=Delhi.=--Within a few days the battle of Delhi was fought and won. A portion of the force was dispatched, and on the 11th day of September, 1803, encamped near the Jehna Nullah within 6 miles of Delhi. Here Lake was, with 4,500 fighting men, confronted by an army of 13,000 infantry and 6,000 horsemen, with 79 pieces of artillery, under the command of a French officer, Louis Bourquien. Lake, despite the fatigued condition of his men, decided to give battle, and the result was a crowning victory for the British General, who with a native army--he had only two of the King's regiments with him, the 76th Foot and 27th Dragoons (since disbanded), to stiffen it--utterly routed the Mahrattas, who lost 3,000 men. The British losses were severe, for 585 men, including 17 European officers, fell ere the victorious army bivouacked on the field of battle, after being seventeen hours under arms. On September 13th the gallant Lake and his men entered Delhi. The result of this victory was the restoration of the Great Mogul, the blind Shah Alum, who had been a prisoner of the Scindiah's for years. [Illustration: GOLD MEDAL FOR MAIDA, 1806. Awarded to Sir Henry Edward Bunbury, Bart., K.C.B.] [Illustration: MEDAL FOR AVA, 1824-6.] =Assaye.=[3]--Meanwhile Major-General the Hon. Arthur Wellesley had besieged and taken Ahmednuggur, possibly at the time the strongest stone fort in India. This he made his base of operations, and hastened to get into touch with Colonel Stevenson in order to make a combined attack on the enemy on September 24th, but while Wellesley was on the march he discovered, when at Naulmah on the 23rd, that he was within 6 miles of the Mahratta army; he decided, therefore, to take what he afterwards termed "a desperate expedient." With a force of 6,400 infantry and 1,600 cavalry (of these only 1,500 were British) and only 17 guns, the man who was to become the hero of Waterloo offered battle to the armies of the confederate chiefs, which included 30,000 horse and 128 cannon in position behind the steep banks of the River Kaitna. The result of the battle was as brilliant as the commander's resolve was daring, for the Mahratta army was routed by one only a fifth its size, and left 2,000 dead on the field; but the cost to the British was a third of the army killed or wounded, including 170 officers. Wellesley had one horse killed under him by a cannon shot, and another by a bayonet wound in the breast--sufficient evidence of the part the General took in the attack. The battle of Assaye, Wellington's first victory, is excellent evidence that he was as bold in attack as he was brilliant in defence. The 19th Light Dragoons (since disbanded), the 74th and 78th Foot were the British regiments engaged in the battle, and while the latter bore the brunt of the conflict, the Dragoons largely contributed to it by their brilliant charge. [3] Spelt ASSYE on bar of Army of India Medal.