, everyone was scared, thinking the rebels would attack. But the rebel army did not have the big cannons needed to break the fort walls. Instead, they marched off to join other rebels in Delhi.

Life Inside the Fort During the Siege

Supplies and Problems

Before everyone crowded into the fort, a British official named Reade made sure there was enough food. But the fort's sanitation and medical care were poor. There was a lot of confusion. The British managed to send a message to Lord Canning, the Governor General of Bengal.

Changes in Leadership

Canning's reply arrived in early August. It removed Polwhele from his job. Colvin himself was struggling to manage things. His health was bad, and he died in early September. The government decided that Colonel Hugh Fraser would be in charge.

Lieutenant Colonel Cotton took over as military commander. He brought some order to the fort. He also led a trip to Aligarh, about 40 miles (64 km) away. This trip did not meet other British forces, but it helped the soldiers feel better. Still, the British were mostly stuck inside the fort, and life became boring.

Help Arrives for Agra

Delhi is Captured

On September 21, the Siege of Delhi ended when the British attacked and captured the city. Within days, the winning British forces sent out groups to secure the area around Delhi. The strongest group had 750 British and 1,900 Sikh and Punjabi soldiers. This group included cavalry, infantry, artillery, and engineers.

The group was led by Brigadier Edward Greathed. Many of his junior officers did not think highly of him. They left Delhi on September 24. Many officers were surprised the group could move so fast. The soldiers were tired after the long fight in Delhi. But they were happy to leave the city, which smelled bad from many unburied bodies.

Marching to Cawnpore

Greathed's group was ordered to go to Cawnpore. The leaders in Delhi knew that Lucknow was under attack and Cawnpore was in danger. The group marched along the Grand Trunk Road. They fought a battle against rebels at Bulandshahr. They also punished several Indian villages.

Agra's Panic and Pleas for Help

Meanwhile, the people defending Agra were very happy to hear that Delhi had been captured. But then they suddenly panicked. Rumors spread that rebels fleeing Delhi had arrived nearby. Many civilians had gone to see the Taj Mahal to celebrate. They quickly rushed back to Agra in fear. They worried that these rebels would join other rebels and attack Agra. They sent many urgent requests for help to Greathed.

The Battle of Agra Begins

Greathed's Arrival

Finally, Greathed agreed to help. He left a small group in Aligarh. He then marched his troops and their many elephants, camels, and carts 44 miles (71 km) to Agra in just 28 hours. He arrived on the morning of October 10. He crossed the Yamuna River using a bridge of boats.

The soldiers in the fort did not give Greathed's force a warm welcome. Greathed's battle-worn British soldiers wore dirty uniforms. Some of the women in the fort mistook them for Afghan tribesmen. In contrast, many civilians were dressed smartly. The fort's soldiers still wore bright red uniforms.

A Surprise Attack

The senior officers in the fort told Greathed that the rebels had already left. A guard who had heard many men marching the night before was ignored. So, Greathed's tired soldiers marched to a parade ground about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the fort. They began to set up camp. They did not post guards, even though tall crops could hide an enemy. Greathed and his officers went to the fort for breakfast.

Suddenly, some jugglers approached British soldiers. They then revealed themselves as Muslim fighters. They drew swords and attacked the soldiers. At the same time, two groups of rebel cavalry rode out of the tall crops. They attacked the British soldiers hand-to-hand. Cannons fired at the British camp. There was a lot of panic among the people with the baggage animals and the civilians watching.

British Fight Back

Despite the surprise, the experienced British and Punjabi soldiers quickly got into formation. They fought off the attacking cavalry. The artillery fired back at the rebels' cannons. The soldiers inside the fort marched to the parade ground. They were still in their smart uniforms, with their bands playing. By the time they arrived, the rebels were already running away.

The rebels were probably surprised to find Greathed's strong group there. They thought they were only fighting the fort's smaller group. They had ordered the bridge over the Yamuna to be destroyed to stop the relief column. But this had not been done.

The Pursuit

Greathed ordered a general advance. Lieutenant Colonel Cotton, from the fort's group, was supposedly senior to Greathed. After a short delay, the advance began. The entire force moved forward. After 4 miles (6.4 km), they reached the rebels' empty camp. The foot soldiers stopped there. The cavalry kept chasing the rebels. They reached the Khara Naddi stream. They captured 13 cannons that the rebels had left behind.

Who Was Hurt?

Greathed's cavalry did not kill many of the fleeing rebels. But other people who saw the battle said that the ground in front of the British camp was covered with dead bodies. The British lost 12 soldiers killed, 54 wounded, and 2 missing. They also lost 20 camp followers who were killed or wounded.

What Happened After the Battle?

This small but fierce battle broke the organized resistance against the British between Delhi and Cawnpore. After the victory, the fort's commanders became scared again. They wanted Greathed to stay and protect Agra from rebels. However, Greathed insisted on following his original orders. He was to clear the area between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. He had also received a message from General Henry Havelock. Havelock said he was going to relieve Lucknow and urgently needed more soldiers and transport. Greathed's force eventually became a big part of the army that carried out the Second Relief of Lucknow.