Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c44.s2.44

v4.c44.s2.44

Gopāl Bhāu's first plan was to block the enemy force among the hills of Patan and cut off its supplies by sacking the villages around and attacking grain convoys on the way. But under Mahādji's orders he tried to seek a speedier decision by fighting. On 22nd May, he sent De Boigne's disciplined infantry and artillery as his vanguard and centre inside the pass to attempt to break the enemy's line. As this force moved into the open valley, the Rajput and Mughalia big guns planted on a higher ground on the hill side, struck down many of the assailants, but could not themselves be reached by De Boigne's lighter guns. So, at midday he abandoned the attempt after losing about two hundred men, and achieving nothing.