In this episode of the Redcoat History podcast, I’m joined by historian and author Eva Chatterji to uncover the brutal truth behind the Relief of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

We go beyond the siege itself to tell the story of the fighting retreat, political backstabbing, and desperate urban combat that nearly doomed the entire British operation. Along the way we meet:

Sir Henry Havelock, the “soldier-saint” leading from the front

Sir James Outram, trying to manage a political minefield

Sir Colin Campbell, the master planner who finally broke through

And William Hall, the first Black man to win a Victoria Cross

This isn’t just a story of Empire and military heroics — it’s a story of chaos, confusion, and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

Eva’s new book Courage and Chaos is out now from Barnthorne Publishing and Amazon.