Battle of Nalapani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Nalapani
Part of the Anglo-Nepalese War
Date 31 October – 30 November 1814 Location Dehradun, India 30°23′35″N 78°05′08″E / 30.392922°N 78.085443°E / 30.392922; 78.085443 Result East India Company victory Nepalese force ceded Nalapani
Belligerents
East India Company	Kingdom of Nepal
Commanders and leaders
Major-General Rollo Gillespie  † Colonel Sebright Mawbey	Captain Balbhadra Kunwar
Strength
3,513 men initially	about 600 (men, women and children)
Casualties and losses
over 69 dead 671 wounded	over 90 dead 440 wounded

The Battle of Nalapani was the very first fight in a big war called the Anglo-Nepalese War. This war happened between 1814 and 1816. It was fought between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Nepal. Nepal was ruled by the Gorkha family at that time. The battle took place around a fort called Nalapani, near a town called Dehradun.

What Was the Battle of Nalapani?

The British army surrounded the Nalapani fort. This is called a siege. The siege lasted from October 31 to November 30, 1814. Captain Balbhadra Kunwar led the soldiers inside the fort. They were called the garrison.

The British attacking force was led by Major-General Rollo Gillespie. He had fought in other battles before, like the Battle of Java. Sadly, Gillespie was killed on the first day of the siege. He was trying to encourage his soldiers.

A Brave Stand at Nalapani Fort

The Nepalese soldiers, led by Balbhadra, were greatly outnumbered. There were about 600 people in the fort, including men, women, and children. The British had more than 5,000 soldiers. The British also had much stronger weapons.

Despite these challenges, Balbhadra and his small group held out for over a month. They bravely defended the fort.

How the British Won

The British tried to attack the fort directly two times. Both attacks failed and cost them many soldiers. So, they changed their plan. They decided to cut off the fort's water supply. This would force the people inside to surrender.

After three days without water, the people in the fort were very thirsty. On the last day of the siege, Balbhadra was asked to give up. But he refused to surrender. Instead, he led the 70 surviving members of his group in a daring charge. They fought their way out of the fort. They escaped into the nearby hills.

What Was the Result?

The British finally captured the fort. But it took them a lot of time, effort, and soldiers to do it. This kind of victory is called a pyrrhic victory. It means you win, but the cost is so high that it feels like a loss.

Other battles in the war, like the one at Jaithak, also happened in a similar way. The fighting at Nalapani showed everyone how brave the Gurkha soldiers were. Because of their courage, the British later started recruiting Gurkhas to join their own army.

Images for kids

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  The layout of Nalapani fort. The water source that the Nepalese depended on is seen to be outside the fort.

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  Sir Robert Rollo Gillespie

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  Pioneers fall back after the first attack fails