General Barnard and the British force under his orders, had taken possession of the ridge, on 8th June. From there he was to direct his operations against the rebellious city. He was joined, the following day by the splendid corps of Guides. The experience he had had of the temper of the garrison had been but short. Yet it had been sufficient to show him how futile were the anticipations of Lord Canning and Sir John Lawrence that Delhi would surrender without a fight.

The city of Delhi lies on a plain on the right bank of the river Jamnah (present day Yamuna River), and is surrounded on three sides by a towering stonewall, five and a half miles long. The fourth side, almost two miles in length, runs parallel to and is covered by the river. On this face, the eastern, it is well fortified. To the north-east it was defended by the Salimgarh fort, the circumference of the high and massive walls of which covered three-quarters of a mile. In this were two gates, called the Calcutta and the North gate respectively. Adjoining Salimgarh, to the south, was the Citadel or King`s palace, built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. It had walls of red sandstone, extremely high, and with a perimeter of nearly a mile and a half. The entrance to this is from the west, by a gate opening on to Chandni Chawk, known, in 1857 as the Lahore gate.

The other gates were the Kashmeri Gate, to the north, near the English church and the Kachahri or Court of Justice. To the west of this, though facing northward, lies the Mori gate. To the proper west, at the angle formed by the north and west faces, lies the Kabul gate. Then, midway between the two angles of the western face, the Lahore gate, forming the entrance to the celebrated Chandni Chawk, leading through the city to the Citadel. Further towards the south, just after the wall of defence makes a turn inwards, was the Farash-khana gate. At the angle beyond it, lies the Ajmer gate. Then, forming entrances to the southern face, the Turkoman, and beyond it the Delhi gate. Beyond again, facing the river was the Raj-ghat gate.

The fort had been strengthened by English engineers and provided with perfect flanking fortifications. Round the walls, 24 feet in height, ran a dry ditch, some twenty-five feet in breadth and somewhat less than twenty in depth. The counterscarp being an earthen slope of very easy drop, much water and weather worn. There was a kind of glacis, but it hardly merited the name. It was just a short slope, seventy or eighty feet in breadth, springing from the crest of the counterscarp, and provided with no special means of obstruction. The place was garrisoned by approximately 40,000 sipahis, armed and disciplined by the British. Its walls were mounted with 114 pieces of heavy artillery. These were capable of being supplied with ammunition from the largest magazine established by the British in the upper provinces. The garrison had, in addition, around sixty pieces of field-artillery, and were well supplied with gunners, drilled and disciplined by the British.

To take this strongly defended city the English general had under his orders approximately 3000 British soldiers, a battalion of Gurkhas, the corps of Guides, some remnants of native infantry sipahis, whose fidelity was not assured, and 22 field-guns. He had taken his position on the ridge, an elevation of from fifty to sixty feet above the general level of the city. The ridge extended along a line of rather more than two miles. Its left rested upon the Jamnah (Yamuna River) some three or four miles above Delhi, its right extremity approaching the Kabul gate at a distance of approximately a thousand yards. The ridge intersected the old cantonment towards its left centre. Following its front, towards its right was a road which joined the grand trunk road from Karnal. The road led down, through a mass of suburban gardens and ancient edifices, to the Kabul gate. Two other roads, also leading from Karnal, diverged through the old cantonment to different gates of the city. The position was open to the rear, and commanded an excellent supply of water from the Najafgarh canal. The English tents, pitched on the left and centre of the ridge, were situated sideways to the front of attack. These tents were concealed from the view of the enemy by the houses very recently occupied by the officers of the Delhi brigade, still left standing. The weakest point of the position, that nearest the enemy, was the right.

Here a strong body of troops were posted. There was an extensive building known as Hindu Rao`s house. This house had been left empty by its owner, and was occupied right away. Nearly in the centre of the position was a round tower called the Flagstafftower, double storeyed and offering a good point for observation. Between that tower and Hindu Rao`s house was an old mosque, with good masonry walls. This was admirably adjusted as an outpost. This, too, was occupied.

Further along the ridge road, at a distance of approximately 200 yards from the position on the extreme right, was the Observatory. This was also capable of being utilised. Beyond Hindu Rao`s house again, to the rear of the position, was the suburb of Sabzimandi, a cluster of houses and walled gardens. This stood an active chance of enemy occupying it. Beyond this the plain was covered with gardens, groves, houses, and walled enclosures, bordering upon the Grand Canal. Stretching from the Sabzimandi to the Kabul gate of the city were the villages of Kishanganj, Trevelyanganj, Paharipur, and Taliwari. These were however too far off to be occupied in force by the besiegers, and hence affording a convenient shelter to a daring foe.

Somewhat to the south of the Flagstaff, but more to the east, was Metcalfe House, on the Jamnah (Yamuna River), with substantial outbuildings, and a mound in its rear. Between that house and the city was an old summer palace of the Mughal sovereigns, called Kudsiya Bagh. The place was abundant with lofty gateways and spacious courtyards. More removed from the river, and almost in a line with the Kashmeri gate of the city, was Ludlow Castle. The castle was situated on the crest of a ridge sloping down towards the city walls, with the dry bed of a drainage canal at its base. Further, on the line of the Jamnah (Yamuan River), between the Kudsiya Bagh and the water-gate of the city, was a spacious house surrounded by trees and shrubs. But the house was positioned so close to the city walls that they seemed almost to project over it.

Such was the position, or, rather, such were the relative preparations. As Barnard surveyed the city and the country between it and his camp, on the morning of 9th June, he realised that he had acted rightly not to follow the rebels into the city two days previously. But he knew what was expected from him. He had in his hand the written opinions of Lord Canning and Sir John Lawrence. According to the papers, with proper action on the part of the British leader, the place must fall. He ordered, then, an assault for the 12th. The scheme had been drawn up by Greathed, Maun- sell, and Chesney of the engineers, and by Hodson, an officer of tremendous intrepidity. It had been arranged that the troops reprimanded for the attack should assemble between one and two in the morning. Then, under cover of darkness, they should proceed noiselessly to the gates, blow them open, and effect an entrance. At the appointed time and place all the troops were assembled, with the exception of 300 of the 1st Europeans, to be commanded by Brigadier Graves. These never arrived, and in consequence the enterprise was shelved. Graves had received no written orders. The verbal notice he received would have involved leaving the Flagstaff picket in the hands of natives. He declined to act upon it. It was fortunate he did so, for after-events proved that, even had the gates been carried, the force was not impregnable enough to hold Delhi. A rebuff would possibly have called for the destruction of the besieging force.

On 14th June General Reed, the senior divisional commander, arrived on the ridge to take on command. For the moment, however, on account of his health, he did not replace Barnard. That officer continued to direct the operations till his death. In Reed`s tent the question of an un-warned attack was discussed for several days. The civilian who was consulted, Hervey Greathed, brother of the engineer of the same name, was in favour of adopting a revised plan drawn up by his brother. He wished that the plan be put into execution without further delay. But all the senior soldiers, Barnard, Archdale Wilson, and Reed were against it.

A decision was reached on the 18th, and though Greathed (of the engineers) again subsequently urged reconsideration, the generals could not be influenced. In the interim there had been a great deal of fighting. On the 12th, the rebels had attacked the British camp in front and rear, and had almost infiltrated to its very core. They were ultimately driven back, and pursued through the grounds of Metcalfe House to the very walls of the city. From that date a strong picket was posted at that house. The communications were upheld from the Flagstaff Tower. The same day attacks made upon Hindu Rao`s house and the Sabzimandi were rebuffed with severe loss to the rebels. A regiment of irregular cavalry, however, seized the opportunity to go over to them. The subsequent day, the rebels made another attack. The 60th Regiment N. I., which had joined them the previous day, took a leading part in it. They were, however, also rebuffed. On the 17th, the besiegers took the initiative. Their attack was led most gallantly by Reid of the Gurkhas, from Hindu Rao`s house, and by Tombs of the horse-artillery, from the camp. The assaulters destroyed a battery the rebels were erecting, and drove them back precipitately into the city. But the fire from the heavy guns of the rebels prevented a complete following up of the success.

On the 18th, the day on which the decision not to attempt a `coup-de-main` was arrived at, the rebels were strengthened by the mutinied sipahi brigade from Nasirabad. They brought six guns with them. To celebrate the event, the rebels came out in force, and attacked the British camp from the back. The contest was most desperate, and the loss on both sides was profound. Yule of the 9th Lancers was killed; Daly of the Guides and Becher, the Quartermaster-General, were wounded. Night came upon a drawn battle. The rebels however maintained their position till the early morning. On 23rd June, the anniversary of Battle of Plassey, the day harbingered as that which would witness the downfall of British rule. The insurrectionists made a supreme effort to verify the prophecy.

Fortunately the English had received that day a reinforcement of a company of the 75th foot, four companies of the 2nd Fusiliers, four H. A. guns, and part of a native troop, with some Punjabi infantry and cavalry. In all, they possessed 850 men. The right bore the brunt of the attack, which was conducted with great valour and coolness worthy of English troops. Reid and his Gurkhas, however, maintained their position. The 60th Rifles added to the unceasing glory they had previously acquired. The Guides contended with them in cool courage. But for the steadiness displayed by Reid and the officers and men generally, it would have been impossible to hold the position. They did hold it, however, but it was only as the night fell. After a most desperate fighting, the rebels fell back.