1. Geo-Political Situation
• Beginning of 17th
Century, EIC opened
its trade in South India
• 1757 AD - formed their
own force and defeated
the Nawabs
• By 19th
Century, direct
control over Delhi
2. Geo-Political Situation
• Unification campaign in
Nepal
• 1784 – 86 AD – Chaubise
states
• 1791 – Mahakali River
• 1791 – crossed River
Sutlej
• 1806 – Seized Kangada
3. Relation Between Nepal & EIC
• Rise of Gorkhali power
• 1767 – Capt. Kinloch expedition
• 1710 – 1801 – Efforts of
Diplomatic relations
• EIC planned to compel Nepal to
accept British proposals
4. Causes of War
• Main causes of the war
• Immediate cause of War
5. Main Causes of War
• Policy of expansion
• Growing Military power of Nepal
• Failure of diplomacy
• EIC commercial interests
• Self over estimation
• Territorial disputes
• Strategic interests and objectives of
EIC
6. Immediate Cause of War
• Border dispute in Seoraj and Butwal
• 1804 AD – Nepalese troops captured
Palpa
• EIC proposed to give Seoraj and take
back Butwal
• March 1814 – Border Commision
• EIC gave an ultimatum of 25 days
• Nepalese troops recaptured Butwal
8. 12:15:59 PM
Maj-Gen
Rollo
Gillespie,
4500
Maj-Gen John
Wood 4000
Maj-Gen
Bennet Marley
6500
Capt Latter
2000
Anglo-Nepal War 1814-16
British Forces Line of Attack
& Nepalese Defence Plan
T I B E T
Maj Gen
Ochterlony
6000 AMAR
S
THAPA
5000+
UJIR
S
THAPA
3000
R S THAPA
4000
B THAPA
2000
9. 12:16:00 PM
Comparison of Forces
British
Infantry -4,061European
-31,008 Natives
-17,111 Irregulars
• Artillery -3,628
• Pioneers -843
Nepalese
Infantry 16-18000
Artillery about 200
14. Political Schemes of EIC
Rise Ex-petty rulers against Gurakha
Confine Nepal within hills
Annexation of Nepalese territory
Pre-conditions for a treaty:
– Surrender of Culprits
– Surrender of all disputed lands
– War indemnity
– Surrender of all lands captured by EIC
15. EIC Preparation contd..
Factors Considered by EIC
Time of operation – limited
Area of operation – mountainous
Concentration of Nepalese force in two areas
Field Army
Capital
Strategy of division and diffusion:
• Independent & simultaneous attacks
• Attack in two theatres separated by River Kali
Strategy for InvasionStrategy for Invasion
16. Deharadun
No 4 Div
No 3 Div
No2Div
No1Div
Bijayapur
Amar Singh
Thapa, Arki
Palpa
Makwanpur
Field Army
Western Theatre
Eastern Theatre
British Military Preparation
Rohilla
Khand
CHINA
Rangapur
Gorakhpur
Dinapur
Saharanpur
Rupar
Chhauni
Capital
17. Special arrangements
Hasting’s arrangements for war:
Supporting artillery
European troops
Ordnance
Mobility & cannon for carriage
Special clothing
Supply depots & food stock
Communication
China FactorChina Factor
19. Nepalese Preparation for War
Factors Considered by Nepal
– Advantages over the British
• Knowledge of the Area
• Experienced in fighting in the mountainous terrain
– Numerical & Weaponry Inferiority
– Mixed opinion & Decision
Military Preparation
– French expert
– Manufacturing of arms and ammunitions
– European titles for army
– Uniforms of European pattern
– Construction of Barracks
– Fortification
21. Nepalese Political Maneuver
Bhimsen Thapa’s diplomacy against the
common enemy EIC.
Marathas
Gwalior
Punjab
Rohilla Khand
Tibet
China
22. Battle of Nalapani
• Battle before the decleration of Anglo Nepal War
24th
Oct -30th
Nov 1814
• Battle of Khalanga
• Famous – Nepalese History
Plain land
Fort
Deharadun
Nahan 7km NE
Lakhand
Kharsali
Village
Asthala Basti
Tapoban
23. Events
22nd
Oct
1814 – Col Mawby
Captured Nahan
24th
Oct
-0430 Mawby fired
cannons – single
cannon could not
reach fort
British
experience a
failure – retreted
24. Events
a) 26th
Nov Gen Gillespie
Shifted HQ to Foot Hills –
Recce Multi directional/
simultaneous attack
b) 30th
Oct Gen Gillespie
ordered to fire fort
c) Gillespie forgot signal –
Furrious
d) Nepalese raid against
cannons
e) Nepalese aggression
outside the fort, Several
losses on British side
including Gen Gillespie at
1115 am 30th
Oct 1814
f) 30 NCO and OR died 225
injured
25. THIRD ATTACKTED AGAINST NALAPANI
Events
a) British 4x18 pounder,
2400 cannons balls, 2 x 8”
Mortar 400 mortar shell
and reinforcement of extra
Bns cdrs Maj. Ludlow &
Balduck
Capt. Bucke &Caultama
Construction of Road
Cut off of water supply,
reinforcement of Nepalese
side
b) Nepalese, Strengthen
the fort, storage of water,
food and supply.
Reinforcement –Jawaladal
Coy
28. BATTLE OF JITGADHBATTLE OF JITGADH
Plan
• Cdr - Major General John Sullivan Wood
• Assigned responsibility of capturing
Butwal, and up to Palpa in Nepal
• On 15th November,1814 - arrived at
Gorakhpur
• King’s 17th
Regiment and 8th
Cavalry
29. Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Tinau River
Jitgadh
Butwal Gauda
Siddharth Highway
Nuwakot Gadhi
Palpa
- Cdr – Kaji Bdr Pandey
- Very strong posn
- 100 slodeirs- Gurubox Coy
- Platoon - Sabuj
Plan - 1
Plan - 2
N
30. First plan was not supported by Kanak
Nidhi Tiwari ( Advisor to Wood)
- Difficult to reachDifficult to reach
- No water within 5 km radius- No water within 5 km radius
Guru and advisor to ex Palpa king
Prithivi Pal
Trying to regain Palpa from Gorkhali
Contd…
31. Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Tinau River
Jitgadh
Butwal Gauda
Nuwakot Gadhi
Palpa
Plan - 1
- 3 Jan, 1815 – Adv from
Seoraj
- Guide – Kanak Nidhi
- Adv along Eastern bank
- Thick Sal forest-no roads
and tracks
- Difficult for Wood
- Assembled- found only 3
coys
- When further adv- found that
forest was ending nearly
30yds from his loc
- Little further adv – fort
covered with mosses and
creepers
- No sight of Nidhi
THE FIRST BATTLE
Seoraj
32. Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Tinau River
Jitgadh
Butwal Gauda
Nuwakot Gadhi
Palpa
Plan - 1
- Ensign Stephens was sent
for recce
- Found fort was deserted and
vacant
- While returning, barrage of
gun fire
- 2 soldiers were hit
- Decided to wait till the
remaining tps
- Divided into two gps
- Morale was high
- Reinforcement – Col Ujir
Singh Thapa
- Turning in favour of Wood
- Unable to read the exact
picture – ordered retreat
THE FIRST BATTLE
Seoraj
Capt
Croker
Gen Wood
34. Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Tinau River
Jitgadh
Butwal Gauda
Nuwakot Gadhi
Palpa -Wood not giving up the idea
of capturing Jitgadh again
- 6 April, marched towards
butwal
- Weather deteriorated
- Rise of Tinau river
- British, 2 x 18 pound canon
and 4 mortors
- Nepal had not more than 100
soldiers
- 4 x def posn- Butwal town
- 2 x def posn- Butwal Darbar
THE SECOND
BATTLE
Seoraj
35. Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Tinau River
Jitgadh
Butwal Gauda
Nuwakot Gadhi
Palpa - British opened up fire with
cannons
- Fire exchange continued for
some time and stopped
- Thought fort was destroyed
and deserted
- Crossing of river
- Intense fire from Jitgadh
- Some swam safely back to
the river
- Not worth it and retreated
again back to his loc
THE SECOND
BATTLE
Seoraj
37. 12:15:58 PM
Battle of Diothal
16th
April 1815
• Introduction
• Background
• The Battle
• Aftermath
• Reasons behind Gorkhali Failure
38. Tactics & Principle of War
British Side
Political isolation of Nepal
Attack in various fronts to divide the troops of Nepal
Detailed preparation logistic planning
Well thought out time planning for the campaign with
respect to the weather and climate of Nepal
Use of overwhelming force and multidirectional attack
39. Maximum use of local guides to gain local
information
Maximum use of artillery weapons
Isolation and encirclement of strongly held position
Use of diplomacy
CONTD…..
40. Nepalese Side
Maximum use of local resources and improvisation
Well thought out selection of defensive location and
defensive battle
Timely counter attack
Taking maximum advantage of terrain and local
knowledge
Good leadership
41. Principles of war used in the War
Selection and maintenance of Aim
Offensive Action
Security
Surprise
Concentration of Force
Economy of Effort
Flexibility
Cooperation
Administration
43. British Side
The main weaknesses were as follows:-
• Lack of knowledge of adversary
• Lack knowledge of the ground
• Lack of information
• Lack of detailed and precise planning and
also lack of contingency plan
• Underestimation of the adversary
• Lack of training in the mountainous terrain
• Lack of cohesive spirit
44. The positive points were as follows
Good leadership
Good logistic support
Good fighting spirit
45. Nepalese Side
The main weaknesses were as
follows:-
Lack of knowledge of adversary
Lack of information
Lack of good logistic backup
The positive points were as follows.
Good fighting spirit
Good leadership
47. RESULTS OF WAR
Treaty of Sugauli
New Nepalese Boarder
Gorkha Recruitment
Unification Campaign of Nepal Halted
Increase in British Influence in Nepal
48. EFFECTS OF WAR
Lost the 1/3 territory in the East, South and West
Decisive Check for the Gorkhali Expansion
Ended the possibility of Gorkhas with Marathas
and Sheikhs
Question mark on Sovereign status
Interference in the internal politics of Nepal
Gorkha recruitment started
Though able to maintain the independent status
Nepalese Side
49. EFFECTS OF WAR
Position became secure in Indian sub-coninent
Got the valuable territorial
Income from Mines and Timber
Trade route opened
British resident in Nepal
Gorkha recruitment started
Re-structuring of Bengal Army
Lost lot of Money, man and material
East India Side
50. CONCLUSION
• After the War, the expansion policy of
Nepal Halted and the size of its territory
was reduced by one third
• Despite of heavy loss in the war, Nepalese
troops were able to demonstrate
outstanding courage, bravery, patriotism
and leadership and able to protect its
sovereignty
• Nepalese became famous all over the
world for their bravery