Battle of Quilon
Part ofTravancore-British War
Quilon Fort in 1756, after it had passed from Portuguese rule to the Dutch.
Date 15 January 1809 Location Quilon (Kollam),India 8°53′N76°36′E / 8.88°N 76.60°E /8.88; 76.60 Result East India Company victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Kingdom of Travancore
Commanders and leaders
Col. Chalmers	Velu Thampi Dalawa
Strength
	Total: 20,000–30,000 18 Artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
141 Killed and Wounded	700 killed 15 pieces of artillery captured
class=notpageimage| Location within India

TheBattle of Quilon (orBattle of Kollam) was fought on 15 January 1809 atCantonment Maidan inQuilon, an important port city and business hub on the southwest coast ofIndia. The conflict involved troops of the Indian kingdom ofTravancore, led by the thenDewan (prime minister) ofTravancore,Velu Thampi Dalawa, and a detachment of theBritish East India Company under Colonel Chalmers. The battle lasted for only six hours and is closely associated with the social and political history ofKerala.^[1]

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The battle was the result of theBritish East India Company's occupation of the city ofQuilon and an attack on their local garrison situated nearCantonment Maidan, a sizeable area in the east of oldQuilon town. Due to the importance of Quilon for trade, administration and shipping, a British garrison was stationed in the town. This was subsequently reduced to a native regiment acting as a protective force for the then Maharaja of the erstwhile state ofTravancore.

On 15 January 1809, on the orders of TravancoreDewanVelu Thampi Dalawa, 20,000–30,000Nair troops with 18 artillery pieces attacked the British. Their commander, Colonel Chambers, divided his force of one European regiment and three battalions of nativesepoys into two columns, which then counter-attacked. The Nairs were driven off with the loss of 700 men and 15 artillery pieces.^[2] The battle lasted only six hours and resulted in all the insurrectionists who participated in the battle being court-martialled and subsequently hanged at the maidan.^[3]

• Quilon
• Cantonment Maidan

Bibliography

• Aiya, V. Nagam (1906).Travancore State Manual. Travancore Government Press.

• History of Kollam
• Battles involving Travancore
• Battles involving the British East India Company
• January 1809

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