A History of the Mahrattas v2.c57.82.1

v2.c57.82.1

The Residency lies to the west of the city of Nagpoor, and is separated from it by a rocky hill, running north and south, called Seetabuldee. At each extremity of this hill, and distant about thirty yards from each other, are two eminences; that to the north, which is close to the Residency, is considerably larger and a little higher than that to the south; but the base of the latter, being close to the huts of a village communicating with the suburbs, and affording facility to the approach of irregulars, was a most important point, and was occupied by 300 men of the 24th regiment, under Captain Sadler, supported by a six-pounder. The three troops of cavalry, under Captain Fitzgerald, occupied the enclosures surrounding the Residency, being behind and partly to the right of the larger hill, upon which the remainder of the force was posted. In the evening, as the British picquets were about to be placed, a party was fired upon from the village at the bottom of the lower hill ; but, under the possibility of a mistake, they forebore returning it, until, upon a continuance of the aggression, they gave their fire, and retired upon the smaller hill, under a heavy discharge of matchlocks, which became the general signal for an attack on the British position. A smart fire was maintained on both sides till two o’clock in the morning, when it slackened on the part of the Mahrattas, but was renewed with great fury with cannon and musketry at daylight.