The Sikh Army 1799 1849

The beginning of the 19th century saw the rise of a remarkable Sikh leader in the Punjab province of north-west India. Unifying the feudal rulers under his authority, the conquering Maharaja Ranjit Singh pursued campaigns of expansion for nearly 40 years, creating for the purpose a new regular army on the Western model. His death in 1839 found the frontiers of Sikh and British power in confrontation; in the 1840s the inevitable trial of strength brought British crown and East India Company troops into battle against the most formidable Indian army they ever faced. Its story is told here in fascinating detail, illustrated with rare early paintings and with colourful reconstructions of Punjabi regular soldiers and feudal warriors.

The Sourcebook of the Sikh Wars is the first comprehensive work dealing with the Anglo-Sikh Wars fought in India between 1845 and 1849. The book provides a brief political background of the conflict, a concise account of both Sikh Wars, the actions that led to them, and a detailed description of the armies involved. Now, for the first time ever, an exhaustive account of the formation and rise of the Sikh Khalsa has been written, where every single battalion, cavalry regiment and artillery derah, along with the infamous Ghorchurra regiments, is traced from its initial formation to final engagement in battle. From an original band of knights errant and freebooters to the first experimental battalions and finally as the famed 'brigades' created by former Napoleonic army officers, all Sikh formations and their commanding officers are tracked on an annual basis. The Anglo-Indian army is also well covered. Drawing from original and often long ignored documents, detailed Orders of Battle are presented for the very first time, correcting serious errors that have crept into almost every account since the first battlefield reports were written. Included in these documents are the full name, rank and unit affiliation not only of unit commanders, but army and personal staff and foreign observers. While the Orders of Battle are the heart and soul of the work, the book also includes an abundance of new material, such as 'Daily March and Event' logs for each major formation during the wars, tracing exactly where an army or column was on a given day. An account of the superlative Sikh artillery, along with a rare contemporary pamphlet written by a senior officer defending his actions at a crucial battle, is included. Also featured are several sidebars dealing with unit march rates, how to feed a column, how to deal with an incompetent commander and much more. Finally, the book contains a detailed bibliography, and the first comprehensive glossary on the subject. The Sourcebook of the Sikh Wars is the first ever all-encompassing study of the conflict between the Sikh Khalsa and the British East India Company and will be a must have on the bookshelf of any student of India's colonial era and wars.

The book considers the rise of the Sikh Soldier from the eighteenth century through to Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Sikh Empire, the consideration of Sikh warfare during the Anglo Sikh Wars leading to the employment of the Sikhs into the British Indian Army.

The Sikhs, A Great Power To Reckon With Since The Later Part Of The 17Th Century, Rose From A Small Band Of Adherents Of A Mystic Teacher, In The Line Of Medieval Indian Saints, To A War-Like Community With Political Ambition And Firm Determination To End The Oppressive Authority And Expansion Of The Mughal Emperors. They Were Prepared To Sacrifice Everything For History. In The Early 19Th Century When The Mughal Rule Of Delhi Was Virtually Supplanted By The British, The Sikhs Came Into Contact With The Latter Power. After The Death Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Who Had Tactfully Divided Any Serious Clashes With The British, Confrontation Between The British And The Sikhs Are Called Sikh Wars In History. The Brave Sikhs Could Finally Be Subdued And The State Of Punjab Annexed By The British Only After Prolonged Wars And Sustained Political Manoeuvers. This Book, Originally Published In 1897, Is A Comprehensive Account Of The Sikhs, Their Religious Tenets, Organizations, Rise To Power, State Administration And Wars With The British. The Real Value Of The Book Lies In Its Authenticity As The Authors Have Spared No Pains To Utilize All Sources Of Information Early Published Works As Well As Various Unpublished Materials. It Is A Very Valuable Source Book For The History Of British India. Contents Book I: Introductory Before 1808 Chapter 1: Preliminary; Chapter 2: The Mogul Empire And The British Advance; Chapter 3: The Growth Of The Sikhs. Book Ii: Sikh Dominion Chapter 1: Ranjit Singh Creates The Lahore State; Chapter 2: Later Years Of Ranjit Singh, 1819-1839; Chapter 3: After Ranjit Singh, 1838-1843; Chapter 4: The Sikh Anarchy. Book Iii: The Sutlej Campaign: December 1845-March 1846 Chapter 1: Opening Of The Campaign: December; Chapter 2: The Engagement At Moodkee And After: December 18-21; Chapter 3: Ferozeshah, The Attack: December 21; Chapter 4: Ferozeshah Second Day: December 22; Chapter 5: Budhowal And Aliwal: December 23-January 28; Chapter 6: Sobraon: February 10; Chapter 7: Survey Of The Campaign. Book Iv: From The Treaty Of Lahore To Shere Singh S Revolt: March 1845-September 1848 Chapter 1: The Lahore Treaty: March-December, 1846; Chapter 2: The Rule Of Henry Lawrence: 1847; Chapter 3: The Outbreak At Multan: March-May, 1848; Chapter 4: Advance Of Herbert Edwardes: June And July; Chapter 5: The First Siege Of Multan: July-September. Book V: The Conquest Of The Sikhs 1848-49 Chapter 1: The Sikh Rising: August, 1848-January 1849; Chapter 2: Second Siege Of Multan: September-January, 1849; Chapter 3: The Crossing Of The Chenab: November-December, 4, 1848; Chapter 4: Chillianwalla: December 4-January 13, 1849; Chapter 5: After Chillianwalla: January 14-February 21; Chapter 6: Gujerat And The End Of The Campaign: February 21; Chapter 7: Summary And Conclusions As To The Sikh Wars. Book Vi: The Annexation Chapter 1: The New Administration; Chapter 2: The Work Of The Governing Board; Chapter 3: Epilogue.