Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c40.s10.8

v3.c40.s10.8

The Rathors during the rest of the day made three or four advances as if to fall on the Maratha guns again, but found no opportunity of carrying out the design. The Mughalias, deprived of their chief, did not stir again. After repulsing the first two enemy attacks, Sindhia’s army stood on the defensive, the Maratha portion of it quaking in fear lest at the first successful break through by the Rajputs their treacherous Hindustani comrades should join the enemy and turn their guns upon Mahadji’s own men! But the traitors got no opportunity for doing so, thanks to the successful defence by Rayaji Patil and others. [HP. 503.] In fact, after the first hour’s close tussle, the moves of the Rajputs became spasmodic and lacked vigour; the Maratha line held firmly, their men breathed freely, their wounded were transported to the rear tents in the palkis which had been promptly sent up by the considerate and ever-watchful Mahadji, and their munition supply was replenished by the same alert leader. But there was no further advance on the Maratha side, partly because Hamadani’s death was not known to them until the night, and partly because it began to rain in the afternoon, making that sandy plain difficult for artillery movement, and the Marathas were afraid of the ravines in front, the on-coming darkness and the lack of wells in that tract. So, each side fell back to its camp and resorted to random firing till an hour after sunset in order to guard against a surprise attack in the darkness. Thus the battle of Tunga,—miscalled that of Lalsot,—"though sanguinary, had no decisive result." [De Boigne, Carriere, p. 68.]