A History of the Mahrattas v2.c37.103

v2.c37.103

(19.) By the 19th he had sent down his guns and baggage to the bottom of the Ghauts, unobserved, as he supposed, by the enemy; but the Mahrattas had correct information of the least stir in his camp, and were silently but anxiously watching the result. Tookajee Holkar, with fifteen thousand men, without any baggage, was at the bottom of the Kussoor Ghaut, and Pureshram Bhow, with twelve thousand, was also below the Ghauts near Bheema Shunkur. Hurry Punt Phurkay was above the Ghauts, between Kundalla and Karlee, with above twenty-five thousand horse, four thousand foot, and several light field-pieces. General Goddard's information represented Holkar and Pureshram Bhow as about to ascend the Ghauts, but on the 20th, the moment that Goddard marched, Hurry Punt's force poured down into the Concan,¹ took a considerable quantity of baggage, consisting of tents, boxes of musket ammunition, and two thousand cannon-shot.² On the 20th Goddard halted at Kalapoor, and renewed his march on the 21st. His rear had scarcely cleared the ground of encampment, when the first shot from Hurry Punt's guns struck a tumbril full of ammunition, which instantly exploded, and although it did very little mischief, the Mahrattas were greatly encouraged by the circumstance and harassed the troops during the whole of their march to Chouke. The nature of the ground gave their irregular infantry every advantage, as they were enabled from the cover of rocks, bushes, and ravines to take deliberate aim, and Holkar and Pureshram Bhow made their appearance in front about nine o'clock in the morning. At one o'clock in the afternoon, when Goddard pitched his camp, the enemy retired, Hurry Punt to Kalapoor, and the others to some distance in the rear of the right flank of the British army. The loss on the 21st, which was severe, fell principally upon the Bengal Sepoys, who were stationed in the rear and behaved with much gallantry. On the 22d Gibbings and Richardson, the former of the Madras and the latter of the Bengal establishment.