TODAY IN HISTORY, JANUARY 13: BRITISH AND SIKHS FIGHT A BLOODY DRAW AT THE BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALA, 1849. A modest force (13,000 men and 66 guns) of the British East India Company’s Bengal Army, commanded by Sir Hugh Paddy Gough, unexpectedly encountered a much larger Sikh army of 30-40,000 troops and an equal number of guns, under Sirdar (General) Sher Singh; near the village of Chillianwalla, in the Northwestern Indian province of the Punjab. The first major battle of the Second Anglo-Sikh War, Chillianwala was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought by British East India Company forces. Advancing through terrain broken-up by jungle and scrub, against an enemy on higher ground and well supported by artillery, the British and Sepoy regiments took heavy casualties. The 24th Regiment of Foot (later made famous for its actions against Zulus at Isandlwana and Roark’s Drift) became disorganized and separated from the other units of its attached brigade; and took particularly heavy casualties (approx 50%) trying to storm the Sikh guns. The regiment lost its colors, and the brigade’s commander was killed. The battle ended in a draw, with the British driving the Sikhs back, but withdrawing the next day from the area. British casualties were 757 killed, 1,651 wounded, 104 missing; for a total of 2,512. Sikh casualties are estimated to be 3,600.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 20:31:16 +0000