The Battle of Chatra was a conflict that took place during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 between the East India Company and the mutinying sepoys who were allied certain local zamindars.

[1] Two companies of the Ramgarh Battalion which were stationed in Hazaribagh revolted against the British authorities as did other troops all across North India such as in Meerut.

[2] These sepoys fell under the leadership of local rebel leaders including Jaimangal Pandey and Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo and formed a mukti vahini (people's army) and intended to overthrow the British authorities.

[3] The rebels received word that a clash was inevitable and fortified themselves within the town and in the process were harassing, robbing and looting the local people which caused many of them to assist the British forces.

Two of the major rebel leaders, Vishwanath Shahdeo[6] and Ganpat Rai managed to escape and continued to harass the British forces before being captured in 1858 and hanged.