Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s13.13

v4.c56.s13.13

How could such a man fight, heart and soul, against the English in his master's cause? But Ambāji Inglé sank to the lowest depth of cowardice and villainy* when at Lāswāri (1st November 1803), he sent his sepoys on to battle, only to be butchered by the thousand, while he himself remained safe in the rear and made his escape at the first opportunity. If he had made up his mind to come to terms with the English, why did he not make an armistice with General Lake at the outset, and stop any hostile demonstration by his own troops against the approaching British line? On the eve of this battle and even during the noon-tide lull between the first and second stages of the fighting, he higgled to get from Lake better terms for his desertion,—trying to retain as much of his territory and artillery as possible under a British guarantee. He did not form any plan of battle or retreat, and yet he did not keep his army back from opening fire on the English troops. By his selfish treachery and cowardly indecision, he doomed thousands of more honourable men to a futile destruction. It was only fitting, that his reward at the hands of the English was the loss of everything of his own, except a small estate, and that too held subject to Sindhia's will and pleasure!