Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s23.5

v4.c56.s23.5

Lake’s advance force of cavalry in three brigades (8 regiments,—three of them British Dragoons and five Bengal Native Cavalry) had to ford the Baraki *nālā* slowly in a series of thin columns. Arrived on the north bank, the commander-in-chief lost no time in pursuing his plan of keeping the enemy engaged by a light cavalry attack, so as to give them no time to make an orderly retreat, while his own infantry was still toiling far behind. The First Brigade (under Colonel T. P. Vandeleur) being first on the scene, was immediately launched against the enemy’s guns at the extreme left of their line, in front of the village of Mālpur. This task was most gallantly carried out by the 8th Light Dragoons and two sepoy regiments of cavalry charging stirrup to stirrup. In the face of a tremendous fire from Sindhia’s numerous artillery and muskets, Lake’s horsemen broke through the Maratha line, drove the gunners from their pieces, and penetrated to the village behind. But they were devastated by the Maratha fire, to which they could not reply. Their leader, Col. T. P. Vandeleur was shot down when cheering his men to charge behind him, and many other officers and men fell,—83 officers and men besides 191 horses in these three regiments alone. So, Lake called them back out of cannon-range.