'Gallant Attack of Windham's Small Force on the Gualior Contingent. 26th Nov 1857, at the Paudoo Nuddee'

One of 20 lithographs, 'Views in India, from drawings taken during the Seapoy Mutiny', from drawings by D Sarsfield Greene, Royal Artillery. Published by Thomas McLean, 1859.

After recapturing Cawnpore from Nana Sahib, Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell had marched most of his men off to Lucknow in November 1857, leaving behind a small detachment under Brigadier Charles Windham. Meanwhile, Tantya Tope had gathered a large army to recapture the city. Its core was the Gwalior Contingent, a body of troops who had mutinied against the pro-British Maharajah Sindia, ruler of Gwalior.

On 26 November Windham drove off Tantya's advance guard, but was then forced back to General Wheeler's old entrenchment at Cawnpore. Campbell's force then returned from Lucknow and found Windham surrounded and the rebels occupying the city. Sir Colin attacked on 6 December. Windham opened a bombardment to deceive the rebels that Campbell was about to attack their left. The real attack was made on the right to threaten their communications with Kalpi. Campbell's heavy naval guns were the decisive factor. As the Gwalior Contingent broke and fled, Nana Sahib's own men were defeated north of the city.