Key Figures of Resistance

• Ram Prasad Bairagi:
  • A priest based in Subathu, Solan.
  • On June 12, 1857, his letters were intercepted by the Ambala Commissioner, G. Barnes.
  • The letters were addressed to the 1st Nasiri Battalion of Saharanpur (specifically the Subedar) and the Lawyer of the Maharaja of Patiala.
  • He was subsequently hanged in Ambala Jail.

Regional Rebellions and Leadership

Kullu Rebellion

• Leadership: King Kishan Singh, Yuvraj Pratap Singh, and Advisor Veer Singh.
• Background: The British had assumed Pratap Singh died during the 1st Anglo-Sikh War (Battle of Mudki/Aliwal) in Seraj.
• Events: On May 16, 1857, Yuvraj Pratap Singh raised a rebellion in Seraj.+1
• Outcome: Pratap Singh and Veer Singh were hanged on August 3, 1857, in Dharamshala.

Bushahr

• King: Shamsher Singh.
• Defiance: He stopped the annual tribute of ₹15,000 to the British and provided no military support.
• Status: He declared Bushahr independent.
• British Constraint: DC William Hay and others wanted to take action but lacked an army to do so.

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State-wise Military and Administrative Actions

Chamba

• King: Shri Singh.
• British Collaboration: On May 16, 1857, following orders from the Chief Commissioner of Punjab, John Lawrence, all roads were protected.
• Military Action: Sent Mian Avtar Singh to Dalhousie to protect the British.+1

Mandi

• King: Vijay Sen (10 years old).
• Administrator: Wazir Gosaon.
• Support to British:
  • Sent 125 gunmen for the Una Hoshiarpur Rebellion.
  • Sent 60 Infantry troops to Nalagarh (May 16, 1857) under orders from Edward John Lake.
  • Sent 50 soldiers for the Jalandhar Rebellion.
• Funding: Provided ₹1,25,000 (including ₹15,000 personally).

Sirmaur

• Military Orders: On May 11, 1857, General George Anson ordered the Gorkha troops (Sirmaur Battalion at Nahan) to go to Ambala; they refused.+1
• King: Shamsher Prakash (11 years old).
• Administrators: Kunwar Surjan Singh and Veer Singh suppressed the revolt.

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Kangra Region Developments

• Security Measures: On May 14, 1857, following news of the Dharamshala revolt reaching Kangra, Major Reynell Taylor and Major Patterson secured the Kangra Fort.+1
• Judicial Orders: On May 23, 1857, Robert Montgomery (Judicial Commissioner of Punjab) stopped the movement of Fakirs in the entire Kangra region.+3
• Suppression:
  • Nurpur: Major Wilkie and Taylor, with the Sherdil Police Battalion, suppressed the Nurpur rebellion.
  • Sujanpur Tira: Raja Pratap Chand prepared for a revolt but was unable to execute it.

Topic: The Revolt of 1857 & the Hill States

• Minimal Impact in Hills: The First War of Independence (1857) “did not have much affect on the hill territories.”
• Reasons for Limited Impact:
  1. Social/Political: The people of the hill states were considered “far less advanced” (socially, economically, intellectually) than those in the plains, and “political rights did not matter much to them.”
  2. Economic: Economic exploitation was seen as a “phenomenon of the native rulers and Jagirdars” rather than the British.
  3. Religious: There was “no religious interference by Christian Missionaries” at the time.
  4. Rulers’ Loyalty: The rulers of the Punjab states had remained loyal and “rendered valuable services to the English.”
• The Revolt Reaches Shimla (May 1857):
  • First News: The first news of the revolt reached Shimla from Ambala on 12th May 1857.
  • Key Officials in Shimla:
    • Commander-in-Chief: General Anson
    • Deputy Commissioner: Lord William Hay
  • Troops in Hill Cantontments:
    • First and Second Fusiliers
    • Gurkhas (Gorkhas) regiment, known as the Nasiri Battalion.
• The Nasiri Battalion Incident:
  • The entire staff (including the C-in-C) was ordered to move to Ambala.
  • The Gurkha battalion refused to comply with this order.

• Revolt at Kasauli:
  • The soldiers of the ‘Kasauli Guard’ (numbering about 80) also revolted.
  • They marched off with a “huge sum of Government money.”
  • Their goal was to join fellow soldiers at ‘Jutogh’ (Headquarters).
• Panic in Shimla:
  • A rumor spread that the Gurkha regiment stationed at ‘Jutogh’ had mutinied and was “coming to loot Shimla.”
  • This created widespread panic among the British residents.
  • Many English women and children became nervous, and some English army officers “failed to show the courage expected of them.”
• Failed Negotiation Attempt:
  • To pacify the mutineers, Deputy Commissioner William Hay sent a message for “immediate redressal of their grievances.”
  • Emissary: The message was sent through Mian Rattan Singh (uncle of the Raja of Mandi).
  • Outcome: The mission did not succeed.

Topic: Loyalty of Hill Chiefs During the 1857 Revolt

• Rescue of British Inhabitants:
  • The Raja of ‘Keonthal’ came to the rescue of the panic-stricken Europeans.
  • He provided shelter first in his palace at Shimla and later at Junga.
  • Others found safety with the Thakurs of ‘Koti’ and ‘Balsan’ states.
  • Many also sought safety in the hill cantonments of ‘Dagshai’, ‘Subathu’, and ‘Kasauli’.
  • The text notes that the hill chiefs “remained loyal to the British” and showed them “much kindness.”
• Military Support Provided by Loyal States:
  • Bilaspur: 50 “well armed soldiers” were stationed at Boileauganj Bazar.
  • Sirmaur: 60 soldiers under the command of ‘Kanwar Bir Singh’ (uncle of the Raja of Sirmaur) were posted in ‘Bara Bazar’.
  • Keonthal, Dhami, and Bhajji: The Ranas of these states furnished 60 men.
  • Reserve Force: Mian Jai Singh of Baghal and the Ranas of Keonthal, Dhami, Koti, and Jubbal had about 250 followers ready in Shimla for any emergency.
• Rewards for Loyalty:
  • Raja Hari Singh of Bilaspur: For his services, he was granted a salute of eleven guns and a valuable Khillat (robe of honor) and other gifts.
  • Raja Sri Singh of Chamba: He sent troops to Dalhousie under Mian Avtar Singh

Rana Krishan Singh:

• Action: Kept guard over the road from Shimla to Jalandhar, where the 3rd, 31st, and 33rd Bengal regiments had revolted.
• Reward: Conferred with the title of ‘Raja’. Both he and his brother, Jai Singh, were rewarded with a ‘Khillat’.

Rana Govardhan Singh of Dhami:

• Reward: In recognition of his services, he had half his tribute excused by the British.

Thakur Jograj of Balsan:

• Reward: Was made a ‘Rana’ and presented with a valuable ‘Khillat’ in a public durbar.

Topic: Other Disturbances in 1857

• Nalagarh Disturbance:
  • Taking advantage of the worsening law and order situation in Shimla, some disturbances broke out in Nalagarh state.
  • Suppression: Order was soon restored by Lord William Hay with the support of Mian Jai Singh of Baghal.
• Arrest of Ram Prasad Bairagi:
  • A man named ‘Ram Prasad Bairagi’ of Subathu was suddenly arrested.
  • Charge: He was accused of being the writer of “certain seditious letters.”
  • Outcome: He was sent to Ambala and executed.

Topic: The Revolt of 1857 – Further Incidents & Kullu Rebellion

• Jalandhar Mutiny (10th June):
  • Troops at Jalandhar mutinied and started moving towards ‘Pinjaur’.
  • They were stopped at Nalagarh, where they were either captured or killed.
• British Precautionary Measures:
  • The 4th Native Infantry, stationed in the forts of ‘Kangra’ and ‘Nurpur’, was disbanded.
• Continued Loyalty in Kangra Hills:
  • There was a “friendly feeling” towards the British Government.
  • Fugitive mutineers from the Sialkot Brigade were captured.
  • Raja Ram Singh of Siba and Raja Jodhbir Chand of Nadaun personally visited the Commissioner to reassure him of their support.
• Loyalty from Mandi:
  • At the Commissioner’s request, ‘Wazir Gashaon’ of Mandi supplied:
    • 125 matchlockmen to the authorities in Hoshiarpur.
    • 50 men to escort the Commissioner to Jalandhar.
• Rebellion in Kullu (Early June 1857):
  • Leader: An attempt to rebel was organized by one Pratab Sing, who “pretended to be the rightful Raja of Kullu.”
  • Accomplice: He was assisted by a Negi from the Seraj area.
  • Outcome: The revolt failed quickly.
  • Arrest & Execution: Within three days, Pratab Singh and his brother-in-law Veer Singh were arrested and deported to Dharamshala.
  • Both were hanged on 3rd August 1857.
  • Their supporters were given “rigorous imprisonment.”

Topic: Hostility from Bushahar State (1857)

• The Exception to Loyalty: The only Raja who acted with “hostility and discourtesy” towards the British during the 1857 revolt was Raja Shamsher Singh of Bushahar.
• Acts of Hostility:
  • He kept back his tribute.
  • He offered no aid to the British.
  • He treated British officials traveling through his territory with discourtesy.
  • He refused ordinary supplies to them.
• British Response (or lack thereof):
  • Lord William Hay (Deputy Commissioner of Shimla) wanted to send a force to Rampur to coerce the Raja.
  • This idea was abandoned due to a “dearth of troops” (lack of available soldiers).
  • Outcome: Nothing was done against the Raja after the revolt, and his hostile behavior was “overlooked.”

Topic: Post-1Amnesty and Rewards (After 1857)

• Favorable Attitude: Due to the “active cooperation” of the hill rulers during the revolt, the British Crown adopted a “very favourable attitude” towards them.
• Amnesty for Exiled Rulers (from 1848 Revolt):
  • Raja Ram Singh (Jaswan): Son of Raja Jai Singh, was allowed to return from Almora. In A.D. 1877, he was restored to the Jagir previously held by Raja Umed Singh.
  • Mian Dev Chand (Datarpur): Son of Raja Jagat Chand, was also allowed to return, but his Jagir was not restored.
• Rewards for Loyal States:
  • Raja of Nurpur: His pension was doubled in 1861.
  • Chamba Chiefs: According to a Sanad dated 11th March 1862, they were granted the right of adoption in cases where there was a failure of direct heirs.
• General Generosity: The Crown’s generosity was shown in many ways, including bestowing honours, grants of territory, ‘Khillats’ (robes of honor), and other valuable gifts.

Delhi Durbar (1877):

• Held during the viceroyalty of Lord Lytton.
• Several hill rulers were invited and attended this “unprecedented” event.
• Attendees included:
  • Raja Sham Singh of Chamba
  • Raja Bajai Sen of Mandi
  • Raja Hira Chand of Bilaspur