A History of the Mahrattas v1.c5.s1.4

v1.c5.s1.4

Grant was with Mountstuart Elphinstone at Poona in November 1817, when the final struggle with the Pēshwā took place, and is mentioned in Colonel Burr’s dispatch, describing the engagement between his brigade and the Pēshwā’s army at Kirkee, as having ‘most handsomely volunteered his services’ as an orderly-officer on the Colonel’s staff, and as having ‘particularly distinguished himself throughout the action.’ From a letter, dated Bombay, April 24, 1822, from Mountstuart Elphinstone to Grant,¹ it is clear that the latter deserves the credit for launching the timely attack of Colonel Burr’s brigade. In his history Grant (i.e. Grant Duff) speaks of a messenger being dispatched to warn Colonel Burr of the enemy’s approach and to order him to attack the Pēshwā’s army, when Burr himself was disposed to act on the defensive. ‘As to the facts about Kirkee,’ wrote Elphinstone in the letter above mentioned, ‘the important thing is that Colonel Burr and I had talked the matter over most fully, and fixed most positively that if ever war broke out he was to begin by attacking the Mahrattas; and from this I never knew, till we were actively engaged, that he ever swerved. When we were going to cross the river, you proposed to me to desire Burr to advance. I forget in what terms I sanctioned the request, but my impression was that it was perfectly settled Burr was to advance, and that the moment he knew war was begun he would do so. It turned out that I was quite mistaken, and that Burr would not have stirred without an order; and we are therefore indebted to you for what happened.' In the lengthy operations against the Pēshwā Bājī Rāo in 1817–18, which terminated in his submission and the annexation of the Deccan and Southern Marāthā country, Grant took an active part in both a civil and military capacity. He is mentioned in Mountstuart Elphinstone's diary under date December 7, 1817, as having fought gallantly with Russell, Pottinger, Tovey and others in a smart skirmish with the Pēshwā's troops near Pandharpur, and he was often consulted by Elphinstone on problems connected with the settlement of the country.