Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c53.s3.41

v4.c53.s3.41

On 15th March the Jaipur Rajah had entered his tents at Sāngāner, while twelve days earlier the Rajah of Jodhpur had proclaimed war against the Marāthas and sent a cavalry corps to the assistance of Jaipur. General Perron, who was jealous of Lakhwā's authority, set out from Aligarh to interpose in the quarrel with Pratāp Singh, ostensibly as a mutual friend. Lakhwā's decision was quick. Hearing of the war preparations and advance of the Jaipur Rajah from his capital, he assembled his own troops and took post four miles south of Mālpurā, a town about 55 miles south-west of Jaipur. His army consisted of De Boigne's second brigade (of 6 battalions commanded by Pohlmann, a Hanoverian), Chevalier Dudrenec's brigade (of 6 battalions, supplied by Holkar), two battalions of Lakhwā's own contingent, a battalion furnished by the Kotā regent Zālim Singh, and a body of inefficient Marātha light horse, a total of about 16,000 men. The Jaipur army was formed by 18 battalions of musketeers, 1,000 Ruhelas, 2,000 Nāgā Gosāins, and upwards of 15,000 Rajput cavalry (including 5,000 Rāthor horsemen from Jodhpur led by Sawāi Singh),—a total of 27,000 men, besides 54 pieces of artillery, ranging from 24 pounders to six pounders.* The Rajah of Jaipur commanded in person.