Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c48.s6.4

v4.c48.s6.4

After easily passing over three miles of open ground from Balwān, De Boigne placed his five battalions on guard and set the pioneers to work. As they advanced making a road and arrived near the mouth of the pass, they were suddenly assailed by a heavy fire of rockets and guns. The General climbed a tree to reconnoitre. There lay before him the entire army of Holkar spread out on the plain behind a marsh. The mouth of the pass was entrenched and held by a crowd of irregular infantry consisting of wild Gosāins and Bairāgis, or married monks fighting for hire; on their left stood Chevalier Dudrenec’s line of the four battalions of trained infantry he had raised for Tukoji Holkar. The second line of the enemy was formed by the Deccani horse, in three large divisions (5,000 to 7,000 each) which were led by Bāpu Holkar (right, with Kāshi Rao’s contingent), Parāshar Dādāji (centre, with Tukoji’s own contingent), and Malhar Holkar (left). These were formed in the open ground some distance behind the pass. The rear was made up of Holkar’s Pindhari horde (about eight to ten thousand strong) who were mere looters mounted on small ponies. Still further in the rear, close to the city lay the tents and baggage of this army.