The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c23.19

c23.19

The most decisive point of a battle was, however, the death or disappearance of the leader. If he was known to have been killed, or could not be seen on his elephant, the troops desisted at once, and the greater part forthwith sought their own safety in flight (To this effect, see De la Flotte, i, 258, Orme, “Hist. Frag.”, 419, Cambridge, “War”, Introd. ix). In order to be conspicuous, the leader rode on an elephant, preceded by others bearing displayed standards. “Nothing was more common than for a whole army to turn its back the moment they perceived the general’s seat empty. But Europeans having these forty years past (1745—1785) gained many a battle by only pointing a four-pounder at the main elephant, Indian generals have abandoned the custom and now appear on horseback, nay have learned to discipline their troops and to have an artillery well served” (Seir, i, 10, note 20). The troops were very subject to panic and sudden flight; so much so that the fact was summed up in the proverb “one soldier makes off, and a whole army is done for” ¹.