Tatya Tope's Operation Red Lotus by Tope Parag

Author:Tope, Parag [Tope, Parag]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: XXXXX
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Published: 2010-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 16: Havelock’s ‘Retrograde’ Movements

On 2 August, Tatya Tope was in charge of the Kanpur NI regiments who had crossed into Awadh, ready to take on Havelock if he attempted to make another advance towards Lucknow.

The objectivity of the events that took place on 4 August 1857, as presented by Marshman in his book on Havelock, as many narratives by the English, is in question. One can speculate what really happened on the battlefield, but at the end of the battle, Havelock made a decision to make a complete retreat and gave up on the idea of marching to Lucknow. If it was indeed a victory for Havelock as his spin doctors, John Marshman and others claim, then, the ‘relinquishment of the enterprise for a time’, certainly take up many pages of their narrative. Marshman dedicates pages 334-39 to justify the eventual retreat, even before getting to the part of winning this ‘victorious battle’. The battle itself though is concisely described in two paragraphs. Marshman dedicates pages 341-44 to Havelock’s ‘increasing difficulties’.15 After his ‘exemplary victory’, Havelock ‘retreated’ to Magarwara and started doing something very important—writing letters, explaining his ‘abandonment, with great grief and reluctance’. He spent the next few days ‘writing’ more letters to the commander and others, ‘explaining’ his ‘glorious victories’ and ‘retrograde movements’.

His fellow British officers at Kanpur also wrote letters, not exactly complementary or convinced of his self-claimed victories; General Neill’s ADC wrote on 9 August: ‘Havelock a second time fallen back on his original position, 3 miles on the other side (of the Ganga)… Reasons for Havelock’s retrograde movement unknown … Alarm from Havelock’s retrograde movement’.16 [Emphasis added]

Based on information from earlier battles, Tatya Tope had limited battery and the ammunition was in short supply. However, unlike earlier battles, where Havelock’s F8 campaign had crippled and starved the Indian troops, this time they were prepared. Despite the odds heavily stacked against him, Tatya Tope, we deduce contrary to English claims, had scored a significant victory over Havelock.

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