Battle of the Cavalry Lines

Battle of the Cavalry Lines
Location Delhi Result British Victory
Belligerents
British Empire East India Company	Mughal Empire Sepoy mutineers
Commanders and leaders
Brigadier-General Archdale Wilson Colonel Hope Grant William Hodson	Bakht Khan
Strength
700-900 Cavalry	400-600 Cavalry 2400 Sepoys
Casualties and losses
20-40 Killed 50-60 Wounded	150-200 Killed 300 Wounded

The Battle of Cavalry Lines was fought on 3 July 1857 between the EIC and the mutineers of the Revolt of 1857 near Delhi, when a contingent under Bhakt Khan attacked the besieging British Cavalry at the night.

Background

During the Siege of Delhi, General Wilson concealed his infantry and artillery behind the ridge, while moved his cavalry for patrols, besieging and blockading the fortress. Bakht Khan a former shubedar in the company's army with the Bareilly brigade which had mutinied and murdered its officers had joined the rebellion consisted of 4 infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment, a horse battery, and two post guns, which marched from Bareilly and crossed Yamuna to enter Delhi. ^[1] He arrived at Delhi in late June. Khan presented himself to the Emperor, and assumed the command of all rebel forces inside the Fort of Delhi. ^[2]

Battle

On 3 July, during the night, the British infantry and artillery was reverse sloped beyond the ridge, the cavalry was positioned in front to prevent any future reliefs in the city. Noticing this opportunity, Bakht Khan planned an attack on the cavalry, he sent his sepoys during the night at the British Cavalry posts. He sent his contingent to strike on the camps near the fortress. The only force in those camps were 450 men from the 9th lancers under Colonel Hope Grant,an irregular force of mounted infantry under William Hodson (not more than 50 men), ^[3] and a handful of cavaliers from the Guides Cavalry of Punjab. After hearing the attack on the first camps, the British were alerted and picked their arms and raced against time to stop the rebels from capturing other posts. Once the alarm spread to the ridge, infantry regiments (the 60th Rifles and Gurkhas) were sent forward to support the cavalry. ^[4] With infantry and artillery reinforcement, the British pushed the rebels back across the Yamuna. Heavy losses were inflicted on the retreating Bareilly force.

Aftermath

After the alarm the British were able to control the strike and repel it, and forced the rebels to retreat. It was a morale victory for the mutineers while they suffered heavy losses, about 500 mutineers were wounded and killed. The British lost 8-10 tents ^[5] which would not be more than 80 men. It was the first major offensive engagement since the siege had begun.

References

1. Digital Library Of India. A Short Account Of The Siege Of Delhi In 1857.
2. "Recapture of Delhi Post the Great Revolt of 1857". Indian Culture.
3. Sharan, Sunil. "Two battalions of Hodson's Horse". The Times of India. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 12 November 2025.
4. Charles John Griffiths. A Narrative Of The Siege Of Delhi 1857.
5. Kaye, John William (1870). History of the sepoy war in India: 1857-1858 vol.2. W.H. Allen, London.