Where the British met their match-Battle of Chillianwala

[RobbieS]

I recently came across some detailed information on the Battle of Chillianwala, 1849 and wanted to share the same with fellow PDF members interested in military history . Surprisingly this battle has been forgotten by most historians.

It was the first heavy engagement of the Anglo-Sikh war and the East India company was stopped right in their tracks. In fact analysts say that never before has a European army been better prepared to face the enemy but they still couldn't press for victory. While the fact remains that the battle was a stalemate and the British did decisively rout the Sikhs a month later, but at Chillianwala they met their match. The following are excerpts from a neutral source-

"The Battle of Chillianwala fought on 13 January 1849 is, however, one odd exception and stands out as a battle in which the British failed to defeat their opponents despite having the advantages of weight of numbers, ideal weather and terrain, superior logistics etc"

The Sikhs had little if any superiority to the British force of 13,000. The artillery was about equal, 60 guns to each side. British Army despite a high European troop component, sufficient artillery, and two heavy cavalry brigades to ensure that no one could surprise them, little campaign exhaustion having fought no major battle since assumption of hostilities, winter weather negating the possibility of heatstroke and cholera the worst killers of white soldiers in India, failed to defeat the Sikhs.

The final losses to Gough's army were 2,800 men killed, of whom nearly 1000 were Europeans and 89 were British and 43 native officers. HM 24th Foot suffered 590 casualties, over 50 percent. Sikh casualties were harder to estimate, but it is put at around 4,000. An obelisk erected at Chillianwalla by the British government preserves the names of those who fell in the battle.


Both armies held their positions for three days, at the end of which the British withdrew. Sher Singh later withdrew to the north. Both sides could claim a victory. However, the British repulse, together with the loss of several guns and the colours of the 24th and two other regiments, and the rout of the 14th Light Dragoons, dealt a severe blow to British morale and prestige.

StateMaster - Encyclopedia: Battle of Chillianwala

[Zaki]

well i have been to this place "Chillianwala" didn't know if it will be that famous........ i once travelled from my city Gujrat to Khewra and later on continued that journey upto Kallar Kahar. Chillianwala was the first place where we stopped...... they have a kind of memorial made of stone and they have written the name of every single british officer who was either killed or participated in that war. I once shared the picture of that place also if i am not wrong

That place is in Gujrat district i think or Mandi Bahauddin is also possible

[Creder]

lol ya keep surprising me mayn, that place is in my district...its near mandi pretty much on its outskirts... i got family in mandi, phalia but not in chillianwala..its a small townish thing now

[arsalan667]

This region has been very famous in history:

YouTube - Dunya TV-HASB-E-HAAL-07-02-2010-4

YouTube - Dunya TV-HASB-E-HAAL-07-02-2010-4

[RobbieS]

Originally Posted by Creder

lol ya keep surprising me mayn, that place is in my district...its near mandi pretty much on its outskirts... i got family in mandi, phalia but not in chillianwala..its a small townish thing now

lol..evidently!

Even I was surprised by how very little attention is paid to this battle. Although it didn't end decisively it did jolt the British out of their victory march.

And yes I have seen pictures of the British monument. We don't have one for the fallen soldiers on our side, do we?

[Creder]

Originally Posted by RobbieS

lol..evidently!

Even I was surprised by how very little attention is paid to this battle. Although it didn't end decisively it did jolt the British out of their victory march.

And yes I have seen pictures of the British monument. We don't have one for the fallen soldiers on our side, do we?

i didnt know there was a battle there, my grandparents never mentioned anything like that but i guess this was way before their time too, we had a couple of sikh families in our village and it was literally a 15~20 family village. There were about six sikh families there, my grandfather told me the men from the village escorted them to the border overnight

[Tiger Awan]

My tribe awan fought with the sikhs and many other groups also and this weakend them. And then the British were finally able to defeat the sikhs. There are many graves near my village commonly known as SHUHADA. They were matyred in the war and then brought to thier native place.

[A1Kaid]

Don't forget about the Battle of Maiwand.