Battle of Jhelum (1857) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Jhelum
Part of the Indian rebellion of 1857
Date 7 July 1857 Location Jhelum, British India (now Pakistan) 32°56′33″N 73°43′32″E / 32.94250°N 73.72556°E / 32.94250; 73.72556 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom 24th Regiment of Foot (285 men) Miller's Police Battalion (150 men) Police Cavalry (60 sabres) Moolantee Mounted Levie (250 sabres) Captain Cookes' Company, Bengal Horse Artillery (3 guns) 14th Bengal Native Infantry (100 Sikh sepoys)	14th Bengal Native Infantry (500 mutineer sepoys)
Commanders and leaders
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ellice, 24th of Foot	Mirza Dildar Baig, 14 BNI mutineers
Strength
435 infantry 310 cavalry 100 Sikh sepoys 3 horse artillery guns	Approximately 500 sepoys
Casualties and losses
44 killed 109 wounded	150 killed 25 drowned 108 executed

The Battle of Jhelum was an important fight during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. This rebellion is also known as the Indian Mutiny. It happened on July 7, 1857, in Jhelum, which is now in Pakistan. British forces fought against Indian soldiers, called sepoys, who had rebelled.

British leaders sent troops to disarm some Indian army units. They thought these units might join the rebellion. In Rawalpindi, one unit gave up their weapons peacefully. But two companies of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry fought back. The British and loyal Indian troops quickly defeated them.

In Jhelum, another part of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry was also supposed to be disarmed. This attempt turned into a much more violent battle. Many British and loyal Indian soldiers were killed. After the fight, many of the rebelling sepoys escaped. However, most were later caught by authorities in Kashmir.

Why the Rebellion Started

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a big uprising against the British East India Company. This company ruled large parts of India at the time. The rebellion had many causes. One main reason was that Indian soldiers, called sepoys, were unhappy.

Many sepoys were Hindu or Muslim. They felt their religious beliefs were not respected. For example, a new type of rifle cartridge was introduced. Rumors spread that these cartridges were greased with animal fat. Hindus consider cows sacred, and Muslims consider pigs unclean. Soldiers had to bite the cartridges to open them. This rumor made many sepoys very angry. They felt their caste and religion were being insulted. This anger led to open defiance and eventually a bloody rebellion in places like Meerut and Delhi.

Disarming Indian Army Units

As the rebellion spread, British leaders decided to disarm some Indian army units. They believed these units might join the mutiny. This decision was made locally, not for the whole army. Sometimes, attempts to disarm units went wrong. This led to more local revolts, like in Benares and Allahabad. Because of this, later orders to disarm units were kept very secret.

Preparing for Battle

To surprise the Indian units, the British planned to disarm the garrisons in Jhelum and Rawalpindi at the same time. On July 1, 1857, a small force was sent out. It was led by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ellice. His force included 260 men from the 24th Regiment of Foot (a British Army unit), three guns, and 150 men from Miller's Police Battalion (an Indian unit). They were joined by other Indian troops called Mooltanee levies. No one in the force knew their mission until they arrived.

On July 7, the Rawalpindi garrison was called for a parade. The commander ordered two Indian units, including parts of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry, to be disarmed. One unit obeyed, but the two companies of the 14th fought back. They were chased by police cavalry. Many who escaped into the town were later caught by local people.

The Battle of Jhelum

On July 6, Colonel Ellice's force reached Deenah, near Jhelum. There, he opened his secret orders. He sent half of his mounted Mooltanee troops ahead to block escape routes. Ellice then rode to Jhelum to meet Lieutenant Colonel Gerard, the commander of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry. He told Gerard how to help the next morning.

Early on July 7, the British guns and Mooltanee Cavalry took positions near the Jhelum Cantonment. They cut off communication lines. Later, the 24th of Foot infantry arrived and lined up outside the cantonment. The 14th Bengal Native Infantry was on their parade square. The Sikh soldiers in their unit stood to one side.

When the Indian soldiers saw the British troops, they knew they were about to be disarmed. They quickly loaded their weapons. Their European officers tried to make them surrender, but it was too late. The Sikh troops and European officers quickly moved towards the 24th Regiment of Foot. Just in time, as the rest of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry began to fire at them.

The rebelling sepoys set up defenses. Lieutenant Lind led the Mooltanee Cavalry in a charge. This caused many casualties among the sepoys. But Lind's horse was shot, and the sepoys were in a strong position. The cavalry could not break through. The Mooltanees lost 9 dead and 28 wounded in just ten minutes. Indian infantry and police followed, supported by artillery, but the fight became a stalemate.

Finally, Colonel Ellice led 50 of his men in a charge. He hoped to storm the enemy position. They broke through the sepoys' defenses. Ellice was wounded in the neck and leg. The sepoys fell back into a nearby camp. They were forced to retreat again when an artillery shell hit their ammunition storage, causing a big explosion. About 300 sepoys escaped to a nearby village and set up new positions.

During a break in the fighting, the 24th of Foot soldiers found the enemy's food and alcohol. After a long march, it was hard to control them. Order was lost for a short time. Only the artillerymen and Mooltanees remained disciplined.

When Ellice recovered, he ordered another attack. The cavalry was placed on the left side of the village to stop escapes. The artillery moved closer to bombard the village with Grapeshot. But the range was too close, and the sepoys were hidden by buildings. The artillerymen began to suffer many casualties. Captain McPherson tried to lead a bayonet charge but had to pull back.

With low ammunition and many casualties, Ellice ordered a retreat. One gun could not be moved and was captured by the sepoys. As it was getting late, they decided to wait until morning to attack again. During the night, the remaining sepoys slipped away from the village.

Aftermath of the Battle

Many of the rebelling sepoys escaped, but they found it hard to cross the river. The local police had secured the main crossing points. Those who found small boats were mostly caught by Mooltanees or other troops.

Out of 600 men from the 14th Bengal Native Infantry at Jhelum:

• 100 Sikhs stayed loyal.
• 150 were killed in the fighting.
• 180 were captured by British or East India Company forces.
• 150 were arrested by Kashmiri authorities and handed over to the British.

Only about 50 men remained missing. The fighting at Jhelum and Rawalpindi destroyed the 14th Bengal Native Infantry as a fighting unit.

Lieutenant Colonel Ellice was praised for his actions. He received a medal and an honor for his bravery. The early success of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry at Jhelum caused shockwaves in the region. It sparked more unrest in nearby army camps.

Victoria Cross Hero

Gunner William Connolly, a soldier with the Bengal Horse Artillery, won a Victoria Cross during the fighting at Jhelum. This is the highest award for bravery in the British military. He earned it on July 7, 1857.

Memorials

Mirza Dildar Baig, also known as Khaki Shah, was a leader in the mutiny at Jhelum. He was later celebrated by Indian Nationalists. He was captured with the other mutineers and later hanged near the river Jhelum. His grave is in a shrine in Jhelum Dildarnagar. A small town in India is also named after him.

Marble Lectern in memory of 35 British soldiers killed at Jhelum.

Inside St. John's Church Jhelum, there is a marble lectern that remembers the 35 soldiers of the 24th Regiment of Foot who died during the mutiny. The church is in Jhelum Cantonment, now in Pakistan. It was built in 1860 and is an important landmark. It was closed for forty years but has now been renovated and reopened.