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| Members of the 11th Sikh Regiment in 1860 |
During the latter part of the 18th century, a Boundary Commission was created in agreement with the emir of Afghanistan, Abdur Rahman Khan to define the spheres of Afghan and British influences (this later became the Durrand Line) within the region. After the agreement, the latter was prompted to execute a ‘forward policy’ of occupying forts with the effort of keeping a force in order to protect their area of influence. These forts were in places inhabited by Pathans, the tribes of people living in the region.
Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan (also known as Fort Cavagnari) were two in a series of forts that were manned by the British along the Sulaiman Range in the North-West Frontier Province (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). And since the two forts were not in line of sight due to geographical attributes, a relay heliograph communication post was built at Saragarhi. Heliography is a communication technique using sunlight reflection with a mirror and transmitting it via coded messages. The Saragarhi post was 1.5 miles west of Fort Lockhart and 1.3 miles east of Fort Gulistan, it is situated on a rocky ridge, consisted of a small block house with loop-holed ramparts and a signalling tower. 21 strong Sikhs from the 36th Sikhs were stationed at the relay post including their commander, Sergeant Havildar Ishar Singh(22nd person in the outpost was a follower named Dadh, he cleans and cook for the regiment).
An uprising began in August of 1897 after an influential preacher, the Mullah of Hadda declared a jihad “to go out for a holy war and defend the religion of the Holy Prophet”. This unified the local tribesmen’s cause and march on the Samana. On 9 September a reconnaissance patrol sent out to the Samana Suk found that 29 standards of tribesmen was assembled near Khangarbur. The next day more enemies arrived, pushing estimates to 25,000 and with the conscious effort to cut off communications and troop movements between forts Lockhart and Gulistan, the Pathans decided to attack Saragarhi.
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| A heliograph |
On the morning of 12 September, Havildar Ishar Singh saw from the watch tower columns of Pathans marching to their position. Immediately upon learning the situation Sepoy Gurmukh Singh, the detachment signaler, went up the signaling tower to assemble his heliograph and started sending messages to Fort Lockhart: "ENEMY APPROACHING THE MAIN GATE...NEED REINFORCEMENT”. Lt. Col. John Haughton, Commanding Officer of the 36th Sikhs, attempted to send his troops to assist the beleaguered Sikhs. However, the Pathans already cut-off the route between Fort Lockhart and Saragarhi. Haughton estimated at least 14 enemy standards (each representing 1,000 tribesmen) were marching to Saragarhi. Fort Lockhart transmitted back: "UNABLE TO BREAKTHROUGH...HOLD POSITION". Sepoy Gurmukh Singh relayed this message to Havildar Ishar Singh. After consultation among the Sikhs, they unanimously agreed to hold the position until the arrival of reinforcement. Saragarhi flashed back: "UNDERSTOOD".
At around 9am, the Pathans attacked the Saragarhi post. The Sikhs formed two lines abreast, one row in a squatting firing position and the other standing. Havildar Ishar Singh held his order to fire until the enemy closed in within the firing range of their weapons. The first line of the Pathan advance was completely decimated.
Unseen by the fighting Sikhs, 2 tribesmen managed to sneak and started digging beneath the walls of the north-west bastion where there was a dead angle. The battle had gone on for 3 hours with the Sikhs having fought off seven charges by the tribesmen. At 12 noon, Sepoy Gurmukh Singh signaled Fort Lockhart: "LOW ON AMMO...NEED AMMO...URGENTLY" but to no avail, Haughton’s attempt was repelled again. As the Pathans attacked again, the Sikhs number is down to 10.
The battle culminated at around 3pm after the wall being dug collapsed. The Pathans now resorted to old tactics, burning bushes and scrubs around Saragarhi. Immediately, the relay post was engulfed with smoke, making it impossible for the Sikhs to see the enemy. Witnessing the fate of the Sikhs, Haughton signaled Saragarhi: "ENEMY APPROACHING THE BREACH”. At this point, Havildar Ishar Singh was severely injured, he ordered the remaining Sikhs to fall back into the inner wall, whilst he remains to fight and cover the retreat of his men. He made the ultimate sacrifice of giving his life in doing so.
By the time the post was breached, only five men were still alive. Four in the inner building and Sepoy Gurmukh Singh at the signaling tower. The four Sikhs fought until the end, they made a stubborn defensive position with their backs against each other and their bayonets pointing outwards.
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| The ruins of Saragarhi post |
At 3:30pm, Sepoy Gurmukh Singh transmitted: "MAIN GATE BREACHED...DOWN TO ONE...REQUEST PERMISSION TO DISMOUNT AND JOIN THE FIGHT". Fort Lockhart replied: "PERMISSION GRANTED". Sepoy Gurmukh Singh was the youngest of the Sikhs at 19 years old and was credited for killing 20 tribesmen before succumbing. As he was dying he was said to have yelled repeatedly the Sikh battle cry "Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!" ("One will be blessed eternally, who says that God is the ultimate truth!"). The valiant stand of the Sikhs took 180 tribesmen lives.
The names of the 21 Sikhs who fought and died at Saragarhi:
Havildar Ishar Singh
Naik Lal Singh
Lance Naik Chanda Singh
Sepoy Sundar Singh
Sepoy Ram Singh
Sepoy Uttar Singh
Sepoy Sahib Singh
Sepoy Hira Singh
Sepoy Daya Singh
Sepoy Jivan Singh
Sepoy Bhola Singh
Sepoy Narayan Singh
Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
Sepoy Jivan Singh
Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
Sepoy Ram Singh
Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
Sepoy Buta Singh
Sepoy Jivan Singh
Sepoy Nand Singh
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