Battle of Delhi (1803)

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

Battle of Delhi
Part of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Map of the Battle of Delhi (1803)
Date 11 September 1803 Location Delhi, Mughal Empire 28°36′45″N 77°17′30″E Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Maratha Confederacy
Commanders and leaders
Gerard Lake	Daulat Rao Scindia Louis Bourquin
Strength
4,500	17,000
Casualties and losses
Estimated 464–485 men killed or wounded	Estimated 3,000 killed or wounded
Delhi class=notpageimage| Location within Delhi Delhi Delhi (India)

Events

Bourquin had treacherously deserted his former friend General Perron and now commanded 1743 battalions of the latter's troops. The battle was fought at Mosadabad, right across the Yamuna River from Humayun's Tomb, also giving the battle its local name.

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.

A monument was later erected at the site in Patparganj, marked out by a surrounding ditch, commemorating Cornet Sanguine and the Company army soldiers who fell during the battle.