ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Nutty Productions How 21 Men Stopped 14,000 Strong Barbaric Army
Imagine waking up one morning to see a massive army of horse riders gathering on the horizon. This is exactly what happened in Sargari, Afghanistan, when 14,000 soldiers appeared, ready to attack. Only 21 brave soldiers were there to defend the post, and they knew they couldn’t run away or surrender.
The Battle of Sargari is often compared to the famous last stand of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae. However, the odds were even crazier for these 21 soldiers. The Afghans had been planning this attack for a long time, and the small group of defenders was on high alert. If the post fell, two nearby forts, Gullistan and Lockhart, would be cut off from each other, making them easy targets for the enemy.
When the enemy troops approached, Ishar Singh, the leader of the 21 soldiers, quickly sent Sepoy Guru Muk Singh to contact Fort Lockhart for reinforcements. Lieutenant Colonel Houghton at Fort Lockhart saw the situation and realized it was too late; the enemy had already surrounded the village. There would be no reinforcements, no extra support, and no more ammunition.
Despite the dire situation, Ishar Singh and his men decided to stand their ground. On September 12, 1897, they prepared for battle. Armed with .303 caliber guns, they waited until the enemy was close enough to ensure their shots were accurate. When they fired, they caught the enemy off guard, showing them that taking over the post wouldn’t be easy.
Throughout the day, Ishar Singh and his men repelled multiple waves of attacks. The Afghans tried different tactics, like setting fire to nearby bushes to create a smoke screen. Ishar Singh showed incredible leadership, knowing that if the enemy breached the post, it would be over. He ordered Sepoy Guru Muk Singh to stay on the heliograph tower for communication while others retreated to the inner walls.
In his last moments, Ishar Singh fought bravely with his bayonet, buying time for his comrades. Sepoy Guru Muk Singh, still on communication duty, asked for permission to join the fight. He jumped down from the tower and fought fiercely, forcing many enemy soldiers to retreat.
By 4 PM, the Afghans were exhausted. They turned their attention to Fort Gullistan, but reinforcements from Fort Lockhart arrived with heavy artillery, forcing the Afghans to surrender. The Afghan alliance admitted to losing 600 soldiers that day, but the actual number was much higher.
The bravery of Ishar Singh and his men was so significant that all 21 soldiers were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, a prestigious military honor. Even Queen Victoria praised their courage in the British Parliament. Their story may not be as mythical as the Spartans, but it is certainly legendary.
Do you know of any other last stands in modern history that match the bravery of these soldiers? Share your thoughts, and explore more fascinating stories from history!
Imagine you are one of the 21 soldiers at the Battle of Sargari. Write a diary entry describing your thoughts and feelings as you prepare for the battle. Consider the odds you are facing and the importance of your mission. Share your entry with the class and discuss the emotions and strategies involved in such a critical situation.
Create a detailed map of the Sargari region, including the locations of Fort Lockhart, Fort Gullistan, and the enemy positions. Use symbols to represent the movements of the 21 soldiers and the attacking army. Present your map to the class and explain the strategic importance of each location.
Participate in a class debate on whether Ishar Singh and his men should have attempted to retreat or stand and fight. Divide into two groups, each representing one side of the argument. Use evidence from the article and additional research to support your points. Conclude with a discussion on the impact of their decision.
Research another famous last stand in history, such as the Battle of Thermopylae or the Alamo. Compare it to the Battle of Sargari in terms of strategy, leadership, and outcomes. Create a presentation highlighting the similarities and differences, and share it with the class.
Illustrate the key events of the Battle of Sargari in a comic strip format. Focus on the bravery and leadership of Ishar Singh and his men. Use dialogue and captions to convey the story. Display your comic strip in the classroom and discuss how visual storytelling can enhance understanding of historical events.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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A large army of horse riders starts gathering on the horizon. The sergeant at the post notices this. It’s morning, the sun has risen, and so has the enemy. Fourteen thousand soldiers flooded the streets of Sargari in Afghanistan. Nobody had expected that a small post of only 21 soldiers would find themselves surrounded by such a large army, armed with guns and rifles. This was the fate awaiting those 21 soldiers defending the post. Fleeing or surrendering was never an option.
The Battle of Sargari is a modern parallel to the last stand of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, but with even crazier odds. Today, we’re discussing the most gallant and remarkable last stand of the modern world: the Battle of Sargari.
Afghans had clearly been planning this attack for a long time. Ishar Singh and his men were on high alert, as the Afghans had attempted to attack nearby forts multiple times recently. This is also why the British garrison was spread too thin to provide any more men at the small post. However, if this post fell, the two forts, Gullistan and Lockhart, would not be able to communicate, and the Afghans would succeed in picking off both forts one by one due to the lack of assistance and reinforcements.
When Ishar Singh spotted the hordes of enemy troops approaching, he directed Sepoy Guru Muk Singh to contact Fort Lockhart immediately, requesting reinforcements. The commanding officer at Fort Lockhart, Lieutenant Colonel Houghton, responded with orders for troops to march down to Sargari. However, when he looked down from the signaling tower, he was astounded to see that the Afghans had surrounded the entire village. There was no way to break through for reinforcements; it was too late.
Realizing the grave situation, Houghton sent a reply stating that they were unable to break through. He also counted about 14 companies of enemy troops, consisting of about a thousand men each. This information was relayed to Sargari, and the message was clear: there would be no reinforcements, no support, and no more ammunition.
Anyone else would have either surrendered or abandoned the post, but when Sergeant Ishar Singh gathered his men to consult, they all echoed his opinion to take a stand and defend the post until death.
On September 12, 1897, Ishar Singh lined his men in two rows, with the front row squatting down and the back row standing up. They were armed with .303 caliber guns, and Ishar made them wait until the enemy approached within 250 meters. At this range, these guns were deadly accurate. As soon as Ishar Singh commanded them to fire, the whole vanguard of the Afghan alliance was decimated.
This was not a victory, but it caught the enemy off guard. The Afghans realized that taking over the post would not be as easy as they had assumed. Meanwhile, by 1400 hours, Ishar Singh’s regiment repelled another wave of attack, much to the dismay of the Afghans. After another failure, the Afghans resorted to a more tactical approach, setting fire to nearby bushes and trees to create a smoke screen.
As the situation escalated, Ishar Singh showed exemplary leadership. He knew that if the Afghans breached the post, it would be over. He commanded the youngest soldier, Sepoy Guru Muk Singh, to stay on the heliograph tower while he ordered the other four to retreat to the inner walls. Ishar Singh, out of ammunition, fixed his bayonet to his rifle to buy as much time as possible for his colleagues.
In his last moments, Ishar Singh fought valiantly against the enemy. Meanwhile, Sepoy Guru Muk Singh reported these events to Fort Lockhart. The four men inside the inner walls formed a defensive formation, fighting fiercely to delay the inevitable.
Guru Muk Singh, still on communication duty, asked permission from Lieutenant Colonel Houghton to join the battle. Despite the risks, he jumped down from the tower with his bayonet and began to fight, killing many enemy soldiers and forcing them to retreat.
The fierce battle left the Afghans exhausted. By 1600 hours, after a short rest, they turned their attention toward Fort Gullistan, but reinforcements from Fort Lockhart arrived with heavy artillery, forcing the Afghans to surrender. The Afghan alliance admitted the loss of 600 soldiers that day, but the total loss was much higher.
The impact of their bravery was so significant that all 21 soldiers who fell in the Battle of Sargari were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, and Queen Victoria herself praised their valor in the British Parliament.
What Ishar Singh and his men achieved may not be as mythical as King Leonidas’s 300 Spartans, but it is certainly legendary.
What do you think? Was there any other last stand in modern history that matches the gallantry of these soldiers? Let us know in the comments below, and when you’re done, check out some of these other videos from Nutty History.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Battle – A military fight between groups, often part of a larger war. – The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the American Civil War.
Soldiers – Individuals who serve in an army and fight in battles. – The soldiers marched through the night to reach their destination by dawn.
Afghans – People from Afghanistan, a country with a long history of military conflicts. – The Afghans have a rich history of resisting foreign invasions.
Bravery – The quality of being courageous and willing to face danger. – The bravery of the troops during the battle was admired by all.
Leadership – The ability to guide and direct a group, especially in a military context. – General Washington’s leadership was crucial to the American victory in the Revolutionary War.
Tactics – Specific actions or strategies used to achieve a military goal. – The general’s tactics in the battle were studied for years to come.
Reinforcements – Additional troops or resources sent to support a military effort. – The arrival of reinforcements turned the tide of the battle in their favor.
Communication – The exchange of information, crucial for coordinating military operations. – Effective communication between units ensured the success of the mission.
Legacy – Something handed down from the past, such as achievements or traditions. – The legacy of the Roman Empire is evident in modern legal systems.
Honor – A sense of ethical conduct and respect, often associated with military service. – The soldier received a medal of honor for his actions during the war.
