Selections from the Peshwa Daftar 29.intro.3

29.intro.3

placed him on the Imperial throne. This was the crowning triumph of Madhavrao's regime, which came to an end by his death in November 1772 and which necessitated the return of the Maratha forces to the Deccan in 1773 after the murder of Peshwa Narayanrao became known to them.

Many useful details of this five years' period are discernible from the Peshwas' Diaries which the student of Maratha history will love to learn. How money was raised and spent, how diplomacy was carried on, who were the principal agents that were employed on various missions, how mutual jealousies often frustrated the main object of the expedition—these and similar topics will be found well illustrated in these extracts. Presents of animals, dresses and other articles will be found scrupulously credited to the Government; many letters and dispatches are now and then quoted and many fresh names are come across, thereby throwing new light on individual exploits. This paper is thus intended to serve as a sample of what a Maratha expedition was like.

The following itinerary of Ramchandra Ganesh will be found helpful in studying the campaign conducted by him. The Peshwas' Diaries give his daily movements with dates and halts; but if they were to be printed *in extenso*, they will occupy many printed pages and are hence omitted:—

8th May 1769 .. Ramchandra Ganesh reached Burhanpur.

25th May 1769 .. Nerbudda south bank.

16th July 1769 .. At Arun in Malwa.

22nd August 1769 .. At Raghavgad, Malwa: halt for two months.

12th December 1769 .. At Lakheri in Bundi.

26th December 1770 .. At Lalsot in Jaipur.

28th March 1770 .. At Kumbher in Jatvada.

12th May 1770 .. Crossed the Jumna near Muttra.

24th June 1770 .. On the Ganges in the Doab.

22nd July 1770 .. At Kol near Aligad.

17th December 1770 .. At Itawa in the Doab.

5th February 1771 .. At Patpatganj.

18th March 1771 .. Crossed the Jumna into Delhi and halted there upto January 1772.

24th January 1772 .. Crossed the Jumna back into the Doab.

12th February 1772 .. At Ghosgad against the Rohillas.

4th March 1772 .. At Pathargad against the Rohillas.

17th June 1772 .. Near Moradabad.

5th December 1772 .. Back to the south of the Jumna.

21st December 1772 .. Halt at Delhi.

18th February 1773 .. Back into the Doab at Ramghat.

23rd March 1773 .. Back to the south of the Jumna at Agra.

4th April 1773 .. On the Chambal.

21st July 1773 .. At Sironj.

13th August 1773 .. On the north bank of the Nerbudda.

1st September 1773 .. Near Burhanpur.

20th September 1773 .. Reached Poona.