The New Enfield Cartridge Begins Production
1856
Fort William in Calcutta begins production of the cartridges for the new Enfield Pattern 1853 rifled musket. Rumours circulated amoungst the men of the Indian army that they were being greased with animal fat. They worried that this grease contained tallow, from cows, and lard, from pigs, which would make them unclean for Hindus and Muslims.
EditLocation: India
General Service Enlistment Act
Jul 25, 1856
All the men of the Indian army who sign up after this act was passed have to be willing to srver overseas. This is a new requirement as before this point they only needed to serve within marching distance of their home depot.
EditLocation: India
Cartridges to Be Issued Un-Greased
Jan 27, 1857
Orders are sent out that all cartridges were to be issued from free from grease. This was so that they could be greased with whatever the men themselves would prefer. They also modified the drill so that the cartridge would be torn open rather than bitten.
EditLocation: India
Unrest in the 19Th Bengal Native Infantry
Feb 26, 1857
There is unrest amoungst the 19th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI), who still believe that their cartridges had been greased with animal fat. This escalates to the point that there Colonel is forced to confront them with artillery before backing down and cancelling the parade.
EditLocation: India
Mangal Pandey Mutinies
Mar 29, 1857
Mangal Pandey of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry rebels against his officers and shoots at Sergeant-Major James Hewson when he goes to investigate. He then shoots at Lieutenant Henry Baugh when he goes to investigate. The man on guard duty, Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, refuses to try and arrest him, as do many the other seypoys refuse to restrain him, but do not actively help him either. He tries to kill himself when he is taken into guard, but only wounds himself.
EditLocation: India
Arson in India
Apr 1857
There are many acts of arson in Indian army bases due to unrest over the cartridge issue. This included barracks and British officers' bungalows being set on fire
EditLocation: India
Mangal Pandey is Court Marshalled
Apr 06, 1857
Mangal Pandey is court marshalled and found guilty
EditLocation: India
Mangal Pandey is Hanged
Apr 08, 1857
Mangal Pandey is hanged
EditLocation: India
Lord Canning Warned of Unrest At Lucknow
Apr 18, 1857
Sir Henry Lawrence warns Lord Canning about the unrest around Lucknow
EditLocation: Lucknow
Ishwari Prasad is Hanged
Apr 21, 1857
Jemadar Ishwari Prasad is hanged for helping Mangal Pandey
EditLocation: India
3Rd Bengal Light Cavalry Mutinies
Apr 24, 1857
The 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry is ordered to parade and perform firing drills. All but 5 of the men refuse to accept their cartridges.
EditLocation: India
7Th Oudh Irregular Infantry Refuse Orders
May 01, 1857
7th Oudh Irregular Infantry refuse to bite the cartridges of the Enfield rifles due to the rumours that they had been greased with animal fat.
EditLocation: Lucknow
7Th Oudh Irregular Infantry is Disarmed
May 03, 1857
7th Oudh Irregular Infantry is disarmed by loyalist regiments
EditLocation: Lucknow
The Regiment is Disbanded
May 06, 1857
The entire regiment 34th Bengal Native Infantry is disbanded and their uniforms taken back.
EditLocation: India
Court Martial of the Mutineers
May 09, 1857
The men of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry who refused to perform firing drills when ordered are court martialled. Most were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.
EditLocation: India
Cavalry in Open Revolt
May 10, 1857
The 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry break into open revolt. Many British junior officers are killed while tying to put down the revolt, as are 50 Indian civilians who had tried to hide or protect the wives and children of the British officers.
EditLocation: India
3Rd Bengal Light Cavalry Ride to Delhi
May 11, 1857
The 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry ride to Delhi and call for Bahadur Shah to lead them in revolt against the British. While this was happening British Ordnance officers blow up the arsenal to avoid it falling into the hands of the mutineers. The blast kills many civilians and helps to tip the regiments stationed around Delhi into open revolt.
EditLocation: Delhi
Nicholson Creates Movable Column
May 11, 1857
The news of events in Delhi reaches John Nicholson. He immediately starts planning a strong movable column to try and put down any outbreaks of rebellion in his area
EditLocation: India
Bahadur Shah Holds Court
May 12, 1857
Bahadur Shah holds his first formal court in years. He is persuaded to lead the revolt by the mutinous soldiers.
EditLocation: Delhi
Prisoners Are Murdered in Outside the Palace
May 16, 1857
50 British prisoners that had been held in the palace, or were discovered in the city, are executed under a peepul tree in a courtyard outside the palace. Bahadur Shah does not have anything to do with this, however, the mutineers believe that by implicating him in these murders it will bind him to their cause.
EditLocation: Delhi
Army Mobilises
May 17, 1857
An East Indian Company army is mobilised to quell the rebellion
EditLocation: India
Lucknow Prepared for Siege
May 23, 1857
Lawrence begins to fortify the Residency at Lucknow and stocking it with supplies in order to withstand a siege.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Anson Dies
May 27, 1857
General George Anson dies
EditLocation: India
Eid Ul-Fitr
May 30, 1857
The area around Lucknow breaks out into open rebellion during the festival fo Eid ul-Fitr. The British 32nd Regiment of Foot is able to drive the rebels away from the city.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Roberts is Promoted to Lieutenant
May 31, 1857
Frederick Roberts is promoted to Lieutenant
EditLocation: India
Rebellion At Fatehgarh
May 31, 1857
A party fo four British officers are leading their Indian troops to the town of Fatehgarh in order to disperse them them and prevent the mutiny from spreading. Two of the British officers ride off to consult the local magistrate. While they are away Indian troops one decapitated one of the remaining British officers, and then killed another as he tried to escape.
EditLocation: India
Lieutenant Cox Fires on An Indian Guard
Jun 01, 1857
Lieutenant Cox fires on his Indian guard while drunk. He misses and is thrown into jail.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Return to Fatehgarh
Jun 01, 1857
The two remaining British officers return from their visit with the magistrate. On their return they are warned by an Indian officer about what happens before. He advises them to flee, but before they can they are attacked. One is killed but the other escapes.
EditLocation: India
Lieutenant Cox is Acquitted of Murder
Jun 02, 1857
Lieutenant Cox is acquitted of trying to murder the man that he shot at the night before. This leads to discontent amongst the Indian soldiers, and rumours begin to circulate that the British were planning to massacre them.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Rebellion Reaches Lucknow
Jun 04, 1857
The rebellion breaks out at Sitapur 51 miles from Lucknow. It is followed by rebellions at other cities and over the next 10 days the British authority over the Oudh region evaporates.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Nana Sahib Sends a Note
Jun 05, 1857
Nana Sahib sends a note to General Wheeler stating that he intended to attack at 10AM the next morning
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Siege of Cawnpore Begins
Jun 06, 1857
The remaining men of the 53rd Natice Infantry rebel. They seize ammunition and the regimental treasure before leaving for Delhi. The 1st NI also rebel at this point. This leaves only 150 sepoys still loyal to General Wheeler to face Nana Sahib.
The Indians begin their attack at 10:30AM, as they had promised the day before. Despite being outnumbered and unprepared the British manage to push them back and the siege begins.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Battle of Badli-Ki-Serai
Jun 08, 1857
East Indian Company army under Major General Henry Barnard reaches the outskirts of Delhi and discover that the rebels had already started to dig in at Badli-ki-Serai. The british advanced on the rebel positions and suffered heavy casualties from the Indian artillery. Cavalry under Colonel James Hope Grant is sent to outflank the rebels on their left, and an infantry brigade is sent to encircle the right. As these forces close in on the enemy the main force charges the artillery and captures it at bayonet point causing the rebels to flee back to Delhi.
EditLocation: Delhi
Nana Sahib Gathers More Men
Jun 10, 1857
Nana Sahib attracts more rebels to his banner as the siege went on and by the 10th he was commanding over 12000 men
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Change of Tactics
Jun 11, 1857
Nana Sahib changes tactics to concentrate all of his fire at specific buildings
EditLocation: Cawnpore
First Assault on Cawnpore
Jun 12, 1857
Nana Sahib mounts his first major assault on the Cawnpore fortifications. However, his troops were convinced that the British had laid booby traps and were reluctant to press home their attack.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Cawnpore Hospital Destroyed
Jun 13, 1857
The British hospital inside the Cawnpore fortifications is destroyed by a fire killing many of the wounded men in it
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Assault on Delhi Fails
Jun 13, 1857
Barnard orders an assault on the walls of Delhi, but his orders do not reach his subordinate officers in time and the entire assault fails.
EditLocation: Delhi
Dehli Reinforced
Jun 19, 1857
More mutineers arrive at Delhi, and they attempt to break the siege by attack the British lines from three directions. The British line holds, just, and the siege continues.
EditLocation: Delhi
Nicholson Leaves for Delhi
Jun 21, 1857
Nicholson leaves Peshawar for Delhi
EditLocation: India
Assault on Cawnpore
Jun 23, 1857
Nana Sahib chose the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Plassey for his assault on Cawnpore. They are repulsed by British volleys of rifle and artillery fire.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Dehli Breakout Fails
Jun 23, 1857
There is another attempt to break out from the siege of Delhi, which fails
EditLocation: Delhi
Nana Sahib Offers Safe Passage
Jun 24, 1857
Nana Sahib sends a European prisoner, Mrs Rose Greenway, with a message for General Wheeler. He offered to safe passage for them to Satichaura Ghat, a landing on the Ganges from which they could depart for Allahabad, in exchange for their surrender. Wheeler rejects the offer as it had not been signed by Nana Sahib himself.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Nana Sahib Restates Offer of Safe Passage
Jun 25, 1857
Nana Sahib sends another prisoner, Mrs Jacobi, restating his offer of and this time the note had been signed by him.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Wheeler Accepts Nana Sahib's Offer
Jun 26, 1857
General Wheeler decides to accept Nana Sahib's offer safe passage in exchange for his surrender.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Satichaura Ghat Massacre
Jun 27, 1857
General Wheeler leads his remaining forces out of Cawnpore, but ends up getting massacred as they make their way down river
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Battle of Chinhat
Jun 30, 1857
Lawrence takes his forces out, but they switch sides and he only just manages to get back to Lucknow
EditLocation: Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow Begins
Jul 01, 1857
The rebels attack Lucknow and are repelled beginning the siege
EditLocation: Lucknow
Campbell Arrives in India
Jul 1857
Campbell arrives in India
EditLocation: India
Inglis Takes Command of Lucknow
Jul 03, 1857
Lawrence is hit by a cannon ball. He was not immediately killed, but is mortally wounded. Colonel John Inglis will take over command of the siege from him
EditLocation: Lucknow
Henry Lawrence Dies
Jul 04, 1857
Sir Henry Lawrence dies of the wound that he received the day before
EditLocation: Lucknow
Private Dowling Spiking Guns
Jul 04, 1857
Private William Dowling goes out to spike the enemy guns
EditLocation: Lucknow
General Barnard Dies
Jul 05, 1857
General Barnard dies of cholera. He is succeeded by Archdale Wilson who is promoted to Major General
EditLocation: Delhi
Lawrence Investigates Indian Sappers
Jul 07, 1857
Samuel Hill Lawrence performs a sortie against the rebels to investigate whether they were trying to undermine the walls from inside one of the buildings near the residency. He was the first to mount the ladder up into the windows of the building. His pistol was knocked from his hand by one of the rebels inside and had to fight hand to hand.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Private Dowling Goes to Spike Guns Again
Jul 09, 1857
Private William Dowling goes out again from the siege of Lucknow to spike rebel guns. Unlike his first attempt the spike that he had this time was too small and would not completely block the touch hole of the gun he had targetted.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Campbell is Promoted to Full General
Jul 12, 1857
Campbell is promoted to full General and given command of all British forces in India
EditLocation: Britain
Campbell Leaves for India
Jul 12, 1857
Campbell leaves Britain for India
EditLocation: Britain
Bibighar Massacre
Jul 15, 1857
The surviving women and children from the Satichura Ghat massacre are killed
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Results of the Bibighar Massacre
Jul 16, 1857
Begum Hussaini Khanum hires street sweepers to strip the bodies of the murdered prisoners and throw them down a well. Some of the women and children had survived the massacre the day before, but they were still stripped and thrown down the well. They threw the little boys in one at a time, the youngest first, so that they were buried alive under the heap of butchered corpses.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
The British Capture Bibighar
Jul 17, 1857
The British capture Bibighar. They had hoped that they would find the prisoners alive as Nana Sahib had been using them as bargaining chips. When they got there the house was splattered in blood. The tree in the courtyard nearest the well was smeared with the brains of numerous children and infants who had been dashed headfirst against the trunk. Then they looked in the well and found the well full of the butchered bodies of the prisoners.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
The British Capture Nana Sahib's Palace
Jul 19, 1857
The British take Nana Sahib's palace without any resistance. They seize guns, elephants and camels, and then set the palace on fire.
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Private Dowling's Third Sortie
Jul 27, 1857
Private William Dowling makes his third sortie to spike enemy guns bombarding the Lucknow residency.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Clemency Resolution
Jul 31, 1857
Lord Canning issues a resolution which distinguished between sepoys from regiments which had mutinied and killed their officers and European civilians, and those Indian soldiers who had disbanded and dispersed to their villages, without being involved in violence who were not to face any punishment for their actions.
EditLocation: India
HMS Sans Pareil Mans Fort William
Aug 1857
The crew of HMS Sans Pareil man Fort William to prevent it from falling into rebel hands. They remain here over summer before returning to China.
EditLocation: Calcutta
Battle of Unao
Aug 04, 1857
Havelock wins the battle, but his force was too weak to continue and withdrew towards Cawnpore
EditLocation: Cawnpore
Rebels Mine Lucknow
Aug 05, 1857
The rebels attempt to destroy the walls of the residency by tunnelling under them to set a mine
EditLocation: Lucknow
HMS Shannon Arrives on the Ganges
Aug 06, 1857
HMS Shannon arrives on the Ganges
EditLocation: India
HMS Pearl Disembarks Troops At Calcutta
Aug 12, 1857
HMS Pearl disembarks troops from Singapore at Calcutta, and then Captain Sotheby offers to lead a Naval Brigade
EditLocation: Calcutta
Havelock Withdraws to Cawnpore
Aug 13, 1857
General Havelock returns to Cawnpore to wait for the reinforcements that he needed to fight his way through to Lucknow
EditLocation: Cawnpore
British Reinforcements
Aug 14, 1857
Brigadier General John Nicholson arrives at Delhi with 4200 men to reinforce the besiegers.
EditLocation: Delhi
Attack on Baillie Guard Gate
Aug 20, 1857
The rebels set fire to the Baillie Guard Gate. Lieutenant Aitken is the first man there. Despite being under fire the whole time Lieutenant Aitken and his men opened the gate and removed all the burning wood to save the gate.
EditLocation: Lucknow
Battle of Najafgarh
Aug 25, 1857
The Indian's guns were covering the bridge over the stream, but the British forded the river upstream instead. Th British then formed up and advanced on village. The Indians were routed from their position and mustered again under Bakht Khan. Bakht then withdrew to Delhi allowing the British to capture the position and all of the Indian's artillery.
EditLocation: Delhi
Lieutenant Aitken's Sortie
Aug 25, 1857
Lieutenant Aitken leads his men out of the Baillie Guard Gate to attack two guns that had been positioned opposite it. After that they went on to attack Three Kotee
EditLocation: Lucknow