Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s25.1

v4.c56.s25.1

The battle of Laswari ended in "the annihilation of the whole of the regular forces in Sindhia's service commanded by French officers," as Lake justly claimed after his victory. But a heavy price had to be paid for it. On the British side 822 men were "killed and wounded out of a total force on the ground of about 8,000 men". Three officers of the highest rank and ten lower ones were killed, while about 40 others were wounded. The eight cavalry regiments lost 553 horses. But this battle showed the wonderful power of endurance, daring and cohesion of the British army. Their infantry went into the action after marching 65 miles in 48 hours; the cavalry covered 42 miles in 24 hours, and flung themselves on the enemy's unsubdued artillery immediately on reaching the field. Their horses were not watered or fed for twenty hours, during which they had been kept saddled and fighting. No wonder, when the end of it came, the victors had no breath left for pursuit. [Pearse, 241. Kharé, xiv. p. 7938.]