DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25988#0408
384 Life of Moimisiuart Elphinstone. ch, xi.
men, while it checked onr enemies, and I now by a lucky
mistake, 3 instead of merely announcing that the Peshwa was
at war, sent an order to move down at once and attack him.
Without this, Colonel Burr has since told me he certainly would
not have advanced. However, he did advance, we joined, and,
after sorne unavoidable delay, the Dapooree battalion joined
too—2nd Comp. lst-7th-Europ. Regiment, 2nd-lst-Dap. Batt.
When opposite to the nullah, where there used to be a
plantain garden, we (injudiciously I think) halt-ed to cannonade,
and at the same moment the enemy began from twelve or
fifteen guns. Soon after his whole mass of cavalry came on
at speed in the most splendid style. The rush of horse, the
sound of the earth, the waving of flags, the brandishing of
spears, were grand beyond description, but- perfectly ineffectual.
One great body however, Giocla and Moro Dixit and sorne
others, fonned on our left and rear, ancl when the lst-7th was
drawn off by its ardour to attack Major Pinto, who appeared
011 our left, ancl was quite separated from the European Regi-
ment-, this bocly charged with great vigour, ancl broke through
between it and the European Regiment. At tliis time the
rest of the line was pretty well occupied with shot, matclilocks,
ancl above all with rockets, and I own I thought there was a
goocl chance of our losing the battle. The lst-7th, however,
t-hough it had expended all it-s ammunition, survived the
charge ancl was brought back to the line by Colonel Burr,
who showed infinite coolness and courage, and after some more
firing, ancl some adyancing, together with detaching a few
companies to our right towards the little hill of Gfunaishkind,
we found ourselves alone in the field, and the sun long set.
I was at first for a.dvancing to the water at tlie Sait’s Gfarden,
but was persuaded it was better to return to camp, which it
3 This ‘ mistake ’ is more fully explained in a letter t-o Grant Duff after the
appearance of Colonel Blacker’s memoir of the war, published in 1821. Mr.
Elphinstone reminds his friend that Grant had while crossing .the river pro-
posed that he should desire Burr to advance. Mr. Elphinstone sa.nctioned
the request, though he considered it unnecessary, as it had heen already sr-
ranged between t-hem that the moment t-he war began he should do so. The
letter is given further on at it-s proper date.
men, while it checked onr enemies, and I now by a lucky
mistake, 3 instead of merely announcing that the Peshwa was
at war, sent an order to move down at once and attack him.
Without this, Colonel Burr has since told me he certainly would
not have advanced. However, he did advance, we joined, and,
after sorne unavoidable delay, the Dapooree battalion joined
too—2nd Comp. lst-7th-Europ. Regiment, 2nd-lst-Dap. Batt.
When opposite to the nullah, where there used to be a
plantain garden, we (injudiciously I think) halt-ed to cannonade,
and at the same moment the enemy began from twelve or
fifteen guns. Soon after his whole mass of cavalry came on
at speed in the most splendid style. The rush of horse, the
sound of the earth, the waving of flags, the brandishing of
spears, were grand beyond description, but- perfectly ineffectual.
One great body however, Giocla and Moro Dixit and sorne
others, fonned on our left and rear, ancl when the lst-7th was
drawn off by its ardour to attack Major Pinto, who appeared
011 our left, ancl was quite separated from the European Regi-
ment-, this bocly charged with great vigour, ancl broke through
between it and the European Regiment. At tliis time the
rest of the line was pretty well occupied with shot, matclilocks,
ancl above all with rockets, and I own I thought there was a
goocl chance of our losing the battle. The lst-7th, however,
t-hough it had expended all it-s ammunition, survived the
charge ancl was brought back to the line by Colonel Burr,
who showed infinite coolness and courage, and after some more
firing, ancl some adyancing, together with detaching a few
companies to our right towards the little hill of Gfunaishkind,
we found ourselves alone in the field, and the sun long set.
I was at first for a.dvancing to the water at tlie Sait’s Gfarden,
but was persuaded it was better to return to camp, which it
3 This ‘ mistake ’ is more fully explained in a letter t-o Grant Duff after the
appearance of Colonel Blacker’s memoir of the war, published in 1821. Mr.
Elphinstone reminds his friend that Grant had while crossing .the river pro-
posed that he should desire Burr to advance. Mr. Elphinstone sa.nctioned
the request, though he considered it unnecessary, as it had heen already sr-
ranged between t-hem that the moment t-he war began he should do so. The
letter is given further on at it-s proper date.