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The First Anglo-Sikh War Paperback – September 15, 2014

by Amarpal Singh (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 92 ratings
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During the eighteenth and early years of the nineteenth century, the red tide of British expansion had covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent, stretching to the borders of the Punjab. There the great Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh had developed his military forces to thwart any British advance into his kingdom north of the River Sutlej. Yet on the death of Ranjit Singh, unworthy successors and disparate forces fought over his legacy while the British East India Company seized on the opportunity and prepared for battle. In the winter of 1845, the First Anglo-Sikh War broke out. From the start, the two-month campaign was marred by Victorian arrogance and bluster on the British side and personal ambition, intrigue and treason in the Sikh camp. Five keenly fought contests ensued, including the great battle of Ferozeshah where the British force found itself caught between two powerful Sikh armies and came close to destruction. Declining to retreat, Sir Hugh Gough, the British Commander-in-Chief, told his second in command: ‘My mind is made up. If we must perish, it is better that our bones should bleach honourably at Ferozeshah than rot at Ferozepore: but they shall do neither the one nor the other.’ The fate of the British Empire in India would be decided that day. Amarpal Singh writes a warts-and-all tale of a conflict characterised by treachery, tragedy and incredible bravery on both sides. In an innovative approach to history writing, the narrative of the campaign is accompanied by battlefield guides that draw on eyewitness accounts and invite the reader to take a tour of the battlefields, either physically or virtually. Fully illustrated with period drawings, modern-day photographs and new maps, The First Anglo-Sikh War gives a forgotten conflict the meticulous attention it deserves.
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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Amberley Publishing
  4. Publication date
    September 15, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    4.88 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    144564195X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1445641959
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Amarpal Singh Sidhu was born in the Punjab, India. He spent over 20 years working in the software industry before turning to his real interest in military history and the exploration and analysis of battlefields. His first book "The First Anglo-Sikh War" has been well received. Amarpal has appeared and collaborated on history programs for several TV channels. He currently lives in London with his wife and two sons. His other interests include the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire and World War Two.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amberley Publishing (September 15, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 144564195X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1445641959
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.09 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.88 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 92 ratings

About the authors

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Previous page
  1. Amarpal Singh

    Amarpal Singh

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Amarpal Singh was born in the Punjab, India. He spent over 20 years working in the software industry before turning to his real interest in military history and the exploration and analysis of battlefields. His books on the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars have been very well received. Amarpal has appeared and collaborated on history programs for several TV channels. He currently lives in London with his wife and two sons. His other interests include the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire and World War Two.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Amarpal S.. Sidhu

    Amarpal S.. Sidhu

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Amarpal Singh was born in the Punjab, India. He spent over 20 years working in the software industry before turning to his real interest in military history and the exploration and analysis of battlefields.

    His first book "The First Anglo-Sikh War" has been well received. The sequel "The Second Anglo-Sikh War" was released in 2016 and is now available in hardback, paperback and on Kindle.

    Amarpal has appeared and collaborated on history programs for several TV channels. He currently lives in London with his wife and two sons.

    Amarpal is currently working on 'The Siege of Delhi' (Harper Collins) , a comprehensive look into the four month long see-saw battle for the city in 1857 is to be released in mid 2021.

    His other interests include the later Roman Empire,Byzantium,the Ottoman empire and World War Two.

    Follow Amarpal on Twitter at @amarpalsidhu

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
92 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Harmeet Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Work on Anglo-Sikh Battlefield Archeology
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2011
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This is a well-researched book that entails a very significant event of history not just for military historians but also for students of political history who want to understand how the result of Anglo-Sikh wars would not just result in annexation of a Sikh state but an eventual decimation of Sikhs and their political annhilation as a British policy of supression. The decimation of Sikhs would eventually change the political borders of Punjab and South Asia for times to come. The result of Anglo-Sikh wars will turn the history of Punjab against Punjab.

The book starts with the description of the turmoil in the Lahore court which is unable to find a suitable and stable successor after the death of the Sikh emperor in 1839. The events become more tumultuous in the court as the court is ridden with opposite camps and fighting factions against each other and a mutinous military giving an opportunity for treacherous traitors to exploit the situation for their own end who would now devise a plan with the enemy for the decimation of the Sikh state by the destruction of Sikh Military.

Three trusted Hindu Commanders unbeknownst to the brigades of Sikh Military would lead a modern, well-equipped, well trained and experienced Sikh military of Punjab that is perfectly capable of destroying the British supremacy in India into a great military disaster. The enemy within would lay a siege on the Sikh military by deliberately holding Sikh offensive back, conveying the Sikh positions to the enemy and holding up supplies of the Sikh military to aid the enemy in their slaughter.

Despite the trap of treachery, the Sikh units founded themselves in, no Sikh soldier preferred to surrender to the enemy and fought with utmost level of skillfullness for which he was trained to begin with. No mercy was offered and the soldiers didn't ask for it either. The book is an elaborate description of inspiring courage shown by humans who finding themselves and their country at the edge of facing sure death wouldn't die easy. The Sikh soldier will fight honorably till his last breath for Punjab.

The book dissects the strategies, tactics, the battlefield topography and shows the actual battle formations itself laid out with maps, the GPS coordinates and satellite imagery of the land. As the reader is lead through the battles of Mudki, Ferozeshah, Aliwal, Bhudhowal and Sabroan the events of battles actually come alive in front of the reader. What sets apart this book from others is this precise elaboration of battlefield archeology that is hardly found anywhere else.

The book is an honor well restored to the Sikh soldering that was the one and only indigineous force in history of Punjab to succesfully defend the integrity of Punjab and its frontiers from decimation for half a century until bisieged from within.

A job well done!
6 people found this helpful
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Old Dominion
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous edition
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018
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Beautiful hardbound edition, well worth the price and wait
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Christopher Hahn
4.0 out of 5 stars Good one-volume account of the war; don't need the battlefield guide at the end.
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2017
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Good one-volume account of a war for which it is difficult to find new sources. Many of the pages of the book are of little use to me since I am interested in the course of the battles and the war rather than the extensive description of the battlefields found in the second half of the book.
3 people found this helpful
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Rajesh Rampal
4.0 out of 5 stars A Novel Experience
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2015
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A very well researched book by Amarpal Singh and wa recommenxed to me by Colonel Gerald Napier author of SAPPER VCs AND FOLLOW THE SAPPER - I enjoyed it -the best part is for visiting the battle sites today -the books gives GPS and also where you can stay and whom you can meet - a novel experience
One person found this helpful
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Gary Strombo
4.0 out of 5 stars Good for research
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2013
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A well researched book, with great illustrations. Invaluable for a wargamer or figure painter, or just someone interested in that period.
One person found this helpful
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Jasjot Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing untold story preserved in one book
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2021
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This book is truly a gem, the vast details of the whole war! My dad and I loved the book can't wait to read the second book.
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Top reviews from other countries

M of Liverpool
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read from someone who knows their subject
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
I am always looking to fill in gaps in my library for various 19th century battles, campaigns and wars and this is a jewel.
It's companion for the 2nd War and the author's volume of the seige of Delhi can all not be recommended too highly. The author just wants to show as honestly and fairly how this war happened and how it was fought. And I can not praise his knowledge enough. We need more writers like Amarpal Singh who know their subject and how to give a read that is gripping, informative, and worth every penny.
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Suraj Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for giving us a valuable document.
Reviewed in India on January 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
I am very thankful to Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for giving us a valuable historical document. There are very few authors who write books on Anglo-Sikh wars. All books wrote by foreign authors, I am not against them but somewhere they hide the real story behind the wars and they also hide some important incidents of war. But Mr Sidhu give us detail information on each and every battle with full proofs. I have also read another book written by Mr Sidhu "The second anglo sikh war". After writing two books on Anglo Sikh wars Mr Sidhu also write his third book " The Seige of Delhi " which is based on incidents happened on revolution of 1857 in Delhi. I give my best wishes to Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for writing more historical books for us so that our next generation will get able guidance from our ancestors, and we got more awere from the real history.
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Suraj Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for giving us a valuable document.
Reviewed in India on January 4, 2022
I am very thankful to Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for giving us a valuable historical document. There are very few authors who write books on Anglo-Sikh wars. All books wrote by foreign authors, I am not against them but somewhere they hide the real story behind the wars and they also hide some important incidents of war. But Mr Sidhu give us detail information on each and every battle with full proofs. I have also read another book written by Mr Sidhu "The second anglo sikh war". After writing two books on Anglo Sikh wars Mr Sidhu also write his third book " The Seige of Delhi " which is based on incidents happened on revolution of 1857 in Delhi. I give my best wishes to Mr Amarpal Singh Sidhu for writing more historical books for us so that our next generation will get able guidance from our ancestors, and we got more awere from the real history.
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Russell
5.0 out of 5 stars The Most up-to-date scholarship on the War
Reviewed in Canada on May 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
Mr. Singh's study of the First Anglo-Sikh War is necessary reading for anyone interested in this conflict. Singh blends primary and secondary sources to present a critical narrative history of the war. Beyond his excellent prose and presentation of the motivation behind the British and Sikh leaders, Singh includes a useful section of 'Battlefield Guides' where he shows how the battlefields look today, which greatly helps to ground the events of the war in the physical places that they took place.

I cannot recommend both this and Amarpal Singh's other book on the Second Anglo-Sikh War enough!
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Pen War
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, pity there are not more Sikh/Punjabi/Indian primary sources
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2022
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This is a very good book on the subject. I was hoping, in view of the fact that the author is a Sikh, that there would have been more Sikh/Punjabi/Indian primary sources. Alas, while the author is commended on the depth of research, the bibliography largely includes primary source material from the (standard) British perspective – statesmen, military men, memoirs, diaries and (Anglocentric) historians etc.
That stated, Amarpal Singh provides a good insight into the workings of the Punjabi court and the minds of the senior politicians and officers of the Khalsa. Better than anything that has gone before.
He has also walked the ground, and this is vital. That stated he is clearly not a military man for his depiction of the Battle of Mudki is flawed. It goes without saying that the Sikhs were/are formidable fighters and it follows, therefore, that they would never have deployed their infantry at the back end of a jungle or wood as depicted. To do so is a serious disadvantage for/to a defender. It is interesting that a historian who has covered this conflict, subsequent to Amarpal Sing's publication, has compounded the error. The British eyewitness accounts, albeit slightly confusing, are clear that the attack they made on the Sikh lines was against the front or forward edge of the jungle.
That aside, this is a really good book. It sits alongside another good account written a few years before Amarpal Sing’s work, by Donald Featherstone. Both are worth adding to the reading list.
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Akshay
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic example of exemplary research
Reviewed in India on August 16, 2021
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Its a short book to describe an entire war, however that's what makes it worth a read. Without writing too many things, the author has focused exactly on the tactics, strategies and the fallacies of the first Anglo-Sikh war, which the the Sikhs lost due to inept leadership and corrupt generals. The author has done some incredibly meticulous research on how the battles unfolded in present day Punjab and the importance of those sites in today's context. A large part of the book is dedicated to understand numerous maps and war strategies, which is really helpful. To put in context, this is exactly how every history book should be written and the author has done exceptionally well to keep the content crisp and easy to understand.
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