September 12 marks the 127th anniversary of the Battle of Saragarhi, regarded today as one of the finest last stands in global military history. On this day in 1897, 21 soldiers were pitted against over 8,000 Afridi and Orakzai tribal militants and managed to hold down the fort for seven hours. Though heavily outnumbered, the soldiers of 36th Sikhs (now 4 Sikh) regiment, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, fought till their last breath, killing 200 militants and injuring 600.
Battle Of Saragarhi
Why In News
- September 12 marks the 127th anniversary of the Battle of Saragarhi, regarded today as one of the finest last stands in global military history. On this day in 1897, 21 soldiers were pitted against over 8,000 Afridi and Orakzai tribal militants and managed to hold down the fort for seven hours. Though heavily outnumbered, the soldiers of 36th Sikhs (now 4 Sikh) regiment, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, fought till their last breath, killing 200 militants and injuring 600.
What Was Saragarhi, And Why Was It Important
- Saragarhi was the communication tower between Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan. The two forts in the rugged North West Frontier Province (NWFP), now in Pakistan. were built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh but renamed by the British.
- Though Saragarhi was usually manned by a platoon of 40 soldiers, on that fateful day, it was being held by only 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) and a non-combatant called Daad, a Pashtun who did odd jobs for the troops. Saragarhi helped to link up the two important forts which housed a large number of British troops in the rugged terrain of NWFP.
- Fort Lockhart was also home to families of British officers. The wife of the commanding officer of 36th Sikh, Lt Col John Haughton, was at the fort till May 1897 when she went home to deliver a baby.
Battle Of Saragarhi: What Transpired On That Day
- Around 9 am that day, the sentry at Saragarhi saw a thick haze of dust and soon realised that it was caused by a large army of tribal people marching towards the fort. He estimated their number between 8,000 and 15,000. The tribal folk wanted to isolate the two forts by cutting off the lines of communication between them.
- Within minutes of sighting the tribal army, Sepoy Gurmukh Singh, 23, sent a message through the Morse code to commanding officer Lt Col Houghton, saying, “Enemy approaching the main gate…need reinforcement.”
- Unfortunately, the Pathans had cut the supply route between Fort Lockhart and Saragarhi. Houghton radioed back, “Unable to breakthrough, hold position.” Sepoy Gurmukh Singh conveyed this message to platoon commander Havildar Ishar Singh. Fully aware of the consequences, the braveheart responded with a stoic, “Understood.”
- Capt Amarinder says, “The soldiers at Saragarhi knew it was their last day, yet they didn’t flinch.” Historians suggest that the Battle of Saragarhi was partly a result of British intervention in the issue of Chitral, another northwestern region.
Who Was Havildar Ishar Singh
- Havildar Ishar Singh was born in a village near Jagraon. He joined the Punjab Frontier Force in his late teens after which he spent most of his time on various battlefields. Soon after it was raised in 1887, Ishar was drafted into the 36th Sikhs.
- He was in his early 40s when he was given independent command of the Saragarhi post. He was married, but the couple had no children. Ishar Singh was quite a maverick who dared to disobey his superiors but he was loved by his men for whom he was always ready to go out on a limb.
Who Was Daad
- Daad was the 22nd man, the non-combatant, in Saragarhi. In his book, Capt Amarinder called him the 22nd soldier. Sweeper Daad was from Nowshera, Pakistan. He was denied any honour though he also fought bravely, killing five men before being stabbed to death.
