Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c48.s5: § 7. De Boigne’s advance : First battle at Panchilas
Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c48.s5
- Language
- English
§ 7. De Boigne’s advance : First battle at Panchilas
v4.c48.s5.1
Sindhia’s generals lost no time in taking up the challenge; leaving Bandria (2 miles south-west of Aligarh-Rampurā) they went to Sawāi Mādhopur on 23rd May, halted there for two or three days to place their camp in safety and lighten their force, and then returned westwards to seek the enemy out (26th). Meantime, Malhar Holkar who had usurped the supreme command of Holkar’s fighting forces, advanced from Bābi to Panchilas village and took post behind a *nala*. His army, some 15 to 20 thousand horse, besides foot, was drawn up in three cavalry divisions under Bāpu Holkar, Parāshar Dādāji, and himself, with the irregular infantry of Nāgās and Bairāgis in front and the camp behind.
v4.c48.s5.2
The Sindhian army advanced from the north-east, marching in De Boigne’s favourite column formation; his trained infantry battalions and artillery protected the front and the two flanks, the Deccani horse took shelter in the centre of the column, and a small force of musketeers and some light guns guarded the rear. Before such a compact formation, the Holkar cavalry with their Cossack tactics merely hovered round beyond the range of its fire, unable to stop its advance.
v4.c48.s5.3
Early on the 29th of May, De Boigne on sighting the enemy’s position, deployed his infantry in line of battle and turning a quarter circle struck Holkar’s front and opened artillery fire on their stationary masses. Bāpu Holkar and Parāshar Dādāji well knew the futility of Malhar’s boasted charging tactics and left him alone to try them, while they kept their own divisions safe by not moving up to the attack. Malhar Holkar at the head of his own troops (the left wing) made a detour round Sindhia’s army and attacked its rear. Here, instead of finding a confused crowd of servants, transport animals and baggage, he was met by a steady line of disciplined musketeers with light guns and *chevaux de frise* before them. Malhar’s cavalry found it impossible to hurl itself upon its opponents in the one impetuous charge so long dreamt of by him. While the attack was thus halted by these obstacles to a cavalry sweep, De Boigne’s rear-guard ploughed their enemy’s ranks with grape shot and bullet. Soon afterwards, Lakhwā Dādā arrived with the Household Cavalry (the *huzurāt*) to aid the defence. Malhar’s bolt was shot, he fled away with the broken remnant of his troops.
v4.c48.s5.4
Meanwhile in the front line, De Boigne’s light guns had been working havoc among the stationary Holkarians, whose only missile weapons were erratic rockets and some rusty old firelocks. While Holkar's army was thus engaged in its front and left, Sindhia's Pindharis made a detour by their own left and encircled and plundered Kashi Rao Holkar's camp in the rear with hardly any opposition. These enveloping tactics can succeed only against primitive armies.
v4.c48.s5.5
At the sight of Malhar's wing returning thinned and disordered from their advance, the entire army of Holkar broke and fled away, abandoning their baggage. The spoils taken by the victors included 175 horses, 50 camels, 3 palkis, 4 camels loaded with treasure, besides quantities of rockets, swivel guns mounted on camels and other arms, and the entire baggage of Kāshi Holkar.
v4.c48.s5.6
The defeated army of Holkar fell hurriedly back and by continuous retreat reached its base camp near the town of Lākheri, about 18 miles to the south. Gopāl Bhāu spent the night after the victory in the enemy's abandoned camp near Panchilas and then followed them up to Bābi (30th May) and Balwān (31st),—the last named place being six miles north-east of Lākheri.