Battle of Delhi (1803)

Battle of Delhi
Part of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Date 11 September 1803 Location Delhi, Maratha Empire Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Maratha Empire *Daulat Rao Scindia
Commanders and leaders
Gerard Lake	Louis Bourquin
Strength
4,500	17,000
Casualties and losses
estimated 464 - 485 men killed or wounded.[1][2]	estimated 3,000 killed or wounded[3]

The Battle of Delhi took place on 11 September 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War, between British troops under General Lake, and Marathas of Scindia's army under General Louis Bourquin and Wable Sardar.

Events

Bourquin had treacherously deserted his former friend General Perron and now commanded 18 battalions of the latter's troops under a mandate from Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, who it was said "deputed more authority from a prison than many a sovereign had done from a throne."^[4] The battle was fought at Patparganj, right across the Yamuna River from Humayun's Tomb, also giving the battle its local name.^[5]

A map of the battle

The Marathas initially occupied a strong position with the Yamuna River in their rear. But, General Gerard Lake, feigning a retreat, drew them from their lines and then turning upon them drove them with the bayonet into the river, inflicting more losses upon them. Finally, the city of Delhi fell three days later. As a result, the control of the city of Delhi passed from the Marathas to the British.^[6]

A monument was later erected at the site in Patparganj, marked out by a surrounding ditch, commemorating Cornet Sanguine and British soldiers who fell during the battle.^[7]

References

1. "Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj - M. S. Naravane - Google Books". Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
2. Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. pp. 76–77. ISBN 9788131300343.
3. "Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj - M. S. Naravane - Google Books". Google Books. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
4. Blunt, Edward Arthur Henry (1911). List of Inscriptions on Christian Tombs and Tablets of Historical Interest in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. p. 14.
5. Fanshawe, p. 232.
6. Delhi, the Capital of India By Anon, John Capper, p.28
7. Jadunath Sarkar (1992). Fall Of The Mughal Empire Vol.5 (1789-1803). Orient Blackswan. p. 245. ISBN 0861317491.

• Fanshawe, Herbert Charles. Delhi past and present p. 68
• Marshman, John Clark. The History of India, from the earliest period to the close Lord Dalhousie's administration, Volume 2