Delhi’s Darkest Hour: The Siege of 1857

The Siege of Delhi was one of the greatest events in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, which forced the British to reconsider their strategy in India. During the siege, the British were fiercely challenged by Indian uprisings for months and only after a protracted battle, they managed to retake control of Delhi.

Siege of Delhi 1857, Image Source- FineArtAmerica

For a very long time, the British East India Company went far beyond just conducting business with India to impose colonization and overthrow the country's previous rulers. It was just a matter of time until Indian communities rebelled against the British East India Company due to their severe rule, which led to numerous conflicts and dissatisfaction among the inhabitants.

The "Revolt of 1857," also known as the "Sepoy Mutiny" or the "First War of Independence," signaled the start of the British Empire's decline. Even though the revolt was ultimately unsuccessful for a variety of reasons, it nonetheless forced the British to abolish the East India Company's rule and establish direct rule by the British government, hence the British Raj, since they were aware that the flame of rebellion would continue to burn until the day when Indians would be granted freedom. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 is illustrated by several incidents, "The Siege of Delhi" being one of the most significant and intriguing ones.

The Bengal Army sepoys of the British East India Company had been under increasing strain for a long time before they publicly rebelled against their British leaders in Meerut. The Enfield rifle cartridges, which were allegedly coated with animal fat and hurt the Indian Sepoys' feelings, were the immediate cause of the uprising. The commanders of the company at Meerut did not do much, not even informing the adjacent garrisons or outposts. On May 11, after assembling the British forces in the cantonment and getting ready to scatter the sepoys, they discovered that Meerut was silent and that the sepoys had proceeded to Delhi.

The sequence of events also hinted at the chance of Bahadur Shah restoring the Mughal Empire. The British East India Company was a common opponent of all the rebellions; therefore, they joined forces with Bahadur Shah and seized the opportunity to fight alongside one another. With Mirza Mughal, Bahadur Shah's son, serving as the commander-in-chief, it appeared like everyone was ready for the arrival of the British troops.

The British took time balancing everything on their plate, but they eventually put together an army in June using a mix of two army columns and a troop of Gurkhas. The siege began on June 8 after the force managed to take control of a ridge overseeing the city for a period, but it was insufficient to start a siege. More than 30,000 mutineers loyal to Bahadur Shah, who was posing as the Mughal emperor, were believed to have defended the city. The British believed at one time that they were being held under siege rather than the opposite in a situation of such peril and intense battle. As diseases like cholera and dysentery spread and had an impact on the British troops, other conflicts were going on. A siege train of 32 guns and 2,000 additional soldiers, led by Brigadier General John Nicholson, did, however, gradually arrive from Punjab as reinforcements.

The British had amassed a force of about 9,000 by the beginning of September, made up of 6,000 Sikhs, Punjabis, and Gurkhas in addition to 3,000 regular soldiers. A strategy to breach the city walls and launch an assault had been developed by Richard Baird Smith, the chief engineer officer for Wilson. After initiating fire on September 8 and causing significant wall breaches by September 14, the British became sure that they could now launch an attack. The rebellions put up a major fight and shielded the city from the army's onslaught with everything they had, but they had used up all of their supplies and ammunition at that point because they had fought and protected the city for so long. By September 21, following a week of unexpected loss and brutal war, Delhi was once again under British rule.

The British army's arduous takeover of Delhi again was a turning point in the defeat of the 1857 Indian Mutiny against British rule. It put an end to Indians' hopes of restoring the Mughal Empire and liberating themselves from the 100-year domination of the East India Company. Despite the failure of the attempt to topple the British East India Company, it is remembered as the conflict that gave India the greatest hope of achieving freedom. The British Raj was established as the rule of the East India Company came to an end due to the war.