'Gun at Bhurtpore', 1826

Lithograph by Captain John Luard (1790-1875), from a series of 60 lithographs entitled, 'Views in India, Saint Helena, and Car Nicobar, drawn from nature and on stone', published by C Hullmandel, J Graf and Soret, 1838 (c).

Gun emplacement, part of the defences of Bhurtpore.

The storming of the formidable fortress of Bhurtpore (now Bharatpur) took place during the Jat War in what is now Rajahstan. Between December 1825 and January 1826 British troops under General Lord Combermere besieged the Jats' capital. The campaign continued until 18 January when artillery fire and the detonation of several mines opened a breach in the fortress which was then stormed and captured.

John Luard served with the 4th Dragoons in the Peninsular War and the 16th Light Dragoons in the Waterloo campaign. The 16th adopted the lance in 1816 and were posted to India in 1822. Luard saw action during the Bhurtpore (Bharatpur) campaign (1824-1826).