India: The Siege of Delhi, 1857 – Orbat of Indian and British Forces
v.1.0 March 24, 2002

A.H. Amin & Ravi Rikhye

This orbat is based entirely on Major A.H. Amin’s history of the siege http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/jan/dehli-campaign.htm [Please note that Delhi is misspelled in the URL and is not a typographical error.]

The siege began on May 11, 1857. The Bengal Army’s 3^rd Light Cavalry, stationed at Meerut, about 65 kilometers away, had revolted the previous day and moved straightaway to seize the city. Readers will recall that at this time Bhadurshah Zafir, the last Mugul emperor, was a powerless figurehead.  The British were India’s dominant power, and their capital was in Calcutta, 1500 kms to the east.  Why this was so is a fascinating story in itself, but beyond the scope of this orbat. The siege ended on September 20, with a British victory.  This did not end the violence, because now months of looting, retribution to the rebels, and revenge killing by the victors took place. Major Amin notes that had the British failed in Delhi, the Afghans would probably have risen in the west, the North Indian rebels would have gained a fresh impetus, and the Bombay and Madras Armies would have seen major revolts. Combined, this would probably have meant the end of British rule in India. While the British have described the Mutiny and the siege as a close run thing, Major Amin asserts the British victory was inevitable, and in his article explains why.  The TO strengths for the first three regiments are typical for units of the time.

Indian Regiments that Revolted and Invested Delhi

3^rd Bengal Light Cavalry (504 men), Meerut Cantonment [1 Troop stayed loyal]

9^th Bengal Native Infantry, Aligarh Cantonment

11^th Bengal Native Infantry (780 men), Meerut Cantonment

20^th Bengal Native Infantry (950 men), Meerut Cantonment

38^th Bengal Native Infantry, Delhi Cantonment

54^th Bengal Native Infantry, Delhi Cantonment

74^th Bengal Native Infantry, Delhi Cantonment

Indian Regiments that Reinforced Delhi Rebels

Barielly Brigade, mutinied May 31, 1857, with:

8^th Irregular Cavalry (part of)

18^th Bengal Native Infantry, Barielly Cantonment

28^th Bengal Native Infantry, Shahjahanpur

29^th Bengal Native Infantry, Badaunad & Moradabad

68^th Bengal Native Infantry, Barielly Cantonment

15^th Light Horse Artillery (part of)

British Units in North India That Could Not Be Spared For Delhi

3^rd Bengal European Infantry, Agra Cantonment: needed for local security

10^th Foot, required to protect L of C Calcutta to Delhi

32^nd Foot, Lucknow Cantonment, required for local security/L of C

53^rd Foot, Calcutta, required to hold the only port available to British in the North

84^th Foot, Calcutta, as above.

British Units in the Punjab That Could Not Be Spared For Delhi

8 British battalions were deployed from Jullunder in the East Punjab to Peshawar. Conversely, the area was also peace station for approximately 45 Indian battalions that could have mutinied at any time.  These 8 battalions could not, then, be shifted. Later, presumably because the Punjab did not revolt,  at least one was sent to Delhi. Of the eight, three were immediately assigned to protecting key magazines and forts:

8^th Foot  (Jullunder)

61^st Foot (Ferozepore)

81^st Foot (Lahore)

British and Loyal Indian Units Available and Immediately Sent to Delhi

1^st Bengal European Fusiliers, Dagshai Cantonment [East India Company]

2^nd Bengal European Fusiliers, Sabbatu Cantonment [East India Company]

6^th Dragoons, Meerut Cantonment [Her Majesty’s]

9^th Lancers, Ambala Cantonment [Her Majesty’s]

60^th Rifles, Meerut Cantonment [Her Majesty’s]

75^th Foot, Kasauli [Her Majesty’s]

Nusseeree Gurkha Battalion, Jatogh Cantonment, near Simla [Indian]

Kumaon Gurkha Regiment, Almora [Indian]

Sirmoor Gurkha Battalion, Almora [Indian]

British and Loyal Indian Reinforcements For Delhi

1^st Madras European Fusiliers, Madras Army [East India Company]

1^st Punjab Infantry [Indian]

2^nd Punjab Infantry [Indian]

4^th Punjab Infantry [Indian]

4^th Sikh Infantry [Indian]

35^th Foot, Pegu, Burma[Her Majesty’s]

43^rd Foot, from Madras [Her Majesty’s]

61^st Foot, from Punjab [Her Majesty’s]

64^th Foot [Her Majesty’s, Returning from Persia Expedition]

78^th Foot [Her Majesty’s, Returning from Persia Expedition

1^st Punjab Cavalry [Indian]

2^nd Punjab Cavalry [Indian]

5^th Punjab Cavalry [Indian]

Corps of Guides [From Punjab, marched 950 kilometers in 22 days]

Hodson’s Horse [Irregular Indian]

Guide’s Cavalry [Indian]

Jind Contingent [Indian Princely State, in East India Company Service]

Kashmir Contingent [Indian Princely State, in East India Company Service]

Other Punjab Cavalry Regiments [Indian]

Orbat for the Siege of Delhi

Unit	Men
First Column [Brigadier John Nicholson]	1000
75th Foot	300
1st European Fusiliers	250
2nd Punjab Infantry	450
Second Column [Brigadier Jones]	850
8th Foot	150
2nd European Fusiliers	150
4th Sikh Infantry	350
Third Column [Colonel Colin Campbell]	950
52nd Foot	200
Kumaon Gurkhas	250
1st Punjab Infantry	500
Fourth Column (Major Reid)	1860
Sirmoor Battalion Guides Infantry	860
Kashmir Contingent	1000
Fifth (Reserve) Column [Brigadier Longfield]	1300
60th Foot*	200
61st Foot	250
4th Punjab Infantry	450
Baluch Battalion	300
Jind Contingent	300
Cavalry Brigade [Brigadier Hope Grant]
6th Dragoon Guards
9th Lancers
Hodson’s Horse
Guide’s Cavalry
Punjab Regiments [various]
Artillery
Reid’s Battery [Captain Remington]	4 X 9-pdr; 2 X 24-pdr
No. 1 Siege Battery [Major Brind]	9 guns, 1 heavy howitzer
No. 2 Siege Battery [Majors Kaye & Campbell]	7 X 8-pds how; 2 X 18-pdr; 9 X 24-pdr
No. 3 Siege Battery	6 X 18-pdr
No. 4 Siege Battery [Major Tombs]	10 X Heavy Mortars

* Not present at initial assault