By June 1857, his father was second-in-command under Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow, where the British residency was under siege by Indian rebels. Lawrence was killed during the early days of the siege, and as a result Col. Inglis took command of the British forces. Mrs. Inglis kept a diary of the events during the siege, which lasted until November, when the British were evacuated following the relief of the town by General Colin Campbell. Her diary was published in 1892.