The New Student's Reference Work/Lucknow

Lucknow (lŭk′nou′), capital of the province of Oudh and fifth city in British India, stands on Gumti River, 42 miles from Cawnpore and 199 from Benares. The city is interesting, not only as the capital of the ancient kingdom but for the desperate fighting in and around it during the Sepoy mutiny of 1857. Early in the summer the English garrison, less than 2,000 strong, was besieged by a force five times as large. After a 12 weeks' defense, during which their commander Sir Henry Lawrence was killed, Generals Havelock and Outram fought their way into the city with a relieving force, and General Outram assumed command of the defense. The rebels, however, continued to prosecute the siege, and in November the city was evacuated by the British. In March, 1858, the English under Sir Colin Campbell (afterward Lord Clyde) returned, and after a week's hard fighting compelled the rebels to surrender. Their overthrow ended the mutiny. Population 264,049.