The Second Anglo-sikh War

This is the tale of the bloody war that ended in the conquest and annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company. A disgruntled garrison’s chance killing of two young British officers sparks an unexpected war between the East India Company and the Sikh Empire. Following calls for retribution, Sir Hugh Gough, the veteran British Commander-in-Chief, strikes into the heart of the Punjab with a large force to face the Sikh army. After two inconclusive contests, he nearly comes to grief at the small village of Chillianwalla by the Jhelum River, with half his line repulsed and his force in confusion. Only the fast-gathering darkness and jungle obscure the advantage lying with the Sikh army and prevent a complete British disaster. Recovering from the setback, Gough achieved a decisive victory at the final battle of Gujrat, paving the way for British rule up to the Khyber Pass. This is the warts-and-all story of the conflict that led to the demise of the Sikh Empire. Continuing his innovative approach to history writing from The First Anglo-Sikh War, Amarpal Singh augments the narrative of the campaign with battlefield guides that draw on eyewitness accounts and invite the reader to take a tour of the battlefields, either physically or virtually.

Amarpal Singh spent more than 20 years working in the software industry. He is the author of The First Anglo-Sikh War. Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple GCB, CBE was a career British Army officer in the second half of the 20th century. He served as Chief of the General Staff from 1988 to 1992. He saw action during the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, and later he provided advice to the British Government during the Gulf War.