Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c54.s3.2

v4.c54.s3.2

All this time Ambāji Inglé was playing an ambiguous and inactive part. He made no haste to join Jaswant Holkar for a joint attack on Lakhwā, while he was still in Mālwa, but sought only to further his personal interests, trying to wrest Jāwad in Mewār (c. 20 Nov.); then he lay inactive at Sitāmau for sometime (Dec. 1-14), and finally joined Jaswant Holkar near Sārangpur (c. 20 Dec.), but could do nothing for his master. The two allies suspected each other of treachery, and their wrangling over the delay in paying Jaswant his promised subsidy* grew daily bitterer. Ambājī’s own army was 11,000 strong; and though Jaswant had sent to him 9,000 men, these were withdrawn at the end of January 1801, so that Ambājī gave up the idea of fighting Lakhwā but went instead to Kotā, which city he left on 2nd February to join his brother at the siege of Narwar. In the meantime, the Rajah of Datiā had joined Lakhwā’s force with 3,000 infantry, 2,000 horse and 6 guns, on 29th January and welcomed the Widows.