Siege of Bharatpur (1805)

The siege of Bharatpur took place between 2 January and 22 February 1805 in the Indian Princely state of Bharatpur (now part of Rajasthan), during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. Forces of the British East India Company, led by General Gerard Lake, were four times repulsed in attempts to storm the fortress.^[2]

Siege of Bharatpur
Part of Second Anglo-Maratha War
Colonel Maitland at Bhurtpore
Date 2 January – 22 February 1805 Location Bharatpur Result Jat-Maratha victory [1]
Belligerents
Bharatpur State Maratha Empire Holkar of Indore	East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Ranjit Singh Yashwantrao Holkar	Gerard Lake
Strength
10,000	18,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown, but less	3,292 Casualties

Background

The Ruler of Bharatpur, Ranjit Singh had promised to join the British but instead formed an alliance with the Ruler of Indore Yashwantrao Holkar, who was allied to the Maratha Empire.^{[citation needed]} Holkar suffered setbacks with the British at the Battle of Deeg and the siege of Deeg. However, Ranjit Singh "came out openly on Holkar's side after the defeat of Monson." Lake arrived at the Bharatpur fort on 2 January 1805.^[3]

Siege

Siege of Bhurtpore

First and Second Assaults on Bhurtpore

The British bombardment started on 7 January, 1805, and a breach was effected on 9 January. The first British assault took place that night, led by Col. Ryan, Maj. Hawkes and Lt. Col. Maitland. The assault failed with 400 British casualties, including Maitland being mortally wounded. A second attack on 16 January was also thrown back, after the Marathas added water to their moat. British casualties were 500, including the assault leader, Lt. Col. MacRoy. However, Lake continued to receive supplies and reinforcements, including Maj. Gen. R. Jones force of 1600. This helped Lake deal with Amir Khan, Holkar's general, who was raiding Bundelkhand. A third assault on 20 February also failed, as did a fourth assault the next day. British casualties for all four assaults were 3,292. "The worst part of it was that many of the wounded were left behind where they had fallen. The defenders sallied out from the fort and killed them."^[4][1]

Third and Fourth Assaults on Bhurtpore

Aftermath

Ranjit Singh decided to accept the British offer, and paid the British an indemnity, which allowed him to retain all his possessions, including Deeg. Caught between three British armies, led by Lake, Gen. Jones and Col. Ball, Holkar sent emissaries to Lake. A treaty was signed on 24 December 1805, in which he gave up any claim to Tonk, Rampura, and Bundi.^[3]

References

1. Naravane 2014, p. 93-96.
2. "Siege of Bharatpur, 1805". 16 May 2023.
3. Naravane 2014, p. 9396.
4. Russell, Robert (1908). Provincial Series. Superintendent of Gevernment Printing. p. 325.

Bibliography

• Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 9788131300343.

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