Battle of Mukandwara Pass

Overview

The Battle of Mukandwara Pass, also known as the Battle of Mokandra Pass or Monson's Retreat, was fought from 8 to 10 July 1804 between forces of the Indore Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar, a member of the Maratha Confederacy and British East India Company forces under Colonel William Monson supported by Kotah kingdom during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. It was fought just to the south of the Mukandwara Pass, about 50 kilometres (31 mi). Monson, having overextended his supply line, was retreating toward Kotah when Holkar's forces decimated his rear guard on 10 July. Monson reached Kotah on 12 July, but was forced to abandon his guns in the mud at the Chambal River on the 15th. Holkar continued to harass Monson's force, which reached Kushalgarh on 25 Aug. Monson's men were then in a panic as they barely made it to Bayana.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Mukandwara Pass, fought in July 1804, marked a serious British reverse during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. Colonel Monson, having overextended his supply line, was forced into retreat toward Kotah, where Holkar's forces decimated his rear guard. The pursuit did not end at the pass: Monson was compelled to abandon his guns in the mud at the Chambal River, and Holkar continued to press his retreating force through Kushalgarh and toward Bayana. The episode demonstrated that a British column operating beyond its logistical reach was vulnerable to sustained Maratha harassment and pursuit, and it stood as one of the more damaging British operational failures of the wider conflict.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (9)