The “Obstinate Mutineers” of Bithur

It was almost about mid-day, August 16, 1857, when the confrontation between Havelock’s and Nana Sahib’s forces took place. Havelock with his army, comprising about 1300 men had marched from Kanpur to Bithur, a town situated 11 miles north of Kanpur, to take on the nationalist forces that had assembled there. A pitched battle ensued and Nana Sahib’s forces fought with such valour and determination that even the enemy was impressed.

Havelock had to grudgingly report that “I must do the mutineers justice to announce that they fought obstinately”.

But the “mutineers” had to contend with Havelock’s powerful artillery fire spewing from Maud’s battery and Olphert’s battery. The result was that Nana’s forces were compelled to beat a retreat towards Sheorajpur. Havelock suffered major losses as well. Besides the 49 men who fell in battle, his numbers were further reduced by sunstroke and cholera