Battle of Chilianwala
The Battle of Chilianwala, fought on January 13, 1849, was a significant engagement during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. It involved British forces led by Major General Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert and General Sir Hugh Gough, who confronted a well-entrenched Sikh army commanded by Shere Singh. The battle took place in a dense jungle setting, which severely restricted the maneuverability of British cavalry and hindered communication among infantry units. As the conflict progressed, the Sikhs effectively utilized the terrain, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat, resulting in substantial British casualties, estimated at around 2,300. Despite the British withdrawal after three hours of fighting, Gough declared a victory as the Sikh forces eventually retreated from their positions. However, this interpretation was contested, with many in the British military and press labeling the battle a defeat, attributing the outcome to Gough's aggressive tactics. The contrasting perceptions of the battle's significance highlight the complexity of military engagements and the varying narratives that emerge from them.
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Battle of Chilianwala
Type of action: Ground battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Date: January 13, 1849
Location: 3 miles south of Rasul, Pakistan
Combatants: 14,000 British vs. 30,000-40,000 Sikhs
Principal commanders:British, General Sir Hugh Gough (1779–1869); Sikh, Shere Singh
Result: Pyrrhic British victory
In the second major battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849), Major General Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert’s infantry division, General Sir Colin Campbell’s infantry division, Major General Sir Joseph Thackwell’s cavalry division, and Brigadier General James Tennant’s artillery division arrived from Dinga about noon to face a five-mile-long north-south Sikh entrenchment at Chilianwala. For about an hour, only artillery engaged. Then General Sir Hugh Gough, perceiving that the Sikhs, led by Shere Singh, had emerged from their entrenchment, ordered an attack.
Cavalry could not maneuver in the dense jungle, and British infantry units often lost communication with one another. Firing from familiar underbrush, Sikh musketeers took their toll. Hand-to-hand jungle fighting favored the Sikhs. The Ninth Lancers and two sepoy cavalry regiments on the right flank became so confused that they charged in the wrong direction. After three hours, Gough ordered a retreat. British casualties were about 2,300. Sikh losses were significant but undetermined.
Significance
Gough claimed victory when the Sikhs voluntarily abandoned their position. His superiors and the British press called Chilianwala a defeat, and blamed Gough’s recklessness for it.
Bibliography
Bruce, George. Six Battles for India: The Anglo-Sikh Wars, 1845–1846, 1848–1849. London: Arthur Barker, 1969.
Cook, Hugh C. B. The Sikh Wars: The British Army in the Punjab, 1845–1849. London: Cooper, 1975.
Gough, Charles, and Arthur D. Innes. The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars: The Rise, Conquest, and Annexation of the Punjab State. Punjab, India: Languages Department, 1970.
Guy, Alan J., R. N. W. Thomas, and Gerard Degroot, eds. Military Miscellany 1: Manuscripts from the Seven Years War, the First and Second Sikh Wars, and the First World War. Stroud, England: Sutton, 1997.
Innes, Arthur D., and Charles Gough. Annexation of Punjab. Delhi: National Book Shop, 1984.
Thackwell, Edward Joseph. Narrative of the Second Sikh War in 1848-49: With a Detailed Account of the Battles of Ramnugger, the Passage of the Chenab, Chillianwallah, Goojerat, &c. Punjab, India: Languages Department, 1970.