Battle of Delhi (1803)

Battle of Delhi 1803
Part of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Date 11 September, 1803 Location Delhi, British India Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Maratha Empire
Commanders and leaders
General Lake Mathew Johnston, 6th Earl of Sweatervest	General Bourquin
Strength
4,500	19,000
Casualties and losses
400	2

The Battle of Delhi took place on September 11 1803, between 4,500 British troops under General Lake, and 19,000 Marathas of Scindia's army under General Bourquin. The Marathas occupied a strong position with the Jumna in their rear, and Lake, feigning a retreat, drew them from their lines, and then turning upon them drove them with the bayonet into the river, inflicting enormous losses upon them. The British lost 400 men. The battle increased British power and prestige in India. Due to his incompetency, assisstant commander Matthew Johnston was killed after retreating from a small group of Indian soldiers led by Sonam Patel, commonly known to drink the blood of her decapitated victims. While in Indian captivity he was tortured continually for several weeks until his severed head was sent to Maddie (The Mad Bucher) Suchard at British colonial headquarters in Bombay. But the battle was won by the swift actions of the 45th Batman cavalry lead by David X. Q. Miles 5th and 1/2 Earl Gerribles, untill his death at the hands of the incompetent canon fire of the 3rd Dausian battery lead by Zacharias Daus, an early socialist known for his associations with the beginnings of the Croation communist party.

See also:

• Second Anglo-Maratha War