General Campbell crossed Ganges to arrive Lucknow on Nov. 9, 1857. Next day Tantya’s army crossed Yamuna to proceed towards Kanpur.
For this war Tayta possessed sufficient weapons and ammunition while five hundred white soldiers were with Vindham.
It will be considered good fortune of British that at a sudden 2500 soldiers reached Kanpur. By their arrival Vindham encouraged.
Then he got the news of advancment of Tantya with his army. He was ready to face Tantya with his army.
At that time Tantya was in possession of 2500 soldiers of infantry, 500 riders and six cannons.
Seeing Tantya’s army Virdhan ordered attack. Tantya too ordered firing from otherside.
Soon the British army ran away from the battle field. Although three cannons of Tantya became idle, but Vindham army had to retreat.
Just being aback Vindham army opend a new sap and continued fighting. Tantya called back the armies of Shivli and Shivrajpur which he left behind and divided his army into two sections.
Vindham army was bombarding continuously. When Tantya’s army attacked from right-left then Vindham got confused. Instantly he recollected warning of Campbell so he ordered his soldiers to retreat.
Tantya captured Kanpur. In the meanine Cambell took Lucknow under his control. Then he got the news that Tantya once again captured Kanpur. He at once handed out the administration of Lucknow to General Onthem and set out for Kanpur along with released British women and children and three thousand soldiers.
Misconception of Tatya
Tantya made an error at the time of Kanpur triumph that he forget to demolish bridge over Lucknow-Kanpur highway. Crossing over this bridge Campbell reached Kanpur on Nov. 26. Seeing the bridge safe his joys knew no bounds.
When Tantya received this news of British army he got fixed cannons infront of bridge so that if British army try to cross the bridge they might be killed.
But Captain Peel had already arranged all protective measures. He started gun firing at Tantya’s cannons. His guns were so effective and unfailing that Tantya’s cannon became idle.
Soon the British armies crossing the bridge entered Kanpur.
Campbell encamped his army in Kanpur cantt.
Kanpur was still under Tantya’s control. Tantya was in possession of fourteen thousands soldiers.
Campbell’s army attacked first. Retaliation was made by Tantya’s cannons. Where Tantya was not less in intelligence there Campbell too was not less in cleverness. He had such experience of war that by tracing weakness of enemy he used to alter his war policy.
Tantya’s army was fighting bravely. But on other side British were too not scant.
Soon Tantya’s revolution army dispersed and ran away. Then British army gave them chase up to fourteen miles approximately.
In such circumstances Tantya wanted to go to Avadh crossing Ganges near Shivrajpur. But Hopgrant was chasing his army. When Tantya’s army was crossing Ganges right then Hopegrant reached there.
Once again war started between both the armies here.
But here too Tantya’s army could not stand for a long and finally he had to run leaving their arms.
Tantya reached Kalpi with the remnant army.
Nana Sahib too reached Brhamavart, but as he received the news of Tantya’s defeat, he at once left Brhmavart and set out for Avadh.
In this duration British had hoisted their flags after demolishing revolution centres. Although Delhi, Kanpur and Lucknow were the powerful centres of revolution, here too Union Jack were fluttering.
Armies from those places were sent to other places to control rendution.
Success of revolution decayed
After that defeat Tantya realized that there is one alternative left to save life i.e. sympaty, co-operation and help of public.
Upto this time many of Tantya’s campanions had turned their back upon him. According to circumstances he altered his army. After enduring defeat in so many wars he had much experience that it is difficult to overcome British in face-to-face war, so he adopted policy of nigh attack.
On this side British had believed that mutiny had finished. But they got disappointment so soon.
After sometime Tantya’s name was echoed in forests, villages and cities of central India.
He attacked the British camps by lying ambush and when they come to know Tantya alongwith his campanions would have disappeared in forests. British remained unlenoue about Tantya’s whereabouts. The informations supplied to British were not confidential. British were well known about it that sympathy of people is with the hostiles not with them.
