It was on the afternoon of the 8th June that the British force was placed in position on the Ridge.  The main piquet was established at Hindu Rao’s house, a large stone building, in former days the country residence of some Mahratta Chief.  About one hundred and eighty yards further to the left was the observatory, near which our heavy gun battery was erected.  Beyond the observatory was an old Pathan mosque, in which was placed an Infantry piquet with two field-guns.  Still further to the left came the Flagstaff Tower, held by a party of Infantry with two more field-guns.  At the extreme right of the Ridge, overlooking the trunk road, there was a strong piquet with a heavy battery.

This was the weak point of our defence.  To the right, and somewhat to the rear, was the suburb of Sabzi Mandi (vegetable market), a succession of houses and walled gardens, from which the rebels constantly threatened our flank.  To protect this part of the position as much as possible, a battery of three 18-pounders and an Infantry piquet was placed on what was known as the General’s Mound, with a Cavalry piquet and two Horse Artillery guns immediately below.  In front of the Ridge the ground was covered with old buildings, enclosures, and clumps of trees, which afforded only too perfect shelter to the enemy when making their sorties.

As described by the Commanding Engineer, ’the eastern face of Delhi rests on the Jumna, and at the season of the year during which our operations were carried on, the stream may be described as washing the face of the walls.  The river front was therefore inaccessible to the besieging force, while at the same time the mutineers and the inhabitants of the city could communicate freely across the river by means of the bridge of boats and ferries.  This rendered it impossible for us to invest Delhi, even if there had been a sufficient number of troops for the purpose.  We were only able, indeed, to direct our attack against a small portion of the city wall, while throughout the siege the enemy could freely communicate with, and procure supplies from, the surrounding country.

’On the river front the defences consisted of an irregular wall with occasional bastions and towers, and about one half of the length of this face was occupied by the palace of the King of Delhi and its outwork, the old Moghul fort of Selimgarh.

’The remaining defences consisted of a succession of bastioned fronts, the connecting curtains being very long, and the outworks limited to one crown-work at the Ajmir gate, and Martello towers mounting a single gun, at the points where additional flanking fire to that given by the bastions themselves was required.’[10]

The above description will give some idea of the strength of the great city which the British force had come to capture.  For more than two months, however, our energies were devoted not to capturing the city, but to defending ourselves, having to be ever on the watch to guard our communication with the Punjab, and to repel the enemy’s almost daily sorties.