Siege of Aligarh

1803 battle in India

Siege of Aligarh
Part of the Second Anglo-Maratha War

Attack on Perron's camp and storming of Allyghur, Aug - Sep 1803
Date1–4 September 1803
Location
Aligarh, India
Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company Maratha Empire (French)
Commanders and leaders
  • General Lake
  • James Skinner[1]
  • Pierre Cuillier-Perron
    • Casualties and losses
    900 300
    • v
    • t
    • e
    Second Anglo-Maratha War
    • Poona
    • Ahmednagar
    • Aligarh
    • 1st Delhi
    • Assaye
    • Laswari
    • Argaon
    • Gawilghur
    • Mukandwara
    • 2nd Delhi
    • Deeg
    • Farrukhabad
    • Deeg Fort
    • Bharatpur

    The siege of Aligarh also known as the Battle of Aligarh was fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company during the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) at Aligarh, India.[2]

    Aligarh Fort, one of the strongest forts in India, was fortified and commanded by a French mercenary officer Pierre Perron. It was laid under siege on 1 September 1803, by the British 76th Regiment, now known as the Yorkshire Regiment, under General Lord Gerard Lake. It was captured from the Marathas and French on 4 September 1803.[3] During the assault, fourteen ditches were lined with sword-blades and poisoned chevaux-de-frise around the fort by the French soldiers. The walls were reinforced with French artillery. Tigers and Lions of Scindia's menagerie were also used by the French.[3] During the battle, the British lost as many as 900 soldiers.[3] The then Duke of Wellington declared the capture as "One of the most extraordinary feats of the British conquest of Northern India".[4]

    See also

    References

    1. ^ Holman, Dennis (1961). Sikander Sahib; Life Of Colonel James Skinner 1778 - 1841. Heinemann. p. 80.
    2. ^ Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. p. 75. ISBN 9788131300343.
    3. ^ a b c Thackeray, William Makepeace (2013). The Tremendous Adventures of Major Gahagan Chapter 2. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1490979120. Archived from the original on 23 June 2007.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
    4. ^ Butalia, Ramesh C. (1998). The Evolution of the Artillery in India. Allied. p. 239. ISBN 9788170238720. Retrieved 10 October 2018.

    External links

    • The Decisive Battles of India from 1746 to 1849 Inclusive, By George Bruce Malleson

    27°52′N 78°4′E / 27.867°N 78.067°E / 27.867; 78.067


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