Gawilghur
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Gawilghur (also Gawilgarh) is the name of well-fortified stronghold of the Maratha Empire. It was popularly considered impregnable at the time but was successfully assaulted by Arthur Wellesley later the 1st Duke of Wellington, on the 15 December 1803. After many casualties,the 94th Scottish Brigade (light company) invaded the fortress after 2 attempts at the main gate from British and Sepoy companies. Captain Campbell led the daring assault, the breaches of which still stand to day, untouched since 15 December 1803; when the fortress was returned to the Marathas' after making peace with the British. The fort, in which the great gun that killed five attackers with a single shot, still stands although now with graffiti running the lenghth of the barrel. The fortress itself,amazingly still stands all in-tact, and is a fine specimen of an Indian fort over the British campaign era (1799-1803). It is located in the vicinity of Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati District of Maharashtra.
In popular culture, the campaign to take Gawilghur forms the background of the novel Sharpe’s Fortress by Bernard Cornwell.Other books also published by this Author in the Indian campaign series include: Sharpe's Tiger, Sharpe's Triumph and Sharpe's Fortress.
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