A History of the Mahrattas v2.c37.43

v2.c37.43

P.S.—‘This does not please Mr. Bappoojee, the Bura Surdar; he also demands he may be paid for all the batty (rice) that has been taken, and a tribute for the expense of his army. He also says, that General Goddard, with the grand army, is at present surrounded in Guzerat, and if you will peaceably comply with the above terms, he will get the grand army released, and further threatens us on refusal where he had committed great devastations. Lieutenant Welsh, an officer of the Bengal cavalry, having been sent forward by Goddard at the requisition of the civil authorities in Surat, with the regiment of cavalry, the Candahar Horse, and a body of infantry, surprised the camp of Gunnesh Punt at four o’clock on the morning of the 23d April, killed upwards of a hundred of the Mahrattas, mortally wounded Gunnesh Punt the commander, took his guns, three in number, and the whole of his baggage.¹ Lieutenant Welsh went on to the southward, and greatly distinguished himself by reducing Parneira, Bugwara, and Indergurh, three forts in the neighbourhood of Damaun, of which the Bombay Government were very anxious to obtain possession. A detachment of the Bengal Sepoys under Major Forbes also distinguished themselves by attacking and routing one of Sindia’s detachments near Sinnore, on the banks of the Nerbuddah, which ensured tranquillity to the newly acquired districts in Guzerat during the approaching monsoon.