On 9 May, Brigadier Lugard took the stronghold of Kunwar Singh at Jagdispur — the resistance shown by the rebels, though stout, was not particularly strong; they attempted to drive Lugard back with a determined show of artillery, but it would seem their hearts were not in it. Lugard replied with an infantry charge, and the rebels turned and fled through the jungle, the infantry in pursuit. When HM’s 84th arrived at Singh’s house, they quickly turned a gun, which was charged with grape, onto the fleeing rebels, as resounding a send-off as they could give them. For now, Jagdispur and Kunwar Singh’s stronghold were in Lugard’s hands, and the rebels were observed marching southwards. In the fight, Lugard only had two men wounded and neither seriously.

Lugard was now anxious for the arrival of Colonel Corfield with his troops from Seesaram; while every indication was there that Corfield was on the way, no one could say exactly where he was. On 10 May, he finally heard that Corfield had brought his force up to Peroe (Piro). The news was certain enough that Lugard detached Lieutenant Longden (his Chief of Staff) with some horse artillery and cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Robertson (Military Train) to proceed across the open country, just west of the Jagdispur jungles, to reconnoitre not just the country in that direction, but attempt to open communications with Corfield.

On the morning of the 11th, Lugard received information from Mr Macdonald, of the Civil Service, that a body of rebels who had entrenched themselves not just at Duleeppore (Dalip Pur) but in a station bungalow at Chitoura had suddenly decided to decamp, and Macdonald urged Lugard to strike before the rebel force could leave. There was every indication they planned to separate their force, very much like Kunwar Singh had been wont to do. Lugard agreed that a decisive blow was in order before he had two rebel forces on his hands. Instructing his men to carry nothing with them but “spare ammunition and soldiers’ rations,” he wisely ordered several elephants to be loaded with barrels of water and an arrangement he believed was of the utmost importance, if his mission was to succeed. “…the heat was beyond description, scarcely a breath of wind penetrated the jungle…”
In the force he planned to drag through the jungle was:

Artillery: four 9-pounder guns; Cotter’s Battery (Madras Artillery); two 5 1/2 inch mortars of the Royal Artillery
Cavalry: Military Train – 80 men; 3rd Sikh Cavalry – 75 men
Infantry: 10th Foot – 570 men; 1st Company Madras Rifles – 85 men.

Even with the precaution of carrying so much water, before the day was over, several “old and tired soldiers” died of exhaustion.

Lugard sent an express to Lieutenant-Colonel Longden at Peroe, informing him of his intentions; he quickly pushed onwards, leaving Major Robertson and his party to guard the west and sent a message to Colonel Corfield, requesting him to send two 9-pounders and 100 of Rattray’s Sikhs to watch the southwestern portion of the jungle. Corfield received the message and immediately got the remainder of his force under arms — 750 infantry, 110 men of the Naval Brigade with two 9-pounders, one 5 1/2 inch mortar and 60 Sikh cavalry. The day was about to become a busy one.