A decisive Maratha victory that forced a British surrender and shaped the course of the First Anglo-Maratha War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 12–13 January 1779
- British troop strength
- Over 3,000 troops
- Bullock support
- 19,000 bullocks
- Outcome
- British forced to surrender
- Treaty signed
- February 1779
- Commemorative pillar installed
- 2003
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A British East India Company force of over 3,000 troops was advancing over the Ghats to link up with a Bengal column when it ran out of supplies. The slow march left the force exposed and unable to sustain its position, making it vulnerable to interception by Maratha forces.
Mahadaji Shinde's Maratha forces attacked and encircled the weakened British column near Vadgaon Maval on 12–13 January 1779. Unable to break out and lacking supplies, the British were compelled to accept terms and surrendered to the Maratha Confederacy.
The defeated British force agreed a treaty in February 1779 and was permitted to withdraw to Bombay. The battle marked a significant Maratha success in the First Anglo-Maratha War and is still annually celebrated in the region, with a victory pillar erected at the site in 2003.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Mahadaji Shinde.
Side B
1 belligerent