June 5 – July 16, 1857 · North India Theater
June 5 – July 16, 1857
The British garrison at Kanpur — several hundred soldiers plus some 400 women and children — was besieged from early June by Nana Sahib's forces. After three weeks under fire, with dysentery killing the men, Wheeler negotiated surrender under guarantee of safe passage. As the garrison attempted to board boats on June 27, firing broke out; most men were killed. The surviving women and children were held in the Bibighar house. On July 15-16, as Havelock's column approached, they were killed. British troops arriving at the Bibighar found the well.
Commanders