The battery was formed on 13 September 1838 as Shah Sujah's Troop, Horse Artillery at Delhi and Meerut. It was raised as part of Shah Sujah's force of 6,000 troops which invaded Afghanistan in an attempt to restore him to power. Equipped with ten 6 pounder guns and two 12 pounder howitzers, it was twice the normal strength of a battery. It was commanded by Captain William Anderson of the Bengal Artillery.