The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c11.22

c11.22

Mahadaji Sindhia simply continued the experiment begun by Balaji Baji Rao, but he was more fortunate than his master. The Peshwa failed to seduce Bussy and could not secure the service of any other competent European officer. Sindhia, however, obtained in the person of De Boigne, an expert of ability and experience, trained in the best military schools of Europe, who had served under the French and the Russian flags before his arrival in India. It was necessity and not love of innovation that compelled Mahadaji to employ this European veteran for raising trained battalions for him. Mahadaji, unlike the Peshwa, did not confine his ambition to plundering raids, but he wanted to establish his authority over the remnant of the Mughal empire in Hindustan. This brought him into direct conflict with the Rajput princes and the Muhammadan generals who were still associated with the imperial Government or what remained of it. To harass them in the open field was comparatively easy, and with reinforcement from Poona he could even beat their united army, but the predatory method of the Marathas had been found utterly useless in siege operations; and Mahadaji did not like to share his new conquests with the Government of Poona. The permanent subjugation of the imperial territories, which Mahadaji aimed at, demanded the reduction of numerous forts and strongholds held by unfriendly chiefs and the annihilation of their armies in the open field. For such a work the service of infantry regiments trained in western methods would be invaluable. He had witnessed the splendid stand made by Ibrahim Khan and his gardis at Panipat, and the achievements of the small English army in the first Maratha war could not but have highly impressed him. In the meantime, other Indian chiefs and princes had been enlisting European officers, and we have reason to believe that Sindhia was aware of the service rendered by such adventurers as Madec and Sombre to their Indian employers.¹ Mahadaji had obtained very convincing evidence of the Savoyard officer's military ability, and his employment was not, therefore, a leap in the dark. The achievements of the new army amply justified Sindhia's decision, and other Maratha leaders soon found themselves compelled to adopt similar methods. His nearest neighbour and rival, Holkar, was not long in following his example, and appointed a French officer, Dudrenec², to command the trained battalions of his army. The Poona Government enlisted some white officers for a similar purpose, although they could not get a European of reputation before Boyd entered their service.³