He had handed over his command, and was going home on sick leave when the mutiny of 1857 broke out. Thereupon he refused to go return to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and remained at Calcutta until his health was sufficiently restored to enable him to take the field. In January 1858 Franks was appointed to command the 4th infantry division in the field, with the rank of brigadier-general. This division, nearly six thousand strong, was intended to carry out a favourite scheme of Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning, the Governor-General of India. Franks was directed to march across the north-eastern frontier of Oude, driving the mutineers before him. Franks was then to meet Sir Jung Bahadur Rana, the prime minister of Nepal, who had promised to bring a force of Goorkhas to the assistance of the British. The two corps were to co-operate in Sir Colin Campbell's operations against Lucknow at the Siege of Lucknow. This programme was successfully carried out; on 19 and 23 February Franks inflicted defeats on the rebel leader, Muhammad Hussein Nazim, at Chanda, and between Badshahganj and Sultánpur. The effect of these victories, in which Franks lost only two men killed and sixteen wounded, was, however, reduced by the severe check that he received in an attempt to take Dohrighat. Campbell was much incensed at this defeat, and after the final Capture of Lucknow he refused to give Franks another command.