A History of the Mahrattas v2.c58.1

v2.c58.1

A.D. 1817.—DURING the rains of 1817, the Pindharees, in three separate bodies, or durras, under their leaders Cheetoo, Khureem Khan, and Wasil Mohummud, occupied positions between Indore and Sagur. Khureem Khan was particularly active in recruiting his durra, and was anxious to concert some general plan for eluding the coming storm; but the enmity between him and Cheetoo was too rancorous to admit of cordial co-operation, even in self-defence. They were promised assistance by all the native princes, according to their hopes or fears, but none stood forth openly in their favour. The left division of the Bengal army assembled on the 10th October at Kalinjer in Bundelcund, under Major-General Marshall, and reached Sagur by the 28th. Whilst on its march, a party of Pindharees from the durra of Wasil Mohummud got in its rear and began to ravage the territory in Bundelcund; but their progress was arrested by a detachment from the Governor-General’s division, which obliged them to return to Malwa; and this was the only enterprise attempted by the Pindharees. General Marshall, without noticing this attempted diversion, marched on according to his instructions, and arrived at Rylee on the 10th November, where he opened a communication with Colonel Adams, whose division was already in its prescribed position at Hooshingabad. Sir Thomas Hislop by the same time had reached Hurda, and assumed command of the first division of the Deccan army. Sir John Malcolm, with the third division, composed of the Nizam’s battalions and the Mysore irregular horse, had arrived in that neighbourhood some time before; and the Guzerat division, having advanced from Baroda, was in its position at Dohud. Everything was now ready for the combined movement, when news of the breaking-out of hostilities at Poona reached Sir Thomas Hislop. Conceiving from this intelligence, and from recent accounts of apprehended treachery in the court of Nagpoor, that it would be necessary to support Brigadier-Generals Smith and Doveton, General Hislop, departing from his instructions, immediately reinforced General Malcolm’s division with a brigade of the regular troops, and sent him forward to co-operate against the Pindharees, whilst he himself, with the first division, began to retrace his steps towards Burhanpoor. Sir John Malcolm crossed the Nerbuddah on the 16th November, and Colonel Adams on the 14th. By a concerted movement with General Marshall, the three divisions respectively reached Ashtah, Rassein, and Ratgurh on the 22d, and thence, in the same manner, reached Tullain, Bairsea, and Gunj Basouda by the 26th.