Second Anglo-Sikh War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Second Anglo-Sikh War |
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,_by_Charles_Herbert_Payne.jpg) Sketch Map to Illustrate the Second Anglo-Sikh War from 'A Short History of the Sikhs' (1915), by Charles Herbert Payne |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
.svg){kind=small} East India Company |
 Sikh Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sir Hugh Gough Herbert Benjamin Edwardes Sir Walter Gilbert |
Sher Singh Attariwalla Chattar Singh Attariwalla Diwan Mulraj Chopra |
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The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a big fight between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company. It happened from 1848 to 1849. This war ended with the British East India Company taking over the Sikh Empire. They also took control of the Punjab and the area that later became the North-West Frontier Province.
The war started on April 19, 1848. Two British officers, Patrick Vans Agnew and Lieutenant William Anderson, were sent to take control of Multan. But they were attacked and killed there. Soon, Sikh soldiers joined in a big revolt. The British leader, Lord Dalhousie, and his army commander, Sir Hugh Gough, knew their forces were not ready. They needed more supplies and transport. Lord Dalhousie also saw that the revolt would spread. He realized they would need to capture Multan and take full control of the Punjab. So, he waited and prepared a strong army for November.
Even though British officer Herbert Edwardes had some good wins against Mulraj, and Gough had battles that didn't have a clear winner at Ramnagar and Chillianwala, the fight at Multan was tough. It showed the British government needed to use all its power. Finally, on January 22, Multan was captured by General Whish. This allowed him to join Gough's army. On February 21, Gough won a complete victory at the Battle of Gujrat. The Sikh army was chased to Rawalpindi, where they gave up their weapons. Their Afghan friends also left the Punjab. After this victory, Lord Dalhousie officially took over the Punjab for the East India Company in 1849. He was thanked by the British parliament and given a higher title for his work.
Contents
Why the War Started
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The Sikh areas in Punjab were united into an empire by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This happened in the early 1800s. At the same time, the British East India Company's lands grew until they were next to Punjab. Ranjit Singh tried to stay friends with the East India Company. He also made his Sikh Khalsa Army very strong. This was to stop the British from attacking and to expand Sikh land to the north and west. He took land from Afghanistan and Kashmir.
When Ranjit Singh died in 1839, the Sikh Empire became messy. There were many quick changes in rulers. Also, there was growing tension between the Sikh Army and the government. The Army saw itself as important for the state and religion. The East India Company started building up its army near Punjab's borders. This tension eventually made the Sikh Army invade British land. Their leaders were weak and possibly disloyal. The First Anglo-Sikh War was a tough fight, but the Sikh Army lost.
After the First Anglo-Sikh War
After the first war, the Sikh Empire had to give up some valuable land to the East India Company. This land was called the Jullundur Doab. Also, Gulab Singh, the ruler of Jammu, was allowed to buy Jammu and Kashmir from the Sikh Empire. He paid a lot of money to the East India Company. Some Sikh soldiers even had to help remove the Governor of Kashmir to put Gulab Singh in charge.
The young Sikh ruler, Maharaja Duleep Singh, was allowed to keep his throne. But a British official, Sir Henry Lawrence, controlled the government's decisions. Duleep Singh's mother, Maharani Jind Kaur, tried to get her power back. She was eventually sent away by Lawrence. Some Sikh generals were happy about this, but others were angry. Also, Sikh leaders, called Sardars, lost much of their power over land and justice. Only four Sardars were left in charge of justice.
Some of the Sikh Army had to stay active. This was because many Muslim areas in the Sikh Empire might have joined Dost Mohammed Khan in Afghanistan or become chaotic. Only a strong army could keep them under control. The British did not want to spend money or send many British or Bengal Army soldiers for this. In fact, the British Governor-General, Viscount Hardinge, wanted to save money. He planned to make the Bengal Army smaller by 50,000 men. The Sikh generals did not like taking orders from younger British officials.
In early 1848, Sir Henry Lawrence, who was sick, went to England. Many thought his brother John Lawrence would take his place. But Lord Dalhousie, the new Governor-General, chose Sir Frederick Currie instead. Currie was a lawyer from Calcutta. He did not know much about military matters or Punjab. The Lawrence brothers were more relaxed and knew the junior British officers well. Currie was stricter and careful about reports from his officers. He especially did not believe reports from James Abbott. Abbott was sure that Sardar Chattar Singh Attariwalla was planning a revolt with other Sikh leaders.
Sikh Revolts Begin
The Multan Revolt
The city of Multan was part of the Sikh kingdom. Ranjit Singh had captured it in 1818. In 1848, a Hindu leader named Dewan Mulraj governed it. After the First Anglo-Sikh War, Mulraj started acting on his own. The British-controlled government in Lahore told him to pay more taxes. Mulraj tried to give up his power to his son. This was to keep his family in charge. But Currie chose Sardar Kahan Singh Mann to be the new governor. He also sent a British officer, Lieutenant Patrick Vans Agnew, to go with him.
On April 18, 1848, Kahan Singh and Vans Agnew arrived at Multan. They had another officer, Lieutenant William Anderson, and a small group of guards. Mulraj gave them the keys to the fort. But as Vans Agnew's group tried to take control, they were attacked. Mulraj's soldiers and a crowd from the city attacked them. Both British officers were hurt. Kahan Singh saved them and took them to a mosque outside the city. However, their guards joined Mulraj. The two officers were killed by the crowd the next day.
Mulraj later said he did not cause these attacks. But because of them, he was now part of the revolt. He gave Vans Agnew's head to Kahan Singh and told him to take it back to Lahore. News of the killings spread across Punjab. More and more people became restless. Many Sikh soldiers left their loyal regiments. They joined those who wanted to revolt under Mulraj and other unhappy Sikh leaders.
Battles Near Multan
Lieutenant Herbert Edwardes, a British officer in Bannu, was near Multan in April. But he could not save Vans Agnew. He quickly gathered some local soldiers.
On June 18, 1848, 8,000 soldiers from Bhawalpur fought 8,000 Sikhs. The Bhawalpuris were pushed back. But when Lieutenant Edwardes' guns arrived, the fight turned in their favor. They attacked and captured the Sikh positions. The Bhawalpuris lost 300 men. The Sikhs lost 500 killed and many more while running away.
Another battle happened on July 1, 1848. A force of 18,000 Bhawalpuris and British soldiers, led by Lieutenant Edwardes, met 12,000 Sikhs under Mulraj. The Sikhs attacked but were defeated. This was mostly because the British had better cannons. The Bhawalpuris then chased the remaining Sikhs all the way to Multan.
The Siege of Multan
Multan was defended by the Sikhs under Mulraj. Lieutenant Edwardes, with about 1,200 men, started to surround the city in July 1848.
When Currie heard about Multan, he told Sir Hugh Gough, the army commander, to send a large British force to Multan. But Gough and Lord Dalhousie said no. They did not want to send major British units to Punjab until the hot and rainy seasons ended, which would be in November. Instead, Currie only sent a small force from the Bengal Army under General Whish. He also sent local soldiers and parts of the Sikh Khalsa Army to help with the siege. These forces joined Edwardes at Multan in August. Many British officers were worried because a large group from the Sikh Army was led by Sardar Sher Singh Attariwalla, Chattar Singh's son.
Some British officers were already trying to stop revolts. Captain John Nicholson led soldiers in Peshawar. He quickly took the important fort of Attock on the Indus River from its Sikh guards. Nicholson's force then joined with James Abbott's local soldiers. They captured the Margalla Hills, which separated Hazara from other parts of Punjab. When Chattar Singh openly revolted in August, his army could not leave Hazara without a fight. He managed to capture the passes through the hills twice. But he did not use this chance, possibly because his officers disagreed. He retreated back into Hazara.
On September 14, Sher Singh's army openly revolted at Multan. But he did not join Mulraj. They met at a neutral place. Mulraj agreed to give some money to Sher Singh's army. Sher Singh's army would then march north and eventually rejoin Chattar Singh. Meanwhile, General Whish had to stop the siege on September 22.
As the cold weather began in November, large groups of British East India Company soldiers finally entered the fight. Soldiers from the Bombay Army were ordered to help Whish and surround Multan. This force was delayed by a small argument about who was in charge. It could only arrive after its first commander was replaced by a junior officer. Whish's army received supplies and more soldiers by boat up the Indus and Chenab rivers. Whish started the siege of Multan again on December 27. He had 17,000 men and 64 cannons. After a heavy bombing, the city was attacked on January 2, 1849. On January 22, Mulraj gave up the fort. He was kept in prison for the rest of his life. After the siege ended, Whish and his many heavy cannons could join Sir Hugh Gough's army. The British lost 210 men killed and 910 wounded during the siege.
The Lahore Revolt
Battle of Ramnagar
Sir Hugh Gough led his main army against Sher Singh's army. Sher Singh's army defended the Chenab River for several weeks. On November 22, the Sikhs pushed back a British cavalry attack at the Battle of Ramnagar. This happened at a bridge on the eastern side of the river. Even though the Sikhs later left their exposed position, they captured a British cannon and caused many losses. They saw this battle as a victory, and their spirits were lifted.
Battle of Sadulpur
On December 3, 1848, Gough sent cavalry under Major General Joseph Thackwell. They were to cross the Chenab River upstream from Ramnagar and attack the Sikh left side. But Thackwell waited for more soldiers, which allowed the Sikhs to leave without being bothered. Gough still called this unclear action a victory.
Battle of Chillianwala
At the start of 1849, Amir Dost Mohammed Khan of Afghanistan joined the rebellious Sikhs. The Sikhs agreed to give him the city of Peshawar and its surrounding area. Ranjit Singh had conquered this area earlier. Dost Mohammed Khan's help for the Sikhs was careful. But when 3,500 Afghan horsemen came near the important fort of Attock on the Indus River, its Muslim soldiers, who Nicholson had put there, switched sides. This allowed Chattar Singh to leave Hazara and march west and then south. He planned to join Sher Singh's army. Dalhousie had told Gough to stop fighting until Multan fell. This would let Whish join him. But when he heard Attock had fallen, Dalhousie told Gough to destroy Sher Singh's army before Chattar Singh could join him.
Gough suddenly found Sher Singh's army near the Jhelum River on January 13, 1849. Sher Singh had hidden his army cleverly. Gough had to choose between leaving or attacking late in the day. Gough chose to attack right away. The Battle of Chillianwala was a very hard fight. Gough's soldiers attacked into thick bushes without good cannon support. They suffered many losses. Some units lost their flags, which was a great shame. Part of one British cavalry group ran away in fear, losing four cannons. This was also seen as a humiliation. Sher Singh's army was also hit hard, losing twelve of their own cannons.
Three days of heavy rain followed. This stopped both sides from fighting again. After facing each other for three days without fighting, both armies left. Sher Singh continued north to join Chattar Singh. This made the battle a strategic defeat for the British. Gough still claimed a victory. Dalhousie jokingly called it "perhaps poetical."
People were very worried about the losses Gough had suffered. His battle plans were heavily criticized. Military experts in Britain said he was an "old general who could not get on his horse without help." He was replaced by General Charles James Napier, who would take several weeks to arrive from England. Some younger officers thought the real problem was lower down in the ranks. Promotions in both the British and Bengal armies were slow. By the time officers were in charge of regiments, they were too old and tired from the harsh climate and diseases. At Chillianwala, some senior officers could not lead their units well.
Battle of Gujrat
Meanwhile, Whish's army finished their siege around Multan. Their cannons fired and made a hole in the defenses, which the soldiers then attacked. Mulraj surrendered on January 22. The end of the siege allowed Whish to send his soldiers to help Gough. Whish's group had many heavy cannons, which the Sikhs did not have.
As Gough's army got closer to the Sikh Army, he sent William Hodson to check the Sikh Army's position. Sher Singh tried one last move to go around the British. He sent cavalry to cross the Chenab River and then cross back behind Gough. But heavy rains made the river hard to cross. British irregular cavalry led by Harry Burnett Lumsden also stopped them. On February 21, Gough attacked the Sikh Army at the Battle of Gujrat. He started the battle with a three-hour bombing from almost 100 cannons. This drove the Sikhs from their quickly built defenses. He then sent his cavalry, led by Sir Joseph Thackwell, and horse artillery to chase them. The chase lasted for four hours. The Sikhs slowly retreated into rougher land. This area was full of Muslim villagers who mostly supported the British against the Sikhs. The Sikhs lost between 3,000 and 5,000 men and 53 cannons. The British had 96 killed and 700 wounded.
On March 12, Chattar Singh and Sher Singh gave up to Sir Walter Gilbert near Rawalpindi. About 20,000 men, mostly irregular cavalry, put down their weapons. The Afghan soldiers quickly left through Attock and Peshawar. The British took these cities back. Dost Mohammad Khan later signed a treaty. He agreed that the British owned these cities. The British also gained control of the Khyber Pass. This became the western border of the British Raj. Local Muslim people mostly welcomed British rule. They had hated the rule of the Sikh Empire. This was also because the British allowed the Muslim call to prayer again, which the Sikhs had banned. The British also rebuilt many mosques that the Sikhs had damaged and left to decay.
What Happened Next
Lord Dalhousie announced that Punjab was now part of British India on March 29, 1849. His foreign secretary, Henry Meirs Elliot, came to Lahore. He was there to get signatures from the leaders of the Council of Regency and the young king, Maharaja Duleep Singh. A meeting was held in the Lahore Fort. British soldiers stood on Duleep Singh's right, and his helpless Sikh leaders stood on his left. The young Duleep Singh signed the paper that took away his crown and empire.
The Sikhs lost the war for several reasons. Their control over the people of Punjab was not good. This meant their large armies found it hard to get enough food. Meanwhile, the East India Company brought a huge force against them.
The Sikh Wars made both sides respect each other's fighting skills. Even though the war itself was fought harshly, the Sikhs took no prisoners at Chillianwala. The British took no prisoners at Gujrat.
More people from Punjab joined the Punjab Irregular Force under British command. These soldiers fought for the East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. They fought against the rebels and other opponents. These Punjabi soldiers did not like the Hindu rebels of the Bengal Army. This was partly because the Bengal Army had helped the British in the Anglo-Sikh wars. Also, the Sikhs had a long history of being enemies with Mughal rule. This did not help the rebels' cause, as they chose Bahadur Shah Zafar as a symbolic leader.
Battle Honors
The special award "Punjaub" was given to all regiments that fought in the Anglo-Sikh Wars from 1848–49. This was announced in 1849. The list of honored regiments was issued in 1853. The Bombay Army received its awards separately. The spelling was changed from 'Punjaub' to 'Punjab' in 1910. Forty of the honored units of the Bengal Army were lost during the Mutiny. India has now built a memorial at Ferozepore. It honors the men of the Sikh Khalsa Army who died in the Anglo-Sikh Wars. The battle honor is now considered to be unsuitable.
