Question map
Who among the following British Commanders suffered defeat in the famous Battle of Chinhat during the 1857 Revolt?
Explanation
The Battle of Chinhat took place on June 30, 1857, near Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion [4]. The British forces were led by Sir Henry Lawrence, who was the Chief Commissioner of Awadh at the time [4]. Despite his administrative experience, Lawrence's forces suffered a crushing defeat against the Indian rebels, who were led by figures such as Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah [4]. The British troops, significantly outnumbered by an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 rebel soldiers, were forced to retreat to the Residency [4]. This defeat initiated the famous Siege of Lucknow [2]. Sir Henry Lawrence was subsequently wounded during the siege and died on July 4, 1857 [4]. Other individuals mentioned in the options, such as Captain Hearsey and Francois Sisten, were involved in different contexts of the 1857 revolt but did not command the British forces at Chinhat.
Sources
- [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: REBELS AND THE RAJ > Discuss... > p. 284
- [4] https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/lehs302.pdf
- [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: REBELS AND THE RAJ > Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah > p. 263