Battle of Laswari
The Battle of Laswari, fought in 1803, was a pivotal conflict in the context of British expansion in India and the geopolitical tensions involving Napoleon I's influence. The battle took place as General Gerard Lake led a contingent of approximately 10,000 troops from the British East India Company against a Marāṭhā army commanded by Daulat Rāo Shinde, which included 9,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Positioned behind a fortified line of cannons, the Marāṭhā forces initially held their ground against Lake's aggressive cavalry charges. However, after enduring significant losses—reportedly 7,000 men—the Marāṭhās ultimately surrendered, yielding their artillery and ammunition to the British. The conflict resulted in around 800 British casualties and marked a decisive victory that contributed to the consolidation of British power in India. This battle, alongside other victories in the Deccan, forced Shinde into submission and underscored the growing dominance of British military forces in the subcontinent. The Battle of Laswari thus represents a significant moment in the historical narrative of British colonial expansion.
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Battle of Laswari
Type of action: Ground battle in the Second Marāṭhā War
Date: November 1, 1803
Location: Laswari, India
Combatants: 10,000 British and Indians vs. 14,000 Marāṭhās
Principal commanders:British, General Gerard Lake (1744–1808); Marazha, Daulat Rāo Shinde
Result: British victory, forcing Shinde’s submission
Britain’s growing conquest of India and the need to parry Napoleon I’s influence in the region mingled with growing resentment of the large armies of the Marāṭhās. At Laswari, British primacy in India would be marked by decisive victory.
General Gerard Lake and his 10,000 troops, mostly British East India Company native troops with a small English contingent, had occupied Aligarh, defeated the French at Delhi, then taken āgra (September 5-October 17, 1803). He then faced Daulat Rāo Shinde’s 9,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry at Laswari.
The Marāṭhā army drew itself up behind a line of cannons, chained together by the wheel, as Lake’s cavalry charged over the lines. The Marāṭhā veteran infantry rallied against the assault, but Lake’s troops, who had covered sixty-eight miles in forty-eight hours, arrived just in time to destroy the Marāṭhā forces, who had held their ground nobly until 7,000 of their number had fallen. With victory impossible, the Marāṭhā laid down their arms, handing over seventy-two guns and large stores of ammunition. The British suffered about 800 killed. Later that month, Lake took Farrnkhabad.
Significance
Coupled with the victories at the Deccan of General Arthur Wellesley, later duke of Wellington, the Battle of Laswari forced Shinde into submission.
Bibliography
Barnett, Correlli. Britain and Her Army, 1509–1970. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin, 1974.
Bhatia, H. S., ed. Military History of British India, 1607–1947. New Delhi, India: Deep and Deep, 1977.
Pitre, K. G. The Second Anglo-Maratha War, 1802–1805. Poona, India: Dastane Ramchandra, 1990.