- Wit and force worked for the British as they successfully managed to turn the situation in their favour.
- Initially,John Lawrence, the administrator of Punjab through diplomacy made Punjab immune from revolution.
- Even though the Revolt had spread almost all over India, some parts like the Presidency of Bombay, many parts of Rajputana and some places in Kashmir remained uninfluenced whilst they remained under British control.
- Despite the great uproar of the Indians against the British, not all Indians supported their feloow countrymen. The Britishers got the support of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Begum of Bhopal, King of Nepal and Marhatta leader of Sindhia in a fight against their own country people.
- The major setback for the Indian sepoys came when General Nicholson of Punjab succeeded in restoring Delhi while Emporer Bahadur Shah Zafar was taken as prisoner.
- Bahadur Shah Zafar's sons Mirza Mughal, Mirza Khizr Sultan, and grandson Mirza Abu Bakr were also captured.While Bahadur Shah Zafar was sent into exile to Rangoon, his sons and grandson were shot at the Khooni Darwaza near Delhi Gate.
- With the fall of the leader of the sepoys, all other leaders in different parts of the country also lost control.
- General Havelock defeated Nana Saheb at Kanpur before proceeding to Lucknow. However Nana Saheb escaped the hands of the British and fled to Nepal.
- In Lucknow although the British officials saw resistance on part of the Indians, they were eventually able to push back the Indians and capture Lucknow.
- General Sir Huge Rose attacked Jhansi in March 1858. A fierce battle was fought between the British and the revolutionaries under Rani Laxmi Bai but she could not match the power of the British.Laxmi Bai of Jhansi lost her life in the battleground trying to protect her son and her city.
- Tatya Tope continued the fight for as long as he could but he was betrayed by the Gwalior Chief, Mansingh and fell into the hands of British.He was subsequently hanged on April 18, 1859.
- Begum Hazrat Mahal was forced to retreat to Nepal.
- Kunwar Singh fell in battle field but he is still remembered for his bravery.