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BATTLE // November 19, 1857

Second Battle of Cawnpore

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Overview

The Second Battle of Cawnpore was a battle of Indian Rebellion of 1857 that was decisive by thwarting the rebels' last chance to regain the initiative and to recapture the cities of Cawnpore and Lucknow.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Second Battle of Cawnpore marked a decisive turning point in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by thwarting the rebels' last viable opportunity to regain the initiative. A rebel force of 14,000 under Tatya Tope faced a British force of 10,000 commanded by Sir Colin Campbell. The engagement foreclosed any realistic prospect of the rebels recapturing Cawnpore or Lucknow, the two strategically critical cities whose control shaped the course of the uprising. By denying the rebels this chance to reverse earlier British advances, the battle effectively secured the British position in the Gangetic plain and accelerated the suppression of the wider rebellion.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • British Empire10,000
    medium
  • Company14,000
    medium

Company fielded a 1.4 : 1 numerical advantage

Commanders (2)

British Empire

Company

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Related

6 sibling battles · 2 factions

Last verified June 2026
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