Ramachandra Panduranga Tope, called Tatya was a childhood friend of Nana Saheb and the Rani of Jhansi. The three friends spent their childhood days together at Bithur. Like Nana, he had no military experience but when the fighting broke out he exhibited a natural flair for guerilla warfare. He kept the flame of 1857 burning until 1859 when he was betrayed by a friend, Man Singh the Rajput chief of Narwar.
"By Man Singh's directions the Sipahis were placed in ambush near a hollow which he and Tantia Topee had been in the habit of frequenting and he led his unsuspecting victim there and held a long conversation with him, till after midnight, when Tantia fell asleep. The Sipahis were then fetched by Man Singh, and Tantia Topee was secured and pinioned, his arms being seized by Man Singh himself".
Tatya Tope was court martialled for waging war against the British Government and was hanged on 15th April, 1859.

Dhondu Pant, also called Nana was an adopted son of Baji Rao, the last Peshwa.
While some historians consider him a ringleader of anti-British forces in 1857, others consider him a weakling.
All agree that he redeemed himself with the last letter he wrote to the British authorities:
"Life must be given up some day. Why then should I die dishonoured? There will be war between me and you as long as I have life, whether I be killed or imprisoned or hanged. And whatever I do will be done with the sword only."
Such was the awe in which people held him that long after his death in Nepal there were rumours that he was moving about freely in India, plotting to overthrow the British government.

Patna was peaceful when fighting broke out in other parts of the country in 1857. In a pre-emptive move, Taylor, Commissioner of Patna detained a few Wahabi leaders and issued a proclamation demanding the surrender of all arms owned by citizens within twenty-four hours. But anti-British feelings ran high and despite these precautions a mob led by a bookseller named Pir Ali went on the rampage on 3rd July 1857 and a British officer was killed. Pir Ali was arrested along with many others. Brought before the Commissioner, he was asked whether he had any information to give that might induce the Government to spare his life which meant he would be dealt with leniently if he gave out the names of those who had helped him. Kaye writes: "With dignified composure, he confronted his questioners, and replied: 'There are some cases in which it is good to save life—others in which it is better to lose it.' " He further denounced the oppression of the commissioner and said: 'You may hang me, or such as me, every day, but thousands will rise in my place, and your object will never be gained.' Pir Ali died a martyr's death at the gallows.

When Lucknow fell, a variety of animals — fowls, pigeons and parakeets — fell into the hands of the British soldiers. A few bullocks yoked to gun carts were also captured. Lt. Majendie writes: "Never in this world did prisoners of war prove so refractory as these horned gentlemen, so deaf to reason or cajolery. Unanimously and strenuously they refused to have anything to do with drawing the guns after they had once fallen into our hands."