A History of the Mahrattas v1.c30.65

v1.c30.65

Mahdoo Rao, as soon as the season permitted, marched from Poona, intending to have joined Trimbuck Rao, but being again taken ill he gave over the command to Appa Bulwunt, the son of that Bulwunt Rao who fell so much distinguished in one of the battles at Panniput. A.D. 1771. After the junction of Appa Bulwunt, the Mahratta army consisted of nearly forty thousand horse, with ten thousand infantry and some guns. Hyder, with twelve thousand horse and twenty-five thousand infantry, of whom fifteen thousand were regulars, and forty ¹ field guns, did not at first venture to take the field, and the Mahrattas encamped a short distance to the north of Seringapatam. Trimbuck Rao, in hopes of being able to draw Hyder from his position, retired a short distance to the northward, when Hyder, who always kept up a correspondence with some of the Mahratta officers,² is supposed to have been deceived by false information, and took the field, imagining that a great part of Trimbuck Rao’s force was detached.³ He was soon undeceived, and such was his impression, whether from having been formerly beaten by the Mahrattas or from want of confidence in his army, a circumstance rare in a good officer, this man, who had fought with skill and bravery against British troops, did not dare to risk a battle, and at last fled in the most dastardly and disorderly manner towards his capital. The whole of his guns were taken, some thousands of his men and fifteen hundred of his cavalry were destroyed; twenty-five elephants, several thousand horses, and the whole of his camp equipage, were the recorded trophies of the Mahrattas, who as usual boasted less of their victory than of their plunder.