Battle of Aliwal
The Battle of Aliwal, fought on January 28, 1846, was a key engagement in the First Anglo-Sikh War, marking a pivotal moment in the British campaign for control of the Punjab region. This battle saw approximately 20,000 Sikh troops, led by Runjoor Singh, positioned at the River Sutlej against a British force of around 10,000, which included infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The British employed a strategic bombardment followed by a coordinated cavalry and infantry assault, effectively executing a pincer movement that overwhelmed the Sikh forces. Despite the British suffering significant casualties, with 580 men lost, the Sikhs faced far greater losses, with estimates in the thousands. The defeat at Aliwal was particularly crucial, as it helped to consolidate British dominance after having faced stiff resistance in earlier battles at Mudki and Ferozeshah. The outcome of this battle not only influenced the immediate conflict but also shaped the broader dynamics between British forces and Sikh sovereignty during this period.
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Battle of Aliwal
Type of action: Ground battle in the First Anglo-Sikh War
Date: January 28, 1846
Location: Punjab, India
Combatants: British vs. Sikhs
Principal commanders:British, Sir Harry George Wakelyn Smith (1787–1860); Sikh, Runjoor Singh
Result: British victory turns the tide of war against the Sikhs in favor of the British
The Battle of Aliwal was the third of the four intensely fought battles in the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846). The Sikh army of some 20,000 men, under Runjoor Singh, was drawn up at the River Sutlej in front of a ford. The British, in addition to twenty-two horse artillery guns, six field guns, and two eight-inch howitzers, had about 10,000 men: 7,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. After a bombardment by the eighteen-pound guns and the eight-inch howitzers, the British cavalry attacked on the right and broke the Sikh line. The infantry attack on the left was also successful. The Sikhs were caught in a pincer movement. Defeated, the Sikhs stampeded for the ford but were mercilessly cut down by the British cavalry. The British, under Sir Harry George Wakelyn Smith, lost 580 men, 140 by the cavalry. Sikh losses were in the thousands.
Significance
Aliwal was the turning point in the British campaign for control of the Punjab, as the Sikhs had severely tested the British in the first two battles (Mudki, December 21, 1845, and Ferozeshah, December 21-22, 1845).
Bibliography
Cook, Hugh. The Sikh Wars: The British Army in the Punjab, 1845–1849. London: Leo Cooper, 1975.
Madra, Amandeep Singh. Warrior Saints: Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition. London: I. B. Tauris, 1999.
Singh, Khushwant. How the Sikhs Lost Their Kingdom. New Delhi: UBS, 1996.
Singha, Bhagata. A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala: Punjab University, 1993.