Sher Singh Attariwalla
Encyclopedia
General Sher Singh was a royal military commander
and a member of the Sikh
nobility
during the period of the Sikh Empire in the mid-19th century in Punjab
.
He commanded the Sikh Khalsa army
in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
against the British East India Company
. His father was General Chattar Singh Attariwalla
. General Sher Singh and the army, under his command, gave a devastating blow to the British Army at Chillianwala. Under his command the Sikh Khalsa Army managed to successfully defend its position against a British army at the Battle of Chillianwala
. Both armies retreated after the battle, with both sides claiming victory.http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/uk/chillianwala1849.html. It was one of the hardest fought battles in the British Army's history. The loss of British prestige at Chillianwala was one of the factors, which contributed to the Indian First War of independence Sepoy Mutiny some nine years later. Within the British Army, such was the consternation over the events at Chillianwalah that, after the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, when Lord Lucan remarked "This is a most serious matter", General Airey replied, "It is nothing to Chillianwalah."
With the establishment of British control Sher Singh Attariwalla was forced into exile
from Punjab. The British feared that such a powerful leader could reignite a full scale war with them. Sher Singh died in exile, in Benares in 1858, away from his homeland of Punjab.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and a member of the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
during the period of the Sikh Empire in the mid-19th century in Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
.
He commanded the Sikh Khalsa army
Sikh Khalsa Army
Punjab Army was the military force of the Sikh Empire responsible for land defense from 1801-1849.-Background:...
in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
against the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. His father was General Chattar Singh Attariwalla
Chattar Singh Attariwalla
General Chattar Singh Attariwalla, was a military commander and a member of the Sikh nobility during the period of the Sikh Empire in the mid-19th century in Punjab. He was also Governor of Hazara province and fought in the Second Anglo-Sikh War against the British...
. General Sher Singh and the army, under his command, gave a devastating blow to the British Army at Chillianwala. Under his command the Sikh Khalsa Army managed to successfully defend its position against a British army at the Battle of Chillianwala
Battle of Chillianwala
The Battle of Chillianwala was fought during the Second Anglo-Sikh War in the Chillianwala region of Punjab, now part of modern-day Pakistan. The battle was one of the bloodiest fought by the British East India Company. Both armies held their positions at the end of the battle and both sides...
. Both armies retreated after the battle, with both sides claiming victory.http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/uk/chillianwala1849.html. It was one of the hardest fought battles in the British Army's history. The loss of British prestige at Chillianwala was one of the factors, which contributed to the Indian First War of independence Sepoy Mutiny some nine years later. Within the British Army, such was the consternation over the events at Chillianwalah that, after the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, when Lord Lucan remarked "This is a most serious matter", General Airey replied, "It is nothing to Chillianwalah."
With the establishment of British control Sher Singh Attariwalla was forced into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
from Punjab. The British feared that such a powerful leader could reignite a full scale war with them. Sher Singh died in exile, in Benares in 1858, away from his homeland of Punjab.