Leswarree

The Battle of Laswari took place near Laswari village, Alwar. This was the hardest-fought action in Lord Lake’s campaign, total casualties amounting to 267 killed and 682 wounded, amongst the former being General Ware, commanding the First Division of the army, and Brigadier-General Vandeleur, commanding the Cavalry Division.

The Commander-in-Chief was, as usual, in the thick of the fight, having no less than three horses killed under him, three of his staff being killed. The victory, however, was complete.

The Honour has been awarded to the 8th Hussars.

Detail

The 8th, commanded by Colonel Thomas Packenham Vandeleur, played a key role in the victory over the Marathas at Leswarree, effectively bringing about the end of the Second Maratha War.

After the fall of Agra, the main body of the Maratha army was pursued through forced marches and was caught by the British Cavalry Division, under Colonel Vandeleur, near the village of Leswarree at dawn on 1 November.

The three Cavalry Brigades had to hold the enemy through repeated charges against heavy fire until the infantry could catch up with them.

The 8th were all mounted on white horses, but Colonel Vandeleur rode his favourite black charger and was killed at the front of the Regiment during the charge.

The Marathas were held albeit at a heavy cost, but when the infantry arrived before noon they suffered a heavy defeat.

On 17 November of that year in pursuit of Holkar, another Maratha leader, the 8th came upon his force encamped under the walls of Ferruckabad and in the ensuing confusion, massacred no less than 50,000 Marathas at a cost of 15 casualties.

Insurrections by Pindaris, Sikhs and Marathas kept the Regiment busy until in 1822 Colonel Tarleton received orders that his Regiment was to be armed, clothed and equipped as Hussars and on 11 January 1823 the Regiment left India as the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars.

Related topics

  1. A short history of The 8th Hussars
  2. The Maratha Wars