History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c44.8

v2.c44.8

The Bengal army consisted of 500 Sepoys, 21 Gunners and four 6-Pounders and sailed from Calcutta for Balasore. The force came in three ships and landed at Jampada near Gabgaon near old Balasore. Their landing was not opposed and a body of Maratha horse met them only at Balighat just below Barabati fort. They were soon driven away and the English rushed forward and attacked the fort. Balasore was taken after a very faint resistance and the Faujdār, Mayūra Pandit, retired towards Katak. A third British Army started from the Medinipur border under Colonel Fergusson and arrived at Balasore without any opposition. This army marched to Katak to join the larger army under Colonel Harcourt. In the meanwhile the Rājās of Kujang, Kanika and Harishpur were trying to combine against the English. And so Colonel Harcourt marched to Kujang via Patamundai. On the approach of the Company's troops the Rājā fled and his elder brother, who had been kept a prisoner, was placed on the gadi. The Rājā was captured and sent to Katak as a prisoner. The forts of Kanika, Kujang and Harishpur were occupied and demolished and all artillery carried away to Katak. A force was despatched under Major Forbes to force the Barmul¹ pass and occupy it on the 2nd November. Lieutenant Colonel Broughton captured Sambalpur² on the 2nd January 1804. This narrative itself proves that Raghuji II had made no arrangement for defending Orissa before joining Daulat Rāo Śinde on the 4th June at Malkapur in Berar³. His crushing defeat at the battle of Argaon and the fall of his stronghold of Gāwilgadh compelled him to submit to the degrading treaty of Deogaon. This treaty was ratified by the Governor-General in Council and by the second article Raghuji Bhonsle II ceded the Province of Orissa with the fort and district of Balasore. "Senah Saheb Soubah Raghojee Bhoosla cedes to the Honorable Company and their Allies, in perpetual sovereignty, the Province of Cuttack, including the Port and District of Balasore."⁴ By the partition treaty of Poona with the Peshwa Bāji Rāo II, ratified by the Governor-General, the cession of Orissa was confirmed.⁵ It appears that the small states or Zamindaris of Sambalpur and Patna were also ceded to the British, though there is no explicit reference to them in the treaty of Deogaon. Article 10 of this treaty says : "Certain treaties have been made by the British Government with the feudatories of Senah Saheb Soubah.