Battle of Wadgaon

The Battle of Wadgaon (12–13 January 1779) was fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company near Vadgaon Maval village in Maharashtra and was part of the First Anglo-Maratha War.^[2]

Battle of Wadgaon
Part of First Anglo-Maratha War
A mural depicting the British surrender during the First Anglo-Maratha War. The mural is a part of the Victory Memorial (Vijay Stambh) located at Vadgaon Maval (Off NH-4, Malinagar, Vadgaon Maval, Pune)
Date 12–13 January 1779 Location Vadgaon Maval, Maharashtra, India 18.7486°N 73.641°E / 18.7486; 73.641 Result Maratha victory Signing of the Treaty of Salbai[1]
Belligerents
Maratha Empire	East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Mahadji Shinde Tukoji Rao Holkar Nana Fadnavis	Thomas Goddard Captain James Stuart Colonol Charles Egerton Lt. Col Cay Lt. Col Cockburn
Strength
	4,000 British forces , inclusive of artillery and gun men's under Stewart and Egerton. small contingents of infantry and gunmens under Raghunath Rao
Wadgaon Location within Maharashtra Show map of Maharashtra Wadgaon Wadgaon (India) Show map of India

Event

A British force of over 3,000, supported by 19,000 bullocks, had run out of supplies during a slow march over the Ghats which was aimed at joining with another force coming from Bengal. Mahadji Shinde's men attacked and surrounded the British at Wadgoan as they retreated from their exposed position. The British were forced to surrender and agreed a treaty in February 1779 before being allowed to return to Bombay.^[3]

Legacy

In 2003, a group named 'Express Nagrik Vadgaon Vijaystambh Pratishthan' installed a victory pillar to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Wadgaon. The victory at the Battle of Wadgaon is still celebrated in the region every year.^[4]