Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c58.s5.2

v4.c58.s5.2

At the first view the camping ground of the Marathas seemed to be covered by a moving mass of men and horses in disorder. That morning the soldiers had staged a *dharnā* or coercive demonstration against their employers for their due pay and rations, and Daulat Rao had ridden from his tent over to Raghuji Bhonslé’s camp some four miles east of himself, for consultation, that is to talk and talk helplessly. No battle was expected, nor had they any news of the close approach of the English army. Here, in their camp, everyone was unready and off his guard; the gun bullocks had been sent out in the morning to graze; the soldiers were dispersed, each caste cooking its own food in a separate place. Only a small force of advanced guards (or picquets as they would be called in the English army) was on duty at Assaye, with the campoo guns. Thus it happened, that when the battle opened, the supreme head of Sindhia’s army was six miles in the rear of the point of attack, with a moving mass of men and materials between them. [Kharé, xiv. 6734, 6749. Gulgulé D. 15 Oct.]