Map of the Battle of Delhi, by the Frand Army under the Command of His Excellency General Gerard Lake, and a Division of Monsieur Perrons Troops under the Command of Monseiur Louis Bourquein

5 June 1804

Copper engraving on paper

12.75 x 18.75 in (32.5 x 47.7 cm)

On September 11, 1803 in Patparganj, the Battle of Delhi, also known as the Battle of Patparganj, was fought 219 years ago (now in East Delhi). The fight was fought between British forces led by General Gerard Lake and Marathas led by French General Louis Bourquin and Wable Sardar from Daulat Rao Scindia's Army. The battle was fought at Mosadabad, right across the Yamuna River from Humayun's Tomb, also giving the battle its local name.

Scindia's Marathas pretended to fight for Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. It was a decisive fight between the two formidable forces, with the British becoming the Mughal Empire's custodian.

"General Lake had left Aligarh on September 7, 1803 and marched towards Delhi. There were two alternate objectives, Agra and Gwailor, but Delhi was chosen first because Emperor Shah Alam wanted to free himself form the Marathas and had sent a secret message to General Lake seeking his help. After a long march, Lake crossed the river Hindon and the troops set about establishing a camp.

The pickets sent out reported that the Marathas had crossed the Yamuna and had taken up a strong position on its left bank. 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 loss,” (Source: M.S. Naravene, Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj)

The British cavalry annihilated the Maratha Army. The Maratha Army abandoned the battlefield due to inadequate preparation and execution of war strategy to oppose the British Army. Many Maratha warriors were killed or drowned while crossing the Yamuna. Around 3,000 Marathas were slain, while the British force lost 464 men. 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.

Following the fight, the Mughal monarch Shah Alam II was granted nominal dominion over a tiny portion of territory near Delhi, with the British corporation proclaiming a monthly income of '90,000 for the Emperor.

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