Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c27.s17.32

v2.c27.s17.32

The veteran lieutenant of the Asiatic Napoleon calmly finished his pipe, replaced his cap on his head, and calling up his wazir and Shah Pasand Khan gave them orders to marshal his ranks. With the instinct of a born general, he placed over half (18,000) of his own national troops in the centre in charge of his wazir, while two other corps—about 5,000 each, mostly cavalry mounted on superb Persian horses,—were sent to his extreme right and left. Thus, his Indo-Muslim allies were wedged in between strong bodies of Durrani troops on both sides and any attempt at treachery or flight on their part could be promptly crushed. These divisions on the extreme wings also rendered the favourite Maratha tactics of a flank attack impossible and thus heartened his Indian associates by guarding them against such a danger.