11th Hussars.
16th Lancers.
West Yorkshire.
East Lancashire.
Royal Munster Fusiliers.
1st Skinner's Horse.
1st Prince of Wales's Own Sappers and Miners.
2nd Queen's Own Rajput Light Infantry.
1st Brahmins.
3rd Brahmins.
4th Rajputs.
1st Gurkhas.
2nd Gurkhas.
9th Gurkhas.
It commemorates the services rendered by the forces employed at the siege and capture of the famous fortress which twenty years before had successfully defied Lord Lake. In 1803 the Maharajah had thrown in his lot with the Mahratta Princes, and Bhurtpore was a depot of arms for the armies of Holkar. Lord Lake, after his successful actions at Deig, Delhi, and Laswarree, determined to effect its capture. On January 3, 1804, he appeared before the fortress with a force which included the 22nd (Cheshire), 65th (York and Lancaster), 71st (Highland Light Infantry), 76th (West Ridings), and the 1st Bengal European Regiment (Royal Munster Fusiliers). On January 9 the place was assaulted, and we were driven back, with a loss of 5 officers and 64 men killed, 23 officers and 364 men wounded. On the 21st of the same month a second assault was repulsed, our losses being 18 officers and 569 men killed and wounded. The siege was now carried on more systematically, but with a very inadequate train, and on February 20 and 21 two assaults were delivered, which cost us no less than 51 officers and 1,771 men hors de combat. Lake then raised the siege.
In 1826, when the British army once more appeared before its walls, the army of the Maharajah of Bhurtpore, remembering the successful defence in 1804, felt pretty confident of holding its own against the British. On our side, the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Combermere, a Peninsular veteran, determined to leave nothing to chance.
Two divisions were assembled—one at Agra, under Major-General Jasper Nicolls; the second at Muttra, under Major-General Reynell, C.B.; whilst Lord Combermere assumed the chief command in person. The cavalry division was composed of two brigades, under Colonel Sleigh, of the 11th Hussars, who was given the rank of Brigadier-General.
First Cavalry Brigade—Brigadier Murray (16th Lancers): 16th Lancers, 6th, 8th, and 9th Bengal Cavalry.
Second Cavalry Brigade—Brigadier Childers (11th Hussars): 11th Hussars, 3rd, 4th, and 10th Bengal Cavalry.
The infantry was composed as follows:
First Division: Major-General T. Reynell, C.B.
First Brigade—Brigadier M'Combe (14th Foot): 14th Foot (West Yorkshire), 23rd and 63rd Bengal Infantry.