Trimbukjee.

horse was easily reached from an outhouse of the fort, to which Trimbukjee A.D. 1816. was permitted to retire at a certain hour in the evening in charge of a sentry. In a dark and rainy night, while the sentry stood outside, the prisoner dis- Escape of appeared, and having changed his dress into that of a common labourer, with a basket on his head, passed the gateway of the fort unquestioned. The narrow channel of Salsette was all that separated him from the Mahratta territory. He waded over, and found a body of horsemen, who soon placed him beyond the reach of pursuit.

of the

The Peishwa, on being informed by Mr. Elphinstone of Trimbukjee's escape, Duplicity not only professed entire ignorance, but promised to adopt energetic measures Peishwa. for recapturing him. He soon gave cause to suspect his sincerity. Any information he gave was found only to mislead, and he began to collect troops even in the vicinity of Poonah, with so little attempt at concealment, that it seemed as if he cared not how soon open hostilities were commenced. Meanwhile, though Bajee Row pretended to have no idea of the place to which Trimbukjee had retired, and declared solemnly that he believed him to be dead, all his subjects were well aware that he had found an asylum among the Mahadeo Hills, to the south of the Neera, and placed himself at the head of considerable bodies of horse and foot. It was moreover ascertained, that interviews had actually taken place between Trimbukjee and his master, who had conveyed money to him, and acted in such a manner as to make his cause his own. The troops under Trimbukjee at last amounted to nearly 20,000. This seemed only the prelude to a much more formidable muster, since the Peishwa displayed augmented activity in raising new levies, in removing his treasures from Poonah to Raighur, and in improving the defences of his strongest forts.

parations

ties.

It was now high time to bring the question of peace or war to a formal Mutual predecision, and Mr. Elphinstone, while waiting for instructions from the governor- for hostiligeneral, proceeded to prepare for the worst, by recalling to Poonah the principal part of the subsidiary force which had been stationed on the frontier to watch the Pindarees, and instructing the Hyderabad subsidiary force to advance into Candeish. Here a body of insurgents, about 5000 strong, had assembled under Godajee Dainglia, Trimbukjee's nephew, while his brother-in-law, Jado Row, headed another body of about the same strength, in the south-east, in the vicinity of Punderpoor. Besides these, a number of smaller parties were preparing to join from various quarters. Had this been all, a short delay might still have been possible, but every step taken by the Peishwa showed plainly that the insurgents had his full sanction, and had good ground for believing that he would soon place himself at their head. One of his most overt acts was the collecting of gun bullocks for the artillery in his arsenal at Poonah. Thus distinctly warned, Mr. Elphinstone deemed it folly to leave matters longer in suspense, and addressed a note to the Peishwa, in which, after reproaching him with duplicity and wanton aggression, he notified to him that the friendly

war with

A.D. 1816. relations between the two governments were at an end, that any attempt to leave Poonah would be regarded as a declaration of war, and that the subsidiary Threatened force would proceed forthwith to put down the insurrection. The last threat the Peishwa, was immediately put in execution, and British troops moved forthwith against the principal bodies of insurgents. Colonel Smith, at the head of a detachment lightly equipped, hastened to the south, and endeavoured in vain to come up with a body of 4000, which seemed only anxious to avoid an encounter. Another detachment under Major Smith was more successful, and after a chase of 150 miles in four days, overtook the fugitives. They made little resistance, and were dispersed without suffering severely, as the detachment had no cavalry to continue the pursuit. The other main body of insurgents assembled in Candeish did not escape so easily; a detachment of the Hyderabad subsidiary force under Captain Davies having encountered them, and compelled them to a precipitate flight, leaving more than 400 dead upon the field.

His alarm.

Bajee Row, when he saw the extreme to which matters had been precipitated, became seriously alarmed, and seemed willing to make any concession that might be required of him for the re-establishment of amicable relations. Another short delay in consequence took place, but its only effect was to give him another opportunity of manifesting his insincerity. The moment the more immediate pressure was removed, all his promises were forgotten, and he resumed his former courses. Mr. Elphinstone, though still left without direct instructions from the governor-general, did not shrink from the responsibility in a manner forced upon him, and having on the 6th of May, 1817, obtained a private audience of the Peishwa, informed him that after what had passed, no accommodation with him could now be made except by his engaging to deliver Trimbukjee, and giving security for performance. This communication was received with great apparent coolness, and Mr. Elphinstone therefore thought it necessary on the following day to give a more definite form to his demands, by embodying them in a note which specifically required an obligation to deliver Trimbukjee within one month, and deliver the forts of Singhur, Poorunder, and Raighur, as interim pledges. The written demand was received with as much apparent indifference as the verbal communication, and the twenty-four hours allowed for answer had nearly expired when vakeels arrived to intimate that the Peishwa agreed to the terms, and would surrender the forts without delay. This unexpected result had been produced by the movement of the subsidiary force to positions which would have given them a complete command of Poonah.

On the 10th of May the instructions of the governor-general arrived. They approved by anticipation of all that Mr. Elphinstone had done, and made specific provision for three cases which, it was supposable, might have occurred. In the first case, assuming that the Peishwa had surrendered Trimbukjee, or made sincere efforts to seize him, the relations between the courts were to be

terms offered to the Peishwa.

replaced on the same footing as when Trimbukjee was surrendered in 1815. A.D. 1817. In the second case, assuming that the Peishwa had not taken active steps of any kind, the delivery of Trimbukjee within a definite time, and of greater Rigorous securities than furnished by the treaty of Bassein, were demanded. In the third case, which supposed that refusal or evasion continued after the receipt of the instructions, the securities were to be enhanced. The securities mentioned included cessions of territory to the amount of twenty-nine lacs, to meet the expense of an additional subsidiary force of 5000 horse and 3000 foot, to be substituted for the Peishwa's contingent; the surrender of all claims on Gujerat, Bundelcund, and Hindoostan; and generally, a renunciation of all claim to be the head of a Mahratta confederacy. Should war have actually commenced, the Peishwa was to be seized, and a temporary arrangement made for the government of the country. The fact of instructions having been received from the governor-general was intimated to the Peishwa, but their precise contents were not explained to him till the 1st of June, when the resident waited upon him, and explained article by article the draft of a new treaty which he had prepared.

them under

protest.

The Peishwa and his ministers laboured hard to obtain some abatement of He accepts the terms, but did nothing to justify it. On the contrary, the levy of troops continued as before, and the month allowed for the surrender of Trimbukjee was allowed to expire. There was now therefore no room for hesitation, and Mr. Elphinstone demanded that the treaty, in terms of the draft, which he had explained, should forthwith be executed. A short delay was gained by the discussion of the terms, but all evasions being at length exhausted, the treaty was signed and sealed by the Peishwa on the 13th of June, 1817. The stipulations would have deserved a minute detail had they been destined to regulate the relations of the two governments for any lengthened period, but as events shortly afterwards took place which entirely superseded them, it is necessary only to mention that the Peishwa was taken bound to cede territory yielding a revenue of thirty-four lacs; to renounce the character of supreme head of the Mahratta empire, and the right to communicate with other native powers, except through the British resident; to commute all past claims on the Guicowar for an annual payment of four lacs; to renew the lease of the moiety of Ahmedabad to the Guicowar, for four and a half lacs, and to surrender all rights in Bundelcund, Hindoostan, and Malwah. The terms were undoubtedly rigorous, and the Peishwa felt them to be so to such a degree, that at the very time of ratifying the treaty, he protested that it had been wrung from him, and that he acquiesced merely because he was unable to resist. It is impossible, however, to feel any sympathy for him. He had brought all his disasters upon himself by a cowardly, deceitful, and vindictive temper; and, as will soon be seen, the power left him, curtailed as it was, was still sufficient to tempt him to complete his ruin, by plunging once more into hostilities.

CHAPTER III.

A.D. 1817.

to suppress

General preparations-The army of Hindoostan-The army of the Deccan-First movements-Treaties with Scindia and with Ameer Khan-Rupture with the Peishwa-Battle of Kirkee-Flight of the Peishwa - Operations against the Pindarees-Rupture with the Rajah of Nagpoor - Battle of Seeta baldee-Rupture with Holkar-Battle of Mahidpoor-Treaty with Holkar-Dispersion of the Pindarees-Operations against the Peishwa-Rajah of Sattarah installed-Capture of Sholapoor and Raighur Storm of Talneer-Annexation of Saugur-Deposition of the Rajah of Nagpoor-Capture of Chanda-Surrender of Bajee Row-The last of the Peishwas.

H

AVING obtained from the home authorities a distinct though somewhat qualified assent to the necessity of suppression of the predatory system, the governor-general, who had previously formed his plans, lost no time in completing his general preparations. With this view, two powerful armies were provided to advance simultaneously from the north and south, so as not only to envelope the usual haunts of the Pindarees, but to overawe any of the native chiefs who Preparations might be disposed to countenance them. The army of Hindoostan was comthe preda posed of four main divisions, each of them of sufficient strength to act indepentory system. dently should circumstances require it. The right division, assembled at Agra, and commanded by General Donkin, consisted of two regiments of cavalry, one of them his majesty's 8th dragoons, a regiment of European (his majesty's 14th) and three battalions of native infantry, with eighteen guns. The left division, stationed at Callinger in Bundelcund, and commanded by General Marshall, consisted of a regiment of native cavalry, two corps of irregular horse, and five battalions of native infantry, with twenty-four guns. The centre division, Hindoostan. stationed at Secundra, on the left bank of the Jumna, about thirty miles

Army of

W.S.W. of Cawnpore, and commanded by General Brown, consisted of three regiments of cavalry, one of them his majesty's 24th light dragoons, his majesty's 87th regiment, and eight battalions of native infantry, with fifty-four guns. This division, with which the governor-general as commander-in-chief established his head-quarters, mustered 12,500 fighting men of the regular army. The fourth was a reserve division, stationed under Sir David Ochterlony at Rewaree, about fifty miles south-west of Delhi, and composed of a regiment of native cavalry, two corps of Skinner's horse, his majesty's 67th regiment, and five battalions of native infantry, with twenty-two guns. To each division considerable bodies of irregulars were attached, while separate detachments were stationed in various localities to the east and west, so as to give support

as required, or intercept the marauders when attempting to escape. The whole AD. 1817. of the army of Hindoostan mustered 63,000 men.

Deccan as

suppression

Pindarees.

The army of the Deccan, commanded by Sir Thomas Hislop, commander-in- Army of the chief of the Madras presidency, was formed into five divisions. The first divi- sembled for sion, with which Sir Thomas Hislop fixed his headquarters, was intended to pro- of the ceed to Hindia, and consisted of a squadron of his majesty's 22d light dragoons, two regiments of native cavalry, flank companies of his majesty's royal Scots, and six battalions of native infantry, with field artillery. The second division, commanded by Colonel Doveton, and designed to manoeuvre in Berar, consisted of a regiment of native cavalry, and of the remainder of his majesty's royal Scots, six battalions of native infantry, and the Berar and Hyderabad brigades. The third division, commanded by Sir John Malcolm, who had also a commission to act as the governor-general's political agent, was intended to proceed in advance, and consisted of a regiment of native cavalry, and five companies of native infantry, with the Russell brigade, the Ellichpoor brigade, and 4000 Mysore auxiliary horse. The fourth division, commanded by Colonel Smith and intended to operate in Candeish, consisted of a regiment of native cavalry, his majesty's 65th regiment, six battalions of native infantry, and a body of reformed Poonah horse under European officers. The fifth division, forming the Nagpoor subsidiary force, commanded by Colonel Adams, consisted of two regiments of native cavalry, a body of Rohilla horse, the contingent of the Nabob of Bhopaul, and six battalions of native infantry. A reserve division was formed under Colonel Pritzler, and brigades were left at Poonah, Nagpoor, and Hyderabad. A respectable force had also been assembled in Gujerat under Sir W. G. Kerr. The two armies, nearly equal in number, amounted in the aggregate to 113,000 men, with 300 pieces of ordnance.

The Marquis of Hastings embarked at Calcutta on the voyage up the Ganges on the 8th of July, 1817, and after a short stay at Patna, to receive a complimentary deputation from Khatmandoo, arrived at Cawnpore in September. On the 16th of October he took the field in person, reached Secundra, where the centre division had assembled, on the 20th, reviewed the troops on the 21st, and crossed the Jumna with them on the 26th. General Donkin moved simultaneously from Agra, and both began their march upon Gwalior, the centre division by the route of Jaloun and Seonda on the Sindh, and the right division by Dholpoor Baree on the Chumbul. The object of these movements cannot be better explained than in the governor-general's own words: "Residing at Gwalior, he (Scindia) was in the heart of the richest part of his dominions, but independently of this objection that those territories were separated from our territory only by the Jumna, there was a military defect in the situation, to which it must be supposed the Maharajah had never adverted. About twenty miles south of Gwalior a ridge of very abrupt hills, covered with tangled wood peculiar to India, extends from the Little Sindh to the Chum

The gover

nor-general

takes the

field.