Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c58.s2.1

v4.c58.s2.1

The force appointed to oppose Sindhia in the Deccan consisted of two divisions ; the first, directly under the supreme commander, Major General Arthur Wellesley, was 11,153 strong, out of whom 2,164 were British and 8,989 were sepoys, the Indian element being a little over four to one. The other division was made up of the Haidarabad Subsidiary Force, under Colonel James Stevenson, subordinate to Wellesley, and contained 9,459 men out of whom the Europeans were only one-tenth (or 890 against 8,569 sepoys.) This latter force had no European cavalry with it, and its strength in regular horse was only 1,022, against Wellesley's 2,172 sabres.* A body of the Nizām's irregular cavalry and rabble infantry under Sakho Rudra followed Wellesley, but more as a distraction than a help, because of their frequent desertion during the campaign. The General complained, "The Nizām's horse are very useless," and again, "The Nizām's troops behave so ill," &c. He was troubled also by treachery (fitur) among their officers. [Gurwood, ed. of 1837, ii. 302, 303. Kharé, xiv. 6693. Sup. D. iv. 173.]