Battle of Agra - Relief

Relief

On 21 September, the Siege of Delhi ended with the storming of the city by the British. Within days, the victorious besiegers had organised columns which secured the countryside around the city. The strongest column consisted of 750 British soldiers, and 1,900 Sikh and Punjabi soldiers, under Brigadier Edward Greathed (formerly the commanding officer of the 8th (King's) Regiment). It moved out of the city on 24 September. Several officers were surprised that the column was able to move so promptly, given the exhausted and debauched state of many units after the siege and storming of the city.

Greathed's column moved along the Grand Trunk Road, taking indiscriminate punitive measures against several Indian villages. Although Greathed intended to move directly to Cawnpore, which had been recaptured by the British in July (see Siege of Cawnpore), he received several urgent requests for aid from Agra. Some of the rebels who had retreated from Delhi were said to have rallied at Muttra near Agra, and the garrison were alarmed at what seemed to be an imminent threat.

Greathed accordingly marched his troops and his large baggage train of elephants, camels and bullock carts 44 miles (71 km) to Agra in twenty-eight hours. On arrival, his force received a cool reception from the garrison. His battle-weary British troops in worn khaki dress were mistaken at first for Afghan tribesmen by some of the civilians. By contrast the soldiers of the garrison were still splendid in scarlet uniforms with pipeclayed white belts.