Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s15: § 3. General Perron's ignoble end
Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s15
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§ 3. General Perron's ignoble end
v4.c56.s15.1
After his cowardly flight from the advancing British army at Koil without striking one blow, Perron wrote from the way (on 1st September) two lying letters to Colonel Pedron, urging him for the honour of the French nation, never to make terms with General Lake, but defend Aligarh obstinately as he (Perron) “hoped in a few days to send back the English General as fast as, or perhaps faster than he came”. He assured Pedron that in a few days a vast army sent by him would arrive on the plain of Aligarh, and that Ranjit Singh of Lahore “had crossed the Satlaj with an army of 25,000 men and would join Perron in 14 or 15 days”. All this time the Indian world knew that Ranjit Singh had definitely rejected Perron's proposal for an anti-British alliance. [As. An. Reg. for 1804, State P. 258-260. PRC. ix. 65A.]
v4.c56.s15.2
The defender of Aligarh and his men knew the exact worth of Perron's words. That craven General's one thought now was how to withdraw his family and treasure from Agra and escape to British protection without being hindered by his deluded troops. This he effected by bribery and lying. His former subordinate James Skinner tells the story thus: Perron after fleeing from Aligarh, had removed his family and effects from Agra to Mathurā, where he himself was, with his bodyguard of 800 cavalry mounted from his own stable and 500 Mewātīs. Here 4,500 horsemen of Fleury's corps joined him after the failure of their raid in the Doab. On learning of Bourquien's revolt in Delhi, Perron had recourse to a stratagem. He told the cavalry that he would go immediately to Delhi and punish Bourquien for his treachery. Distributing three lakhs of rupees among the risāladārs for their troopers, he crossed the Jamunā that evening with his bodyguard, telling them to follow next morning. . . . Perron after crossing to the east bank . . . gave the Mewātīs Rs. 5,000 desiring them to keep the boats in their own hands during the night, instead of returning them to the west bank for ferrying the cavalry over. But he made a forced march of 20 kos in the night and reached Sāsni in the morning, whence he wrote to General Lake that he had resigned Sindhia’s service, and begged for a safe passage home through the British territory. [Fraser, i. 272-274.]
v4.c56.s15.3
The entire course of Perron’s duplicity will become clear from the following dates:
v4.c56.s15.4
20 Aug. 1803. General Lake received a letter from Perron expressing surprise at the advance of the British army from Cawnpur towards the Maratha frontier, and giving a hint of his desire to effect some arrangement by which a conflict with the British might be averted.
v4.c56.s15.5
27 Aug. Lake received another letter from P. stating his anxious wish that some means might be adopted for avoiding the extremity of war.
v4.c56.s15.6
28 Aug. Lake received another letter from Perron, proposing to depute his aide-de-camp, Mr. Bekett to the British General for “affording further explanation”. Lake agreed.
v4.c56.s15.7
29 Aug. Mr. Beckett waited on Lake in the morning of 29th Aug., while the British army was actually marching upon Aligarh. He repeated P’s determination not to retire from Maratha service until he should be relieved by his successor. Lake replied that P. might avoid hostilities only by prompt and unconditional surrender and thus save his personal property.
v4.c56.s15.8
⁶ Sept. Lake received a letter from P. renewing his application for permission to retire to Lucknow through the Co’s territories. He stated as the cause of his application the information which he had received of the appointment and approach of his successor [Ambāji Inglé]. Lake complied with the request; and Perron with his family and attended by Beckett and Fleury, was admitted with due honour to the Company’s territory on the 8th. [MM. v. 75-77 = iii. 367-368.]