Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c44.s2.38

v4.c44.s2.38

Meantime, Mahādji had very early realised that Ismail Beg was an incorrigible enemy who must be crushed before he could repeat the feat of Ghulām Qādir. For the coming trial of strength he made adequate preparations, concentrated his forces near Mathurā by calling in all the dispersed detachments; above all, he liberally provided Colonel De Boigne with funds for raising thirteen battalions of trained sepoys with sixty pieces of modern artillery, and this work was completed and the new troops efficiently drilled in the course of six months.*