Miāni, Battle of

▪ Sind-British conflict

      (February 17, 1843), engagement between a British force of about 2,800 troops under Sir Charles Napier (Napier, Sir Charles James) and a host of more than 20,000 followers of the amirs (chiefs) of Sindh ending in a British victory and the annexation of most of Sindh. Complaints had been made against the amirs' attitude toward the British during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–42). Instead of leaving settlement to the British resident, the British gave full civil and military powers to Napier in September 1842. Napier forced on the amirs an onerous new treaty and provocatively seized and razed the desert fortress of Imamgarh. A popular upsurge then led to open war. At Miāni the British prevailed. The army of the amirs was scattered, and Sindh, except for the state of Khairpur, was annexed.

      The resident, Sir James Outram (Outram, Sir James, 1st Baronet), criticized this action and so started a famous controversy. The governor-general Edward Law, earl of Ellenborough (Ellenborough, Edward Law, earl of, Viscount Southam of Southam, Baron Ellenborough of Ellenborough), was recalled, but Sindh remained British.

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