Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s12: § 17. Ramghat expedition of Marathas and Najaf Khan
Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s12
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§ 17. Ramghat expedition of Marathas and Najaf Khan
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This settlement made, the Maratha sardars crossed into the Doab on 2nd February 1773, and Najaf Khan did the same the next day, with the Mughalia troops who had decided to follow him for a living. Zābita, too, joined his Deccani patrons and promised to help their enterprise in Rohilkhand with his local knowledge and influence. The allied force traversed the Doab rapidly and reached Rāmghāt, on the west bank of the Ganges, 40 miles south-east of Bulandshahar, on the 15th. Their object was to obtain peaceful possession of the districts of Kora and Allahabad, by virtue of the imperial rescript granted to them. For this purpose they sent envoys to the Nawab of Oudh, demanding from him in his sovereign’s name delivery of the lands he had usurped since 1765. They also called upon the trans-Ganges Ruhelas, especially Hāfiz Rahmat Khan, to pay up the indemnity promised in January 1771.
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∗ DC. Madec. Ibrat. i. 219-222. Miskin 285-286. G. Ali iii. 14-18. Muna Lal 141-144.
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The Marathas at the very outset wished to avoid war. They knew that they were not strong enough for a regular campaign. Mahadji Sindhia with his 10,000 men had left them before their recent attack on Delhi; another force of 5,000 under Shivaji Vithal had been detached to Jhansi to meet the revolt against Maratha authority there fomented by the Gosains and local chiefs. Only 30,000 men were now left, equally divided between Visāji and Tukoji. The latter, true to the Holkar tradition of raiding tactics (*ghanimi qawāit*), proposed to make a dash on Faizabad (the seat of Shujā-ud-daulah), and capture that unwalled town in three days. But Visāji knew better. He knew that his allies Zābita and Najaf were secretly corresponding with Shujā, assuring him of their real antagonism to the Maratha interests and offering to go over to the Nawab of Oudh in the event of a clash of arms between the two sides. Even René Madec begged for returning to the Oudh service if the English would pardon his desertion from their army in 1764. [CPC. iv. 172, 183] Visāji, therefore, wanted to avoid war at all costs.
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Ever since the Marathas had vacated Rohilkhand in May 1772, the Indian world knew it for certain that they would return there for collecting their dues next winter. Shujā knew that the Kora and Allahabad districts had been formally ceded to them, and he was not willing to disgorge these annexations. Hence, ever since that month he had kept making frantic appeals to his English protectors at Calcutta for the hire of British troops to defend these districts from the Marathas when they would come next. The Governor had assured him of such support. From Faizabad, by way of Lucknow, Shuja reached the bank of the Ganges opposite Cawnpur on 31st January, 1773. An English brigade composed of sepoys as well as white infantry, under Colonel Champion (the future conqueror of Rohilkhand) accompanied him. After the Marathas had arrived at Rāmghāt, the Nawab moved up the river towards them and encamped opposite Farrukhabad (3rd March). Here he was joined by more British troops and their commander-in-chief Sir Robert Barker himself. Marching further north, in response to the terrified calls of the Ruhelas, and covering long stages daily, the Anglo-Oudh force reached Sāhaswān, only 20 miles short of Rāmghāt, on the 19th. On that very day the Marathas at last embarked on war.*
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∗ Ramghat expedition.—Macpherson's *Soldiering in India* and *CPC.* iv (both fullest and best.) *DC.* *Aiti Tip.* vi 17.
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There had been an angry scene in the invaders' camp on the west bank of the Ganges. The pacific Visāji Krishna, inspite of his high title of the supreme agent for Maratha interests in Hindustan, was powerless. Tukoji Holkar, as usual, by his bluster carried the day, and taking Najaf Khan with himself forded the Ganges there with his 15,000 light horse, while Visāji, with the other half of the army, stayed behind at the village of Bhelon, two miles west of the ghat, in charge of all the camp, heavy baggage and the accumulated spoils of three years' campaigning in the North. The Pindharis looted the country round. As a wise precaution, a bridge of boats had been thrown by the Marathas over the Ganges at Puth, 50 miles higher up the river, to provide a safe path for retreat.