Acting on dubious information, that an enemy force of 50 cavalry 500 infantry with one gun, Sir Henry Lawrence assembled an expedition consisting of: 300 of the 32nd Light Infantry, 170 Native Infantry, 36 Volunteer Horse, 84 Oude Irregular Cavalry and eleven guns. Instead of handing command to Colonel Inglis of the 32nd, Lawrence decided to lead the force himself. 
Lawrence was not the man to command, although initially a soldier, he’d spent too much time as an administrator; his soldiering had been done as a subaltern not a field officer. Below Hodsoin horse in 45 mm by Norris
The 32nd were without food and there were insufficient water carriers. No reconnaissance had been done and unexpectedly the Lucknow force blundered into the mutineers at the small village of Chinhut.
Here, across the road with a lake on their left flank were 800 cavalry, 5,500 infantry and artillery with 15 guns. Outnumbered by more than ten to one, the native gunners and cavalry deserted, the 32nd who was holding a nearby village was ejected by the enemy and largely because of the heat of the day and lack of food and water failed to retake it. The rebel commander – Barhat Ahmad – completely out manoeuvred Lawrence, his Horse Artillery, which was on both, flanks threatening to encircle the British whilst his cavalry held the bridge at their rear.
The Volunteer Cavalry charged the bridge and broke through followed by the remnants of Lawrence’s force. Handing over command, somewhat too late, to Colonel Inglis, Lawrence, realising that defeat could trigger an immediate assault on the Residency rode to warn them.
justice prevailed against the massacre of women and children by the unsoldiery cowards of the mutineers
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