A History of the Mahrattas v2.c50.18

v2.c50.18

A.D. 1802.—The next difficulty originated in the first essential reform, the reduction of the military force. The Arab mercenaries, who had for some time ruled at Baroda, became alarmed at the prospect of a diminution in their body, and after some discussion, in the course of which they advanced extravagant demands for arrears, taking advantage of their situation in the town, they confined the Gaekwar and refused to release him until their claims were satisfied. They also permitted Kanhojee to escape. Mulhar Rao disappeared about the same time from Neriad, and from the number of men already discharged, the late dispersion of Mulhar Rao’s army, and the unemployed soldiery at all times numerous in Guzerat, great apprehensions of serious disorders were naturally entertained. Major Walker anxiously endeavoured to bring them to terms and to restore order without the necessity of resorting to force; but finding every reasonable inducement ineffectual, he called in the aid of a European regiment from Bombay, which having joined the subsidiary force, Colonel Woodington (Dec. 18.) invested the town of Baroda, and after a siege of ten days, during which the Arabs from the cover of the walls and houses killed a number of the assailants and picked off a large proportion of officers, the breach being practicable, the garrison surrendered. The terms of capitulation were, the payment of such arrears as might be found justly their due, and a promise on their part to quit the country. The arrears amounted to seventeen and a half lacks, and were duly discharged. Most of the Arab chiefs honourably adhered to the conditions, but some of them, especially Abood Jemadar, forfeited the pledge he had given, went off at the head of a large party in a contrary direction to that which had been prescribed, and with a view to join Kanhojee. Colonel Woodington having been sent in pursuit of them, surprised their camp and dispersed them, but the fugitives prosecuted their route and ultimately most of them joined Kanhojee. That person, after his escape from Baroda, fled to Rajpeeplee,¹ a hilly tract on the northern boundary of Maharashtra, where having collected a body of men, he returned to Guzerat during the siege of Baroda, attacked and routed a body of Babajee’s troops, and prosecuted his march to the vicinity of the town.