Letters of Spies — How British captured Delhi in 1857

Little is known about the Revolt of 1857 from the rebels perspective. But there is a large body of official records, diaries and personal narratives of the British officials and others who witnessed the ‘Mutiny’. Even though these mainly contain the heavily biased British version, they also contain significant details about the rebels and their cause. For more than a decade the author has been collecting rare documents (in Persian, Urdu, English and Hindi) of the period of 1857 rebellion from India and outside. The author found the original letters of spies who were employed by the British during their siege of Delhi in May-September 1857. The letters tell a startling story. Despite being outnumbered and out maneuvered by the rebels in Delhi, the British army was able to capture Delhi on September 20, 1857 with the help of spies and British stooges. These letters not only throw light on the intrigues of the British rulers but also on rebel opposition and their strategies. The rebels appear as victors even though they lost Delhi. It is hoped that this book will help in understanding the true nature of British rule in India.