The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c27.8

c27.8

Speaking of the Nizām's army, a writer at the end of the 18th century says: "As an army, the composition is no less expensive than defective, and totally unfit for military operations. They encamp at random, without proper pickets in front, flank, or rear, and in consequence of this and other negligence are easily to be surprized — in short, these numerous bodies of robust men and active horse, seem designed for no other purpose than to adorn the march of their chief, who rides in the midst of them, upon one elephant, his standard displayed upon another, attended by chobdārs calling out his titles". No orders were given for a march; word of them was conveyed to each chief by his news-writer, who attended the darbār every evening. Little attention was paid to merit; preferment was obtained through birth and connections, intrigue, cabal, and other means equally destructive to military character (Ouseley's "Oriental Collections", 1795 i, 21—32).