Supplement to the London Gazette of Tuesday, April 14, 1818. India Board, April 18, 1818.-Dispatches have been received at the East India House, addressed to the Secret Committee by the Governor in Council at Bombay, enclosing reports of the com. mencement and progress of hostilities between the British Government and the Peishwa, of which reports and dispatches the following are copies and extracts : Extract from a Dispatch from the Hon. Mounstuart Elphinstone, Resident at the Court of the Peishwa, to the Governor-General, dated Camp at Kirky, Nov. 6, 1817. The pressure of business for these several days, and the uncertainty of the result, have prevented my hitherto reporting to your Excellency; but as we are now in a state of war with the Peishwa, it is necessary to acquaint you with the manner in which the rupture was brought on, leaving all detail for a subsequent dispatch. The great military preparation of his Highness the Peishwa, his distinct refusal to send any part of the force he had collected away from Poona, the threatening position he had occupied in the neighbour. hood of our camp, and above all, his unremitting endeavours, to corrupt the fidelity of our native troops, rendered it absolutely necessary, in my judgment, to remove the brigade from the very bad position it occupied at the town to that selected for it by General Smith. This circumstance, and that of our cantonment being on the alert on the 29th, the night before the arrival of the European regiment, removed the appearance of confidence, which had, in some measure, been kept up between us and the Peishwa. The appearance had afforded us no advantage, except that of protracting an open rupture, for his Highness proceeded, in all respects, as if he were at open war, and all his subjects spoke of his declaring war against us, as an event in which nothing was uncertain but the time. The effect of our withdrawing was to encourage the Peishwa's people, who plundered our contonment without any obstruction from their own Government, and who talked openly of the impending destruction of our detachment. An officer, on his road to Bombay, was also attacked, wounded, and plundered, in open day, about two miles from Poona, and as far from the Residency; and the language of the Peishwa's Ministers was that of perfect estrangement and disre gard. His Highness also continued to push his troops up towards ours, as if in defiance; it was announced that he in-> tended to form a camp between our old cantonment and our new position, and one thousand or one thousand five hundred horse moved down for the purpose. I renewed my assurances of our wish for peace, and said that if his Highness moved to his army I should withdraw to camp; that if he remained quiet or receded we should still consider him as a friend, and should be careful not to cross the river that separates our camp from the town, but that if his troops advanced towards ours, we should be obliged to attack them. The Peishwa left the town and withdrew to Purbutta, and within less than an hour large bodies of troops began to move in the direction of our camp, and in such a manner as to cut off the Residency, I had withdrawn a company that had been left in the old cantonments, and as soon as it reached the Residency the detachment there marched off to camp, keeping a river between them and the Peishwa's troops, who were moving in the same direction. The Residency was immediately plundered and burned. Copy of a Report from Lieut.-Col. Burr, of the Bombay Establishment, to the Deputy Adjutant General of the 4th division of the army of the Deccan, dated Camp, at Kirky, Nov. 6, 1817. SIR-My letter of yesterday's date will have informed you of my baving removed the whole of the stores, treasure, and provisions from our late cantonments to the village of Kirky, and of their being lodged in security therein; and of the brigade being in a state of preparation to move as circumstances may require. I have now the honour to report for the information of the General Officer commanding this force, that soon after I had dispatched it, I received an intimation from the Resident of the probability of an immediate rupture with the Peishwa, followed by a requisition to move out aud attack the Mahiratta force, which was then visible and advancing to the attack of our camp. I in consequence formed the brigade, and leaving the head-quarters of the 2d batt. 6th reg. who were previously weakened by several strong detachments, in charge of the post of Kirky, together with the drill, sick, unfits, and two iron twelvepounders, under the command of Major Roome, advanced to meet the enemy, a party of whose horse hovered near the column and preceded our march. Having chosen a situation in advance of our position, at the distance of about one mile, we formed line, waiting the junction of the Dapore battalion, under the command of Major Ford, with three field Part of a brigade raised by the Peishwa, but officered and disciplined by Europeans. pieces. At this period I was joined by the Resident, who most gallantly exerted himself throughout the day, in setting a distinguished example of zeal and anima tion to the troops, encouraging the men wherever it became necessary, and by his suggestions and information, aiding my judgment in the execution of the measures it became necessary to adopt. On the approach of Major Ford's division, aut being re-inforced by the Resident's escort and troops which had been stationed at the Sungum,* under the command of Major Cleiland, who had I handsomely offered his services to me; ordered the line to advance, which we continued doing for half a mile. The Mahrat a army, which was drawn up with its left resting on the height of the front of Guuness-Cundy, where a large body of the Viuchoor Rajah's + horse were posted, extended its right to the Montah river, in which direction the principal masses of their cavalry were formed, the total amount of which is supposed to daze been fifteen thousand; the intermediate undulating plain being occupied by a long line of infantry and guns, supported by successive lines of horse, as far as the eye could see, who, seeing us advance, moved forward from their position, and at the very moment we were unlimb ring for action, commenced a brisk cannonade from their centre, while the masses of cavalry on both their flanks endeavoured to turn ours, and succeeded in getting in our rear. The action now became very interesting, a body of Goklah's regular infantry made an attack, in solid column, on the 1st bat. 7th reg. N I, which was on the left of the line, and who had scarcely succeeded in repelling it and a number of horse, when a select body of the enemy's cavalry seeing their infantry repulsed and pressed by the battalion, who could with difficulty be restrained from pursuing them, made a determined charge on the corps, some of the men wheeling round the flanks, repeating their attack in their rear; the bravery of the men, however, compensated for he disorder into which they had been thrown by the previous attacks, and enabled them, under circumstances of great difficulty, and with the powerful co-operation they derived from the left brigade of guns, and a part of the Bombay regiment, to beat off the assailants, who left many men and horses on the ground, withdrawing to a distance, and never after hazarding a repetition of their attack. By this time Major Ford, with his The Residency. t This person is one of the Peishwa's principal officers, and on former occasions had been conspicuous for his attachment to the British in battalion and his field-pieces from Dapore, joined us, and formed line on our right, when we again immediately advanced near half a mile, the left of the line being thrown back to check any attack of the enemy's horse, who were in great force between them and the river, while the light companies of the 1st. batt. 7th regt., which had at first preceded the line, were sent to the rear to keep in check a large body of horse, who had been watching Major Ford's movement, to our support, and who now came down in rear of our right flank. Soon after the enemy withdrew the greater part of his force to a distance, retiring and drawing off his guns towards the city; and, as we advanced, the greater part of his infantry also, computed at eight thousand (part of whom had been posted in advance of his guns and centre in the bed of a nullah,* and in walled gardens, extending along the front of our position), now sent out their skirmishers, which, with others, on the right of the line, and rockets from both front and rear, continued to occasion us a few casualties. The light infantry of the line, however, under the command of Capt. Preston, easily drove them off and occupied their ground; and it being nearly dark f submitted to the Resident, as the enemy were evidently in full retreat, the expediency of withdrawing the troops to camp as soon as it was dark, having fortunately succeeded in our principal object, meeting and driving the enemy from the position they had originally taken up; this was accordingly done, and the whole returned to camp soon after eight o'clock. I am happy to say the casualties during the action have been less than could have been expected; the greater part have fallen on the 1st batt. 7th regt.: only one European officer, however, Lieut. Falconer, of the 2d batt. 1st. regt, is amongst the wounded. Accompanying, I have the honour to forward a return of the number. I have not yet heard a correct statement of the loss the enemy suffered; I should imagine that it could not be less than three or four hundred killed and wounded; native reports make it treble that number; amongst the latter are said to be the Minister and some officers of distinction. A more pleasing duty now arrests my attention, the rendering that tribute of grateful acknowledgement due to the exertions of the gallant force I had the honour to command, and of those individuals, to whose official rank and situation I feel so much indebted for their cheerful support and devotion to promote the suc cess of the action. The Bombay and Dapore artillery, • A rivulet. 3 X 2 under the command of Capt. Thew and. Lieut. Lawrie, rendered the most important services; and the spirited manner in which the guns were served greatly contributed to the rapid success of the day. The detachment of his Majesty's 65th regt. and Bombay European regt., commanded by Major Wilson and Lieut. Coleman, honourably maintained, by their cool and steady conduct, the long-established reputation of those valuable corps, and the zealous officer who commanded; while Captains Mitford, Donnelly, and Whitehill, at the head of their respective battalions, were anxious to afford to their deserving corps an honour, able example, which was nobly emulated by the Resident's escort, commanded by Major Cleiland. * To my Brigade-Major, Capt. Halifax, to my Quarter-Master of Brigade, Lieut. Inverarity, and Lieut. Ellis (the Bazar Master), and the other staff officers attached to the brigade, I feel extremely obliged for their exertions during the whole of the action. Lieut. Grant, of the grenadier battalion, attached to the Residency, most handsomely volunteered his services to communicate my orders, and particularly distinguished himself throughout the action. Capt. Gordon and Lieut. Dunsterville, were also cheerful assistants on the occasion; the latter does not belong to this division of the force. To Major Ford, and the officers and men of his fine brigade, I feel the greatest obligations for the cheerfulness and anxiety they evinced to contribute to the general success of the day, while it afforded me much pleasure to witness the anxious and humane attention of Dr. Meek and the medical gentlemen, to the important duties devolving on them at this interesting moment. On my return to camp, finding Lieut. Col. Osborne had arrived, I delivered over charge of the brigade under my command to him, having solicited his permission to express my acknowledgments, in orders, to the gallant force which I had had the distinguished honour of commanding, on an occasion of such particular interest. I have the honour to be, &c. C. B. BURR, Lieut. Col. Return of the killed and wounded of the Poona brigade, under the command of Lieut. Col. C. B. Burr, in the action near Poona, 5th Nov., 1817. Artillery-2 lascars wounded. H. C. Bombay European reg.-1 private killed; private wounded. 2d bat. 1st E. Reg.-1 private killed; 1 Lieut., 1 havildar, 1 naique, 1 bheastee, 5 privates, wounded. Capt. Donnelly commanded 300 men of the 2d batt, 6th regt, who joined from the Sungum. 2d Bat. 6th N. reg.-4 privates killed; 10 privates wounded. 1st bat. 7th reg.-1 havildar, 1 naique, 1 drummer, 9 privates, killed; 1 havildar, 3 naiques, 34 privates, wounded. Major Ford's bat.-1 private killed; jemedar, 1 havildar, 5 privates, wounded. Total-1 havildar, 1 naique, 1 drummer, 16 privates, killed; 1 lieut. 1 jemedar, 3 havildars, 4 naiques, 2 lascars, 1 bheastee, 55 privates, wounded. Name of the officer wounded.-Lieut. Falconar, severely in the shoulder. C. B. BURR, Lieut. Col. P.S. I am sorry to say there is very little hopes of Lieut. Falconar's surviving, and several of the wounded will either die, or require amputation. Extract from a Dispatch from Mr. Elphinstone to the Governor-General, dated Camp, Kirky, Nov. 11th, 1817. Since the brigade has been in this position we have experienced the good effects of the forward movement made by Col. Burr, on the 5th; and of the impression he then struck, in the timidity and inertness of the enemy, and the tranquility which we have in consequence enjoyed. The Peishwa's army appears to have been in great confusion.-On the 6th Moro Dickshut* was certainly killed, as was Sirdar Khan, a Patan Chief, who had been discharged from the Nizam's reformed horse, and whom the Peishwa ordered to raise two thousand men for his service; Bulwent Row Rastia Nana Kookera, a relation of Goklah's,+ and Narraen Diekshut, the brother of Moro Dickshut, were wounded, and Abba Poorundery had a horse killed under him. The Vinchoor kur was suspected of treachery. The Peishwa himself set off for Poorunder, and was, with great difficulty persuaded to remain in camp by Goklah, who declared that his flight would be followed by the dispersion of his army. In the course of the succeeding days the Mahratta army was concentrated on the side of Poona, most removed from our camp and his Highness encouraged the Sirdars, paid for the horses that had been killed in action, and bestowed presents and distinctions on such men as had been wounded. Yesterday evening the whole army moved out from behind the town, and encamped to the east of our old cantonment, in open view of this camp, at the distance of about four miles. The only signs of activity which the enemy has displayed have appeared in lis attempts to cut off supplies, and to shut the roads; in this he has in some manner *One of the Peishwa's Ministers who generally transacted business with the British Resident. One of the Peishwa's officers, who has ob tained an ascendancy in his counsels, Military Chiefs. under date of the 1st inst. will have explained the circumstances under which Ihad determined to concentrate the fourth division of the army on the south bank of the Godavery, and which was effected on the morning of the 3d inst. I shall now, as briefly as intervening circumstances permit, report to your Excellency my further proceedings. On the morning of the 5th inst. I received a dispatch Jrom the Resident at Poona, recalling the troops in that direcwith all possible haste, his Highness the Peishwa having assembled a large army which threatened to attack the British succeeded, as some officers and some convoys were advancing on the faith of our alliance, with little or no escorts. Cornets Hunter and Morrison, escorted by a havildar and twelve sepoys, had arrived atWoorlee, within twenty miles of Poona, when they were surrounded by some hundred horse and some Arabs, and, after a fruitless resistence, were compelled to lay down their arms; the sepoys were not detained, and one of them has arrived in camp, but the officers were made prisoners, and are stated, by one report, to have been murdered in cold blood-but more authentic accounts represent them to have been carried into Poona. Capt. Vaughan and his brother were seized at Tullygoing, on their way to Bombay, and, although they offered no resistence, they are stated, by a negro servant who brought the account of their capture, to have been put to death in the most ignominious manner. The negro is so distinct in his relation of their execution, that there is no reason to doubt the fact, except what arises from the atrocity of the action. The Peishwa's conduct has in some instances borne more of the character of civilized war. A conductor and a naik's+ party belonging to the Peishwa's bat., that were in charge of some stores in a suburb near the Residency, were induced by assurances of safety to quit a defensible house which they occupied, and the promises made to them were faithfully observed. Mahommed Hurriff, the moonsheet of the Residency, had also defended his house with Arabs, was invited to quit it, and sent out of the city unmolested. He had an interview with Goklah before he came, which was interesting in many respects, especially from Goklah's producing a paper under the Peishwa's seal, investing him with all the powers of the Government, and from the avowal of Wittojee Naick that the Residency and cantonments were burned by the Peishwajs own orders. I had before supposed this wanton outrage to be the work of some of the rabble that compose his Highness's army. On the other hand Goklah had shewn the utmost activity in seizing and plundering all persons who are themselves or who have relatious in our service. Copy of a Report from Brigadier-Gen. * A native Serjeant. A Corporal. cantonment. I arrived at Ahmednaggur on the 8th and immediately took possession of the pettah,* which had been ceded by the late treaty, but not given up to the Hon. Company. From hence I took up my battering train, and large supplies of grain and stores, both for my own troops and those at Poona. On my march between Ahmednuggur and Seroor, I became acquainted through the reports of the country with the actual state of hostilities at Poona. It appeared that his Highness the Peishwa had directed a very desperate and sudden attack by all his army present, amounting to about 25,000 men, on our little force stationed at Poona,on the 5th inst. in its position at Kirky, in the hope of annihilating it before it could receive any succours; he had also burnt the Residency and the old cantonments. The discipline and gallantry of the troops at Poona, under Lieut. Col. Burr, of the 7th Bombay infantry, not exceeding 2,800 men engaged, enabled them to resist and drive the enemy back. I have the honour to enclose Lieut. Col. Burr's report of the action, with a list of the killed and wounded, and would beg to draw your Excellency's notice to the very meritorious conduct of that officer. My march from Seroor to Poonah became extremely difficult and harassing from the want of cavalry. The enemy's horse constantly surrounding my line and camp, compelled me to shorten my marches and to preserve the closest order, and I could not reach Poona, in consequence, before the evening of the 13th. In this situation, I must not omit to report the gallant exertions of Capt. Spiller, with about 400 of the auxiliary horse,+ who succeeded in attacking and defeating a more numerous body of the enemy's horse, in which they lost a Sirdar of rank, and about 50 men killed and wounded, with a very trifling loss among the auxiliaries. *The town. A body of troops raised in the Peishwa's dominions, and officered by Europeans. I made a disposition on the evening of the 14th to attack the enemy, who was encamped on the opposite side of the Mootah Moola, occupying the ground of the old British cantonments, having his right upon a mangoe grove, with a deep nullah crossing the extremity, and his left stretching along the enclosures of the northern front of the officers' lines of houses, extending towards the suburbs of the town. He had eleven guns in battery, on his left, and a few others more scattered along his front and right. I was, however, disappointed in the state of the Yellera Ford, which proved extremely difficult, and by which I had hoped to pass my whole line over the Mootah Moolah; this obliged me to relinquish attempting its passage by night, and the troops were theu too much exhausted from the harrassing nature of their duties, to justify my attempting any more distant ford. On the evening of the 16th, all the disposable corps, after providing for the camp and the position of Kirky, were formed in divisions* of attack; the first, under my personal command, was destined for the enemy's left, and to cross the river at the Sungum: and the second, under Lieut. Col. Milnes, his Majesty's 65th regt., was directed to act upon the enemy's right, and to cross the river by the Yellera Ford before sun-set. A battalion, with a company of Europeans and two field-pieces, under Major Thatcher, of the 2d batt. 9th regt., was ordered to precede the first division by a different route, to prevent the enemy opposing my passage. The first and second divisions, lying in position after the passage of the river, were appointed to march at a given time from equal distances, so as to join in attack at the dawn of day, by which I hoped to throw their cavalry into confusion, or at least to prevent their forming to charge in any regularity. The junction of these divisions was perfectly effected as designed. But the enemy having taken alarm in the course of the night at the fruitless, though obstinate, opposition which he made to Lieut. Col. Milne's division in the passage of the river at Yellera, and against which he appears to have thrown out all his infantry, as well as large bodies of horse, precipitately drew off, leaving a great part of his camp standing, and considerable quantities of ammunition on the field. His Higness the Peishwa is said to have fled about two o'clock in the morning of the 17th. The enemy succeeded in carrying off all his guns but one; and I had no means of pursuing him beyond the fire of my artillery. See the close of this letter. The enemy having thus disappeared, I lost no time in recrossing the river to occupy the most favourable ground for bombarding the city; but every intcrest and policy, as well as considerations of humanity, made me most auxious to unite my exertious with those of the Hon. Mr. Elphinstone, the Resident, to avert the destruction which now threatened it, either by bombardment or storm; and the enemy having luckily fled in an opposite direction, and left the defence of the city to only a few hundred, Arabs, these were, by Mr. Elphinstone's influence, prevailed upon to withdraw; I have the pleasure to acquaint your Excellency our guards took peaceable possession of the city in the course of the evening of the 17th, when the British flag was hoisted on his Highness's palace, under a royal salute. Although the troops, both Native and European, were exasperated to the utmost at the perfidious conduct of the enemy in burning the Residency and their cautonments, and in the most barbarous execution of Capt. Vaughan of the Madras 15th N.I. and his brother, travelling under the belief the peaceable relations of the two Governments, still no excesses have been committed against the city, the resources of which are invaluable in the calculation of our future operations against his Highness the Peishwa. I shall be unavoidably detained bere, aiding in the establishment of order and military security to the city, till the 224 inst. when I propose marching again upon the enemy in his retreat to the southward. assuring your Excellency of the zeal and I cannot close this Despatch without good discipline of all the troops, and of the cheerful aid I have received from all the Staff. The enemy confidently calculated he had succeeded in seducing the Sepoys, by large rewards, to desert our ranks; and if any thing can add to the reputation of the Bombay army, it should be recorded, as a proof of their incorruptible fidelity, that not a Sepoy has left his colours since the Peishwa became our enemy. I enclose a list of killed and wounded in various skirmishes with the enemy, but principally in the passage of the Moottah Moola, by Lieut-Col. Milne's division on the evening of the 16th inst. which acquitted itself with great spirit and steadiness during a long and severe fire both of masquetry and cannon. From 40 to 50 guns, with a considerable quantity of military stores, are reported to be taken in the city, returns of which I shall have the honour of transmitting hereafter. I have the honour to report, that the 2d reg. of Cavalry, under the command |