On June 8th, about a month after the revolt at Delhi, Sir Henry Barnard
took the field at Alipur, about ten miles from the rebel capital. He
defeated an advance division of the enemy, and then marched to the Ridge
and reoccupied the old cantonment which had been abandoned on May 11th.
So far it was clear that the rebels were unable to do anything in the
open field, although they might fight bravely under cover. They numbered
about thirty thousand strong; they had a very powerful artillery and
ample stores of ammunition, while there was an abundance of provisions
within the city throughout the siege.
In the middle of August, Brigadier John Nicholson, one of the most
distinguished officers of the time, came up from the Punjab with a
brigade and siege-train. On September 4th a heavy train of artillery was
brought in from Firozpur. The British force on the Ridge now exceeded
eight thousand men. Hitherto the artillery had been too weak to attempt
to breach the city walls; but now fifty-four heavy guns were brought
into position and the siege began in earnest.
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