1857 mutiny memorial at Bargawan Village

It is located off Lucknow – Kanpur road in the village of Bargawan close to the new Picaddily hotel. It appears as monument/site number 302 on the Archaeological Survey of India’s ‘List of centrally protected monuments/sites under the jurisdiction of Lucknow circle, Lucknow’ as ‘Cemetery at mile 6 (Lucknow-Cawnpore Road)’ on the ASI list.

Even though it is listed as a cemetery, it currently only has a memorial to the officers and men of 5th Fusiliers who fell during the 1857-58 occupation of the Alambagh Camp under Sir J. Outram. As per eminent Lucknow historian and an authority on the Indian Mutiny 1857 Mr. Satish Bhatnagar (Retd. IAS) there could be a mass grave (knowing the situation they were in) at Bargawan for the men listed on the memorial,  however it cannot be validated. Neither do we know if they were buried individually, nor their location.

We read about thee officers' role in the defense of Alambagh in the book: Christian Tombs and Monuments in the United Provinces by E. A. H. BLUNT I.C.S. Year: 1911. It reads: "Sufficient justice has seldom been done to Outram's defense of the Alam Bagh between the 2nd relief and the capture of Lucknow. His position extended from the Alam Bagh to Ram Bagh and thence across to Jalalabad on one side and also east, a circuit of about 11 miles. He was to keep the rebels at Lucknow in check, and had some 4,000 men to do it with: whilst of rebels there were about 120,000. He was attacked in force six times, and successfully repulsed all attacks. The 5th Fusiliers was one of his regiments and did good service. The village of Bargawan was included in his lines and the 6th FusiLers were posted close to it."

The sign board at the compound gate

An Archaeological Survey of India protected monument

View from the compound gate - the iron grill and the cemented platform is a recent addition as part of the restoration work

The Memorial - 1

The Memorial - 2

The Memorial - 3

The inscription on the memorial

Inscription on the memorial reads:

This column is erected by the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the 5th Fusiliers, to their under mentioned comrades who fell during the occupation of the Alam Bagh Camp under Sir J. Outram, K.C.B., 1857-58: Lieutenant J. Brown ; Armour- Sergeant H. Whitnorth; Sergeant W. Walters; Private W. Anderson ; Private W. Baldry ; Private T. Hill ; Private D McEvoy; Private H. Wright; Private I. Baker; Private L. Martin; Private W. Chamberlain ; Private J. Cleary ; Private T. Kelly; Private T. Mara; Private T Marsh; Private J. Monaghan; Private W. Connolly; Private D. Donnolly ; Private R. Preston; Private I. Doughty ; Private W. Pottle ; Private W. Moran ; Private W. Messenger.