Kunwar Singh Triumphs Against Heavy Odds

The news of the return of Babu Kunwar Singh to Jagdishpur took the British authorities at Arrah by surprise. Last night, i.e. April 22, Captain Le Grand, the British commander at Arrah moved out to attack the old chief with 300 men and two guns. He probably thought that it would be easy victory, after all, Kunwar Singh’s forces were disjointed, badly prepared and without guns, numbering at most a thousand with very few trained soldiers, but once more, the enemy was in for a nasty surprise; for in the battle that took place on this day, Kunwar Singh’s ill-equipped forces managed to defeat a far better trained and well rested British force, armed with guns and other more sophisticated weapons of war.

The British losses were heavy - their casualties amounted to 130 men including their commander Le Grand himself. This was one of the worst defeats suffered by the British in this war. The nationalists followed the retreating British forces till they were within three miles of Arrah!

țānŤŸ孀ǚed villagers and made his way to his ruined home at Jagdishpur.