The Baiswara Campaign

“…at the close of April, an order came for us to join a moveable column, under Major-General Sir Hope Grant, then employed in scouring Oudh. We had since the fall of Lucknow, more than once marched out, and encamped in the neighbourhood, to act as scarecrows to any rebels who might be prowling about; and each time, on our return, were sanguine enough to imagine that we should be left in peace in the future. ” (Majendie)

Following the retaking of Lucknow, Sir Colin Campbell broke up the Army of Oudh and formed three divisions; Brigadier Edward Lugard with one division marched towards Azamgarh and another, under Walpole was to take an easy march towards Rohilkhand for the eventual retaking of Bareilly; Lugard would eventually find himself in the jungles of Jagdispur and Walpole, after proving himself to be man to be despised for his mismanagement at Ruiya would meet up with Sir Colin Campbell. This left Sir James Hope Grant with the remainder of the army at Lucknow.

While Grant hoped to “remain quietly” in Lucknow for a time, at least until the hot season was over, it was certainly not the intention of Sir Colin Campbell. On 9 April, he sent for Grant. As he was intending to start for Allahabad that night, he ordered Grant to march to a village called Bari, some 29 miles from Lucknow on the Sitapur road, to “clear away” a body of rebels who had been assembling there under the banner of the Maulvi of Fyzabad.
Once Grant had dealt with the Maulvi, Campbell wanted him to march east towards Mahomedabad and from there reconnoitre the banks of the Ghogra up to the point where it joined the Chokra river. According to the latest intelligence reports, Hazrat Mahal, who had made good her escape from Lucknow, had taken up a new residence at the township of Bithouli, which was conveniently on an island that happened to be between the two rivers. Presumably, her army amounted to 6000 men. As soon as Grant was satisfied there would be no more issues from the Begum, he was to proceed to Ramnagar and join up with Jung Bahadur’s Gurkhas to ensure they did not come to any grief as they marched back to Nepal.

On 11 April, Grant marched from Lucknow. He took with him a force of 3000 men:

2/3 Bengal Horse Artillery Captain Mackinnon
5/3 Royal Artillery – 2nd Captain H.L. Talbot
6/13 Royal Artillery, Captain & Brev. Major W.A. Middleton

1 squadron of the 2nd Dragoon Guards
7th Hussars
Wales’ Punjab Horse
1 squadron of Hodson’s Horse

2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade
HM’s 38th Regiment
1st Bengal European Fusiliers
500 men of Vaughan’s 5th Punjab Infantry
100 Sappers and Miners with a few engineers

O.C.A. Lieutenant-Colonel E. Maberly, R.A.
S.O. -Lieutenant T.B. Strange, R.A.

Grant Meets the Maulvi of Fyzabad – Bari, 13 April

Everyone in their turn was destined to meet the Maulvi of Fyzabad before his dismal end in June 1858; if it was not clear to the British by now that he was a formidable foe, Grant certainly learned the lesson first-hand at Bari.

At the time of Grant’s advance, the Maulvi was well aware what the British were up to; there was no doubt that their movements were being watched and noted; if Campbell had his spies, the Maulvi certainly had his. The people of Oudh were not convinced that the method of pacification employed by the British was in their best interest; indeed, it would be difficult for them to find friends outside their own strongholds of Fatehgarh, Lucknow and Cawnpore. The villagers acted as the eyes and ears for both sides, but the information they imparted to the British rarely consisted of more than half-truths.

The plan the Maulvi had for Grant was simple, and had it worked, would have cost the British dearly. Bari was a small village with a stream running all along its front, with steep banks pitted with ravines, admirable for defence. The Maulvi intended to hold Bari just long enough to allow his cavalry to circle around Grant’s flank and cut up his ammunition and supply trains. The plan was already in the works on the 12th when Grant, completely unaware of the surprise the Maulvi had in store for him, marched on Bari. He came upon the Maulvi’s men on the banks of the stream, and if all be told, counted some 7000 men of cavalry and artillery. With the light failing, Grant decided to advance on Bari in the morning. During the night, a troop of the Maulvi’s sowars sent out for the purpose of reconnoitring the British position, made it inside the line of pickets – a man of Wales’ Horse challenged them, and they replied they belonged to the 12th Irregulars, a regiment that had mutinied in Segowli, but some of their number had indeed remained loyal. The trooper did not fire and allowed the sowars to proceed on their way. They quickly saw all they needed to see and slipped away.

The next morning, at dawn, Grant advanced on Bari quite convinced that the entire army of the Maulvi of Fyzabad was in the village. He could not have been more wrong for moving up behind him, on his flank, was the rebel cavalry, avoiding the line of march. It is presumed their orders were to proceed with caution, to gain a position on Grant’s rear and then fall on the baggage train, but even the best laid plans can fall into disarray. The rebel cavalry could not resist taking a crack at the guns. They attacked Lieutenant Hunter and his two guns but were repulsed, giving away the plan to Grant.

“The road, or rather track, had been very bad, and I had remained behind to see the heavy guns brought across a nullah. I immediately galloped to the front, and found that a strong cavalry picket of the enemy had attacked our advanced – guard — had surrounded a troop of Wales’ Horse, wounding one of the officers, Prendergast *— and would have taken the two guns which were with it,— when they suddenly perceived a squadron of the 7th Hussars, which the dust had hitherto prevented them from seeing, ready to charge them, whereupon they wheeled about and galloped off. When I reached the scene of the conflict, I saw this hostile force, which now amounted to some thousand men, working round our right flank, evidently bent on attacking our baggage, which extended over a line of nearly three miles.” (Grant)

Grant quickly ordered up 300 cavalry and 2 of Mackinnon’s guns to protect the flank and brought the Bengal Fusiliers to cover the right flank in support of the rear-guard. He then sent the 7th Hussars to patrol along both flanks, and another squadron to keep an eye on the rebel cavalry. The Maulvi now ordered his cavalry to come around the rear of Bari and charge Grant’s baggage train. The 7th Hussars were ready for them and “dashed down and galloped through them, putting them to flight” with sabres flying. For the Maulvi, seeing that his own cavalry had destroyed what was otherwise an excellent plan, quickly retreated from Bari, his force simply melting away into the countryside.

As there was nothing to be done in Bari, Grant ordered the force to march a further three miles to Baleri, where it was supposed the Maulvi had taken up another position, and was purported to be leading the cavalry himself. This proved to be false, and the rebel army was nowhere in sight. The next morning, the march took them 12 miles onwards to Burasi, only to find, once again, there was no one there. The Maulvi was leading Grant a pretty chase through the Oudh countryside; on 15 April, now informed that Khan Bahadur Khan himself was waiting for him, Grant marched to Manidabad, where he found the town was deserted and the fortifications the rebels had built were undefended. The next day, at Belhir, the story repeated itself. To add a bit of irritation to the whole escapade, the river at this juncture was found to be impractical for crossing the guns, and Grant decided that he would make for Bithouli instead. Perhaps, he would find Begum Hazrat Mahal at home.

“On our arrival, we found, as usual, everything deserted. I sent the cavalry forward to reconnoitre, and they brought back a magnificent elephant with two splendid tusks, and a large Sowarree camel. The rider looked the greatest villain unhung, and must have belonged to one of our Irregular regiments. The same afternoon, I took the cavalry and Middleton’s battery to look up the Begum, but found she had bolted; we nearly lost three of our guns and a team of horses by taking the wrong channel. The following morning, I received a despatch from the chief of the staff, directing me to return to Lucknow.” (Grant)

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