The 4th Punjab Infantry battalion arrived in Calcutta in November 1857, meaning it missed the decisive battles of the war, including the siege of Delhi and the relief and evacuation of Lucknow. The battalion's participation in the battle of Cawnpore was minimal and it suffered no casualties. The battalion played a significant role in the final assault on Lucknow in March 1858, leading the assault on Martiniere with the 4th Punjab Infantry while the 42nd Highlanders and 90th Foot attacked frontally. The British enjoyed overwhelming artillery superiority, evidenced by the 42nd Highlanders suffering only 10 fatal casualties over 10 days of operations culminating in the final capture of Lucknow.

2. 4th Punjab Infantry now 9 FF Pakistan
Army and 42 Highlanders led the Final
Attack on Lucknow
• January 2023
• DOI:
• 10.13140/RG.2.2.14129.45929
• Project:
• MILITARY HISTORY
• Agha H Amin

4. This battalion arrived at Calcutta on 1st
November
1857. 1
This meant that it missed all three decisive
battles of the war , foremost the siege of Delhi ,
and the relatively smaller and less decisive relief
of Lucknow and evacuation of Lucknow .
The battalion’s participation in the battle of
Cawnpore was token as it was not really involved
in serious action and suffered nil casualties.
1
Page-58- THE QUARTERLY ARMY LIST OF HER
MAJESTY’S BRITISH AND INDIAN FORCES ON THE
BENGAL ESTABLISHMENT - Op cit.

6. The battalion played significant role in final
assault on Lucknow in March 1858. It led the
assault on Martiniere with 4th
Punjab Infantry
while HM 93rd
Highlanders and 90TH
Foot attacked
Martiniere frontally.
The important point to be noted is that the British
company enjoyed overwhelmingly massive
superiority in artillery and this is proven by the
fact that 42nd
Highlanders suffered puny 10 fatal
casualties in the entire operations spanning 10
days involving the final capture of Lucknow .
Note that 42 Highlanders overran the first rebel
defence line based on the Ghaziuddin Haider
canal without any rebel opposition because the
company’s heavy artillery deployed north of
Gumti river brought devastatingly lethal fire on
the rebels who simply fled well before 42nd
Highlanders actually attacked the defence line.