This Day in History: 1818-04-09

Since late 1817 the Sirmoor Battalion had been operating as part of the Reserve Division under General Ochterlony against the Mahrattas and Pindaris in Tonk (now part of Rajasthan). The campaign, later known as the Third Maratha War, ended Maharatta independence. In early 1818 some elements of Amir Khan’s army had still not surrendered and on this day the Battalion went to Sambhar ‘near the famous salt lake of that name’ to suppress them. According to the Regimental history ‘the place was taken with little difficulty’. Shortly afterwards, in May, the Battalion returned to Dehra Dun.