The Allahabad to Kanpur 1857 Rebellion: A Route Marked by Fire and Resistance
- Deep Dive Storyteller
- Jun 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 9
A chronological account of revolt and retribution across the Lower Doab.
In 1857, the region between Allahabad (Prayagraj) and Kanpur became one of the most active and brutal theatres of the First War of Indian Independence. The uprisings that began in isolated acts of defiance soon spiralled into full-scale confrontations, from the fall of Allahabad to the massacres at Kanpur and the retaliatory burnings in Bithoor.
This article traces the key phases of rebellion and British counteraction across Allahabad, Fatehpur, Kanpur, and Bithoor, districts that bore witness to both resistance and reprisal in equal measure.
How the Allahabad to Kanpur 1857 Rebellion Became a Turning Point in the Uprising
The Allahabad to Kanpur 1857 Rebellion saw both organized resistance and brutal repression, leaving behind a trail of devastation that defined the uprising’s central arc.
Allahabad: The Fort and the Fury
Strategically located 70 miles upriver from Benares, the Allahabad Fort, built by Akbar, held immense logistical importance. It controlled both river navigation and the Grand Trunk Road and housed the second-largest ammunition magazine in India.
On 5 June 1857, General Wheeler’s orders reached Allahabad to secure the fort and evacuate all British women and children into its safety. Inside were 60 artillery pensioners, 100 civilian volunteers, 400 Sikhs of the Ferozepore Regiment, and one company of the 6th Native Infantry.
But outside the fort, tensions escalated quickly. On 6 June, two companies of the 6th BNI, sent to guard the bridge of boats, mutinied after witnessing the arrival of European troops and artillery at the ghat. Officers were shot on the parade ground. That night, the civil population, led by Maulvi Liaquat Ali, joined the rebellion. The jail was stormed, the treasury looted, telegraph wires cut, and railway works destroyed, and every European outside the fort was killed.
By morning, the city had fallen. Only Akbar’s fort remained in British hands.
The Arrival of Colonel Neill
To reclaim control, the British turned to Colonel James Neill of the 1st Madras Fusiliers. After suppressing unrest in Varanasi, Neill arrived at the Allahabad Fort on 11 June, where he quickly launched retaliatory raids across the city and its suburbs.
12 June: Daraganj shelled, bridge cleared
13–15 June: Suburbs like Jhusi, Kydganj, and Mutthiganj destroyed
16 June: Maulvi Liaquat Ali retreated to Kanpur
18 June: Martial law declared across the district
The orders from the commissioner were unambiguous:
“Arrest all suspected and suspicious persons, and in case of their offering resistance - slay them.”
Colonel Neill’s Atrocities
What followed was one of the darkest phases of the uprising. Neill’s forces engaged in indiscriminate killings, often burning entire villages. According to Kaye and Malleson, at least 6000 civilians were burned to death in Allahabad alone, more than the total number of British casualties across India during the entire war.
When General Havelock arrived on 30 June, he found bodies hanging from trees, corpses in the streets, and entire localities reduced to ash. Eight carts ran through the day to collect bodies and dump them in the river to stop the poisoning of the air.
A week later, on 6 July, Act XIV was passed, authorising British civil officers to execute anyone suspected of rebellion.
Fatehpur: The Revolt Spreads
Located between Allahabad and Kanpur, Fatehpur became a key rebel stronghold. The first act of defiance came when villagers at Dussowlee fired upon British revenue officials.
Rebel leaders emerged from Bundelkhand and neighbouring regions:
Jodha Singh Ataiya entered Fatehpur with 800 infantry and 200 cavalry, later joined by 4,000 men and four guns. He was executed along with 51 others under the Imali tree near Khajuha on 28 April 1858, a site now known as Bawani Imali.
Deputy Collector Hiqmat Ullah Khan defected and was made Chakaldar of the district, leading an independent administration from 8 June to 11 July before being captured and executed.
Dariyaw Singh and Sujan Singh captured Khaga and were later hanged on 6 March 1858.
The district remained under rebel control until early 1858.
The Battle of Fatehpur (12 July 1857)
On 3 July, news reached Allahabad of General Wheeler’s fall in Kanpur. Brigadier Havelock began marching east with 1,400 European and 561 Indian troops, equipped with eight guns. The rebel army, 3,500 strong and under the overall command of Jwala Prasad, included infantry led by Tantya Tope, cavalry commanded by Teeka Singh, and support from several Bengal Native Infantry regiments and irregular cavalry units.
The battle was decisive. Superior British artillery and the newly issued Enfield rifles - accurate up to 800 yards - gave them an overwhelming edge against rebels still using the older Brown Bess muskets.
Kanpur: Siege, Surrender, and Massacre
On 5 June, two Indian regiments at Kanpur rebelled. Led by Nana Sahib, they laid siege to the British entrenchment under General Wheeler. After three weeks, on 24 June, Nana offered safe passage by boat if the British surrendered.
On 27 June, as the British evacuated via the Satichaura Ghat, they were ambushed. Nearly all soldiers and officers were killed. Around 200 women and children were imprisoned in a residence known as the Bibighar.
On 15 July, those imprisoned were massacred. Their remains were thrown into a well.
The First Battle of Kanpur (16 July 1857)
The next day, British forces led by Havelock engaged Nana Sahib’s army. Despite heavy fire from rebel artillery, they eventually pushed through. Casualties were high. In his account, General Havelock wrote:
“The enemy sent round shot into our ranks with such precision and determination as I have seldom witnessed.”
Major Bingham described the scene:
“We were exposed to a dreadful fire… The wounded men’s groans were dreadful to hear.”
Bithoor: The Seat of Nana Sahib
After the British recaptured Kanpur, they marched to Bithoor, Nana Sahib’s ancestral base. On 19 July, the palace and gunpowder magazine were destroyed. One soldier later wrote:
“We looted a great deal. One man of mine got six hundred rupees. I have a chair and a silver plate, which I hope I shall be able to keep.”
By December 1857, British control over the area was restored. Bithoor was retaken, and Nana Sahib’s treasury was seized, but at a devastating cost - Around 25,000 civilians were killed in Bithoor, their bodies found hanging in trees, as part of the British terror campaign.
Conclusion
From Allahabad to Bithoor, the rebellion in this region was marked by rapid escalations, brutal retaliation, and sustained popular resistance. Leaders like Maulvi Liaquat Ali, Jodha Singh, and Nana Sahib held ground briefly, but were ultimately overpowered by superior British firepower and repressive legislation.
Today, this corridor - from the fort at Allahabad to the riverside ghats of Kanpur - tells a layered story. One of military decisions and civilian uprisings, of proclamations and retaliations, of loyalty, fear, and defiance.
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