An account of the regulation (perhaps capture) of the City of Seringaputtun, with other events of the year 1171. Hijri. A. D. 1757, September 14th.
WHEN Hydur had thus overcome his difficulties in this contest, and had conquered the enemies of the Khodadad, he fulfilled his duty in offering unlimited thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty for his favours; and, on the following day, he sent word to the Raja, that, if it were permitted, he, his servant,g would visit his family in the fort. The Raja with great readiness and pleasure, gave orders to the guards, at the gates of the fort, to admit Hydur; and he himself, under pretence of taking the air, mounted his horse and went to meet him. Having arrived at his encampment, he, to obtain his friendship, showered an abundance of gold and jewels on his valiant head, and presented him ornaments such as bracelets, gorget, &c., set with jewels; bade him welcome, and congratulated him on his victory and good fortune; and invited him to the fort. Hydur, however, cautious and penetrating, considered that entering the fort in company with the Raja would be an act quite incompatible with the prudence and circumspection indispensable to understanding men; and he, therefore, made an excuse that the day or hour was an unlucky one, and put off his visit to his family, particularly to his son of exalted fortune, (whose valuable existence was in truth the foundation of the Khodadad State,) until the next day. Then, having made a present to the Raja of a number of horses, and valuable cloths or dresses, he sent him off to the fort, and remained during that night where he was. The next morning, however, taking with him a strong body of troops, he entered the fort, and posted confidential men of his own on the gates, posterns, and offices of the fort, and even on the gates of the Raja’s Hall of Audience, and his Zanana, he placed his own men. He then went with confidence to meet his family, and enjoyed himself with them in security. Under pretence of transacting some business of his own, he next visited Nundi Raj, and, with the policy and regard to expediency of a conqueror and statesman, having pleased or satisfied him, he took him and his wife, children, relations, and dependents, and placed them in his own house; and, then prostrating himself before the throne of the all powerful Dispenser of grace and favour, his drums and trumpets made the city resound to their joyful strains.h
In truth, why should he not do so? When he had restored the country of Mysore, already half dead, to new life and vigour! When, many times, purely in supporting this State of Mysore; he, Hydur, had fought with the Mahrattas and other rebels,i and by his great courage and individual exertions and abilities, had defeated them, and had himself regained and brought under his powerful hand the country which before had been taken or conquered! When, notwithstanding all his labours and anxiety, the envious and short sighted conspired by vain arts to overthrow the house and fortune of that brave soldier; turned the mind of the foolish Raja against him, excited a tumult to his prejudice; and when all the hardships, and travail, he had suffered in the protection of the country was about to be gratuitously thrown away and scattered to the winds by the designs of his enemies. Then it was, therefore, that God withdrew him from the anxiety and perplexity of plans and schemes for the defence of the country against its enemies; kept him in a place of security, made him a kingk in territory and power; and, still more, placed him beyond the stormy sea of worldly interest on the shore of safety, and made him the grateful returnerl of praises and thanksgivings to God for the great benefits he had received. Verses. “No man can obtain a crown without courage.”— “Those who aim at exaltation, must waste by the head like a taper.”m
But, to return,— for some days and nights Hydur occupied himself in regulating the broken down fortunes of the Mysore state, in discharging the disaffected, the envious, and the seditious; in levying fines on the corrupt and cowardly civil servants, and removing the dishonest; and in collecting troops, stores, &c., necessary for the commander of an army; and, finally, having administered justice to all, he attracted the hearts of the people, far and near, by his liberality, his favour, his kindness, and his affability, and thereby gained great fame. Indeed, he undertook no measure without the deepest consideration, grounded on his accurate perception of the best policy. His fortunate son, (Tippoo), was now placed under the best masters, who laboured to instruct him in all kinds of learning. The dependencies of Mysore, which are like a flower garden, now received anew the freshness and colour of security, and the hearts of those who were envious of the prosperity of the country and government became like the flowers of a garden in autumn, faded and dead. Most of the dependencies on the frontier, which had been lost to this state from the incapacity of former ministers and chiefs, by the exertions and abilities of Hydur, that Rustum in disposition, were regained by his powerful and grasping hand; and now able men of various tribes and nations, artificers of all countries, and soldiers who, from the want of employment and the neglect of merit by the former rulers of Mysore, had been hiding in corners, like a sword in its sheath; at length had the rust and dirt rubbed off the face of their condition, by the furbisher of appreciation, and, by the aid of their good fortune, like the spear, carried their heads high, and presented themselves erect to Hydur, who employed them in service proportionate to their abilities and merit. According to the desire of that cherisher of the people, merchants, also, brought precious commodities from every part of the world, with valuable horses, and camels, and, in addition to the prices they demanded for their goods, they received handsome presents; many thousands of pounds being expended on the security of the servants of the state for commissioning articles of rarity, and soldiers of approved valour, from different parts of the world. In fact, in performing the duty committed to his charge, every one strove with all his heart to ensure its accomplishment. In truth, whenever the only true Lord desires to make one of his slaves worthy of the government of a country, and fit to be the cherisher and defender of the poor, and to provide for and support his subjects, he makes his person the object of the regard of high and low, and his actions the profit and benefit of the world. Verse. “Good fortune comes not by chance as they say it does.”n
But, to continue, although the ungrateful Brahman had received the reward of his actions, and the root of mischief and rebellion in the country of Mysore had been plucked up, still, to the southward of Seringaputtun, or rather in the country of the Payeen Ghaut, that is to say Koimbatore &c., where the vile Brahman had sent one of his own relations, to govern, disorders continued to prevail. This base born fellow, as soon as he heard of the fate of his principal, having associated with him a number of Naimars and seditious persons, created a great disturbance. To suppress this revolt, and punish him, Hydur dispatched two hundred horse, two risalas, or regiments of regular infantry, and a thousand irregular foot, under the command of Syud Ismail, his brother in law, accompanied by Surdár Khan, a very brave man.
As soon as the Sikkaho in the name of the fortunate Hydur, by God’s gift became current, and all things meet for kingly power and state were taken possession of by him, such as the treasury, gold, and jewels, the artillery and military stores, Mukhdoom Sáhib was appointed to the command of the fort of Seringaputtun; and, agreeably to the request of the family of the reigning Raja, Nundi Raj, and others, the customary allowances to them were confirmed, and the Killadár was constituted the Raja’s steward or purveyor. Hydur himself, also, on a certain day, and at a fortunate hour, visited the women’s apartments of the Raja and Nundi Raj, and, after consoling them, and assuring the Raja of his care of his countryp and authority, he himself presented each of them (name by name), with trays of dresses, or valuable cloths, and gold and jewels, and then returned home to enjoy himself. Some of the Poligars of the frontier, as the Koorg Raja, &c. who had previously placed the cotton of forgetfulness in the ears of their understanding, seeing and fearing the strength and good fortune of Hydur, now submitted to him.
After having regulated the affairs of the capital, Hydur marched, with a body of his troops, to Bangalore, to pay the sum of money he had borrowed or taken up from the bankers of that place, and returned highly gratified when he had repaid them. In the meanwhile, Ismail Sáhib and Surdár Khan had finished their operations, and, having taken prisoners the relations of the Brahman Khundi Rao, they returned to the Presence.
About this time, Budr uz Zumán Khan Nayut, arrived from the vicinity of Runjungurh, with the intention to enter into Hydur’s service; and, as Hydur well knew both his father and grandfather he esteemed his arrival a very fortunate occurrence, and engaged him as Bukhshi to the regular infantry Kutchuri, at five hundred rupees a month. About this period, also, Hydur received information that the Poligar of little Balapoor, vain of his troops and his wealth, had raised the head of conceit to the clouds of folly, that he had allured most of the peasantry of the districts of Mysore to his territory, by giving them advances in money; that it was certain he entertained no fear of Hydur’s lion like troops; that without coercion he would never be rendered tributary or obedient; and that advice and instruction were lost on him. Hydur, the dispenser of Justice, therefore, on hearing this, determined to go himself and root him out, and began to collect troops and stores for that purpose.
The march of Busálut Jung, to take possession of the Souba of Sura, and his conquest of that Souba, by the aid of Hydur Alí Khan Bahadúr. Also, the transfer of the Sura to the hands of the prudent Hydur, in the same year, 1171 Hijri.— A. D. 1757.
AFTER the decease of Sulábut Jung, in the year 1166, H., Nizám Alí Khan, Assud Jung, collected a large force to attack the Mahrattas; and, at the time Ballajee Rao Nana, with all his forces and chiefs, had marched to reduce the province of Khandeish, finding the coast clear, he by long marches reached Poona, which he plundered and burned; he moreover destroyed all the temples, killing cows in them, and then returned. The Mahrattas, however, as soon as they heard this intelligence, followed Assud Jung by forced marches, and overtook and surrounded him at the town of Humnabad, where they gave him such a defeat that, in the twinkling of an eye, destruction fell on the whole of the force of the Moghuls, and, abandoning all his baggage, and artillery, Assud Jung sought refuge in the fort above mentioned, and was besieged there; his Ameers of old standing being some taken prisoners, but mostly slain. At length however, his affairs being remediless, Assud Jung entered into a negotiation with the Mahrattas, and by the advice of Pothail Das, his Dewaun, or minister, gave up a country producing a revenue of seventy Lakhs of Rupees; also two cities, the capitals of the Sultans of the Dukhun, viz. Burhanpoor and Bejapoor besides Ahmud Nuggur, Dowlutabad, and the Souba of Sura. He then returned to Golconda, and the whole of this territory remained in the hands of the Mahrattas at the time when their mighty army was defeated and destroyed by the Serabdalli,q near Gunjpoor, depending on Paniput Kurnal, and Ballajee Rao, from excessive grief at his great loss, died. Seizing the favourable opportunity thus offered, Meer Shureef Alí Khan, Busálut Jung, the governor of Adhooni, determined with his troops and artillery to reduce or recover the Souba of Sura; and, with the assistance of Morar Rao, the Chief of Gootti, and the Chief of Kurpa, he marched to Huskote, (called by Wilks Ooscottu), which is a fort and Purgana depending on Sura, garrisoned by a detachment of Poona Mahrattas, and immediately laid siege to it. Mokhund Sriput, who commanded there, was a brave man, and, having strengthened the works of the fort, he defended it so gallantly that Busálut Jung of himself, with his large force, was obliged to send to Hydur Alí Khan for assistance.
Hydur, who was then at Bangalore, occupied in the chastisement of Sami Koora, the refractory Poligar of littler Balapoor, and also in the regulation and improvement of his troops, seeing in this application an opportunity of extending his authority, immediately accepted it, and joined Busálut Jung, but, although the latter invited him to pay him a visit, and actually prepared to receive him, he declined, and sent word to him, that first, he must be informed what service he was expected to perform, and that, having obediently executed his commands and obtained credit for the performance of them, he would then pay him a visit. Busálut Jung replied, by requesting him to attack and take the fort. Accordingly, on the next day, the experienced Hydur proceeded round the fort, to reconnoitre and examine the nature of the ground. He then attacked the Town, which is to the eastward of the fort, and took it at the first assault; and, having raised his batteries there, gave orders to his artillery to fire at the walls of the fort as at a mark; and they soon drilled them as full of holes as a bird cage. At the time, however, when he commenced the fire of his artillery, he wrote to Busálut Jung, that he was about to fire at the fort, and recommended him to take care of himself; and his (Hydur’s) artillery men, agreeably to his orders, fired a few shot from heavy guns in the direction of the Moghul camp, which was about a fursung to the westward of the forts, merely to give them an example of what he could do. The Moghuls were not prepared for this, and fell into much confusion, and Busálut Jung, changed his ground of encampment to another beyond a tank, northward of the fort.
But, to return,— Hydur continued for two or three days firing, and battering the walls. On the fourth day, he sent a message to those in the fort, that he was a fortunate soldier, and if they cared at all for their lives, and fortunes, and wished still to enjoy them, that they must quit the fort, and they should then, without molestation from any one, proceed with their property where they liked,— that if not, he would storm the fort, and in that case the garrison with their wives and children should be put to the sword. The Killadár, however, after many difficulties and objections, having been at length assured and satisfied, thought it best to submit peaceably to the fortune of the Khodadad, and delivered up his fort to Hydur, who placed a garrison of his own in it, gave the Killadár his life and property, to gratify him provided carriage for his baggage as he required, and, with the consent and advice of Busálut Jung, sent him to Poona.
The next day, Hydur wrote to Busálut Jung, that it was necesary he should send a garrison into the fort, that he might withdraw his. The prudent Busálut Jung, however, thought proper, from convenience, or policy, to leave the fort with its dependencies to the charge of Hydur, and marched on towards Sura. In two or three days, Hydur had made all his arrangements for the charge of the fortress, and then marched, with his victorious troops and artillery, by regular stages, to the environs of Balapoor the greater, where he encamped. The governor of the town, Abbas Kuli Khan, the son of Durgah, Kuli Khan, recollecting his cruel treatment of Hydur in former time, and fearing retribution, fled with his women and indispensable baggage to Arkat. Hydur, therefore, on hearing this, sent a garrison of his own troops into the fort, and then marched and joined Busálut Jung, the advanced guard of whose army he selected as his post. Still, however, no meeting or visit had passed between them, nor had they ever spoken to each other, except through a medium. When they arrived near Sura, Hydur encamped nigh the Eed Gah, to the westward of the fort, and the Moghul troops took up their position on a Tank, to the eastward of the fort, which they surrounded. Batteries were now thrown up; and approaches dug and carried on, and a sharp fire, and the explosion of mines, were kept up continually.
As the operations against this fort, also, were committed to the experience of Hydur, by degrees the town was taken; and batteries being raised, and heavy cannon mounted thereon, the walls of the fort and the citadel were breached, and from the constant fire of the guns, the shock or concussion of which broke the hearts of the besieged, the walls were completely knocked down. But, notwithstanding all this, Trimuk Kishen, the Chief of the Souba, did not lose heart, but for a month continued valiantly to perform his duty as Killadár. At length, however, the walls being levelled with the ground, and being apprehensive of an assault by Hydur’s brave troops, he thought it best, for his advantage, to seek Hydur’s protection, and therefore requested that his and his garrison’s lives might be spared, and that he might receive Kowl, or an assurance to that effect. Hydur, whose fortune was ever alert, kindly despatched to him assurances of safety, and sent for him, and then placed a garrison of his own in the fort. The depôt of provisions and military stores, which the Mahrattas had collected for the conquest of the Karnatic Balaghaut and Payeen Ghaut, and had deposited in this fort, were all seized by him and applied to his own use; and, without any delay, or the knowledge of any one, he buried under ground all the heavy artillery, and such stores as he wished to reserve for himself, and throwing out four or five pieces of artillery damaged and split at the muzzles with a parcel of old and useless stores, he sent a letter with his congratulations, (Mobarikbadi), on the capture of the place, to Busálut Jung.
The next day, Busálut Jung mounted his horse, and came to the fort to inspect it, and the large magazine of military stores, guns, &c. which the Mahrattas were said to have kept here, and of which he had heard so much, from his spies; the experienced Hydur first met him outside the fort, and then accompanying him inside, and having wheedled and talked him over with fool-deceiving words, he presented him with the keys of the fort, and showed him, one by one, the articles he had allowed to remain.s However, after having inspected them all, Busálut Jung took only three large guns, which had belonged to the body guard of the murdered Nawaub Násir Jung, and sent them to his camp, and then giving the remaining stores and keys and the regulation of the Fort and Souba to Hydur, he returned to his tents.
Some three or four days after this, being the day Busálut Jung had appointed for his march to Adhooni, he sent for Hydur, and saluted him with the title of Nawaub Hydur Alí Khan Bahadúr Chuckmakt Jung, and also wrote and presented him Sunnuds, conferring on him the revenues of the entire Souba of Sura, with the Paishkush or tribute of the Poligars; he also added the district of Gurm Koonda, with its fort and dependencies saying to him spontaneously “you are the Chief of all this country; and the creator and bestower of life,u has raised you into existence on purpose to protect his creatures; may you be fortunate and happy in the possession of this country.”x In short, after an interchange of the usual congratulations, the wise Busálut Jung quitted the Nawaub Bahadúr, and, with a large sum of money, horses and elephants, presented by Hydur, he and his whole army returned to Adhooni; and as he was not able to take the guns before mentioned with his army, he left two on a river to the northward of the fort. One gun however, which had belonged to the Julow or body guard of the Nawaub, Nizám al Moolk, Asof Jah, he, with a thousand difficulties, contrived to carry with him. It is not to be concealed, that, at the time Busálut Jung conferred on Hydur the titles which have been mentioned, Hydur, from a wish not to displease him was silent; but, after Busálut Jung had departed, he rejected the title of Jung, and styled himself Nawaub Bahadúr. In short, the Nawaub remained in the fort, ten or fifteen days, and having encouraged and assured the peasantry he appointed Meer Ismael Hussein to the charge of the Souba, giving him strict orders to repair the fort, and then returned to his tents.
The march of Hydur and his army to Chuk or little Balapoor, and the capture of that place. Also the conquest of the Hill fort of Murg Sura, or the little Sura of Pankoonda, &c. in the year 1172, Hijri.— A. D. 1758.
As soon as the Nawauby had accomplished the conquest and regulation of Sura, he determined to attack Balapoor the less, which it had been his intention to have done long before; and he therefore marched towards that place with his whole force, consisting of eight thousand horse, ten thousand regular infantry, and twelve thousand irregular or Karnatic foot, with abundance of stores and artillery. While Hydur was on his route thither, Fyzullah Khan Hybut Jung, who was the son of Meer Mahummudi Khan, Jageerdár of Timri, and the son-in-law of Nawaub Dilawar Khan, having quarrelled with his father-in-law, after the death of his wife, hastened, (making use of his head for his feet)z to the service of the Nawaub Hydur, and was installed in office, according to his abilities and rank. When the Nawaub arrived, and encamped near Balapoor, the Poligar of that place, finding himself unable to oppose him in the field, shut himself up in the fort; and, notwithstanding the Nawaub took great pains to induce him to obey his orders, this unfortunate man rejected all his advances, and prepared to defend himself; he also solicited Morar Rao Ghore Purria to give him assistance. The Rao, therefore, with his whole force, amounting to twelve thousand horse and foot, came to his aid, and, having established himself at Goori Bundah, (some place apparently in the vicinity), he made it his station, and despatched six or seven thousand horse, to attack the army of the Nawaub. This force, however, only fell upon and plundered the foraging parties of the Nawaub, and then retired. When he heard of this attack the Nawaub was much irritated, and with a detachment of his bravest soldiers, he immediately followed and tracked the route of the Mahrattas, and on a plain to the westward of Nundi Gurh, he fell in with them, and, at the first charge defeated them, and put most of them to the sword; the few who escaped with their lives leaving their horses and arms behind them. Near two thousand horses were taken, on this occasion, by the troops of the Nawaub. Returning victorious, Hydur now fixed his attention solely on the reduction of the fort. By his orders, the troops attacked and took the Peenth or suburbs, and, raising batteries there, employed themselves in firing at the walls, and exploding mines.a Meanwhile, although the Rao had, ordered his troops to ravage and desolate the dependencies of the Sirkar (Hydur’s) and the Kuzzaks of his army, day by day, continued to destroy the towns and villages of the Khodadad State, still they did not attempt to attack Hydur’s troops in the field. The Nawaub was kept constantly informed of these losses; but, considering that his present object was the fort, and that afterwards at his leisure he could punish the Mahrattas, for their excesses, he affected to take no more notice of them than as if he had never seen or heard of them, devoting his whole time and exertions to ensure the capture of the fort. After a short time, therefore, the walls of the fort, which were of earth, were completely battered down and breached on one side, and the Nawaub consequently gave orders for the assault. Yet notwithstanding the state of the walls, and other disadvantages, the besieged fought so bravely in the breach, that they beat off the storming party, and put them to flight. The next day another storming party tried their luck, but without success. The Nawaub was now obliged to have recourse to his ingenuity to take the place, and therefore, with great labour, raised a new stage or battery,b in front of the gate of the fort, and gave orders to batter the gate. In the course of one or two days, his experienced gunners beat down the two walls which masked the gate; and, as soon as the besieged Poligar found that the defences of the gate were battered down, he began to reflect on the probable result; and, through the medium of the bankers and the obedient Poligars who attended the camp of the Nawaub, he forwarded proposals for an accommodation, and requested the lives of the garrison might be spared. After a great deal of discussion, the Nawaub considering him with the eye of kindness, consented to receive from him a Nuzzur or Paishkush of seven Lakhs of Rupees, and desist from the prosecution of the siege. In compliance also with the Poligar’s request, it was settled, that Hydur with his troops and artillery should return by the route of Dewun Hully, (called by Wilks Deonelly), and Bangalore, to Seringaputtun, and that the amount of tribute being divided into three Kists, or payments; one was to be paid at Dewun Hully, another at Bangalore, and the last at the capital. His march therefore was conducted agreeably to the prescribed route; the Nawaub, however, with his usual caution, left in the batteries and suburbs a thousand matchlock men, under the command of Juhan Khan Khokurc and Hussein Khan Lodi, until the payments were made; and he also left seven or eight boxes of ammunition in their charge.
The Rao, on hearing of this accommodation immediately made a forced march during the night, arrived in the rear of the fort, and apprized the Poligar of his arrival. Overjoyed at this intelligence, the foolish man left the fort immediately; and the two traitors met, and consulted how they should deceive the Nawaub. The Rao having, with flattery and deceiving words, allured the Poligar from the way of his own welfare, drew him into the net of his wiles, and said, “you see the walls of the fort are battered down, and that most of the poor inhabitants, and soldiers, have been destroyed by the fire of the guns. It is not fit, therefore, that you should now stay here; but that you with your family, treasury, gold, jewels, &c. should depart from hence, and take up your residence at the hill fort of Nundi; and the money, which you have collected to pay to the Nawaub, pay to me, and with that same money, I will collect a body of troops, and moreover obtain large armies to your aid from Hydurabad and Poona, and thus he, Hydur, shall have his due punishment.” The period of the Poligar’s ruin being at hand, he gave the selfish words of the Rao a place in his willing ear, and acted accordingly; for, having four or five Lakhs of Rupees ready to pay the dividends to the Nawaub, he gave them to the Rao, and left the fort also to his care, and retired to the Hill Nundi.
The Rao now posted in the ruined fort two thousand foot, with ammunition, as a garrison and then returned to his own station. On the following morning, the garrison manned the walls, beat their drums, and sounded their trumpets, in the Mahratta style, and then assembled suddenly in great numbers at the gate. Seeing these movements and apprehending treachery from them, the Nawaub’s detachment manned their batteries, and were standing ready for action, when, all at once, fifteen hundred of the Mahrattas left the fort, and advanced rapidly to attack them. The Nawaub’s men being few, and they also scattered, or detached, they left the battery, and assembled in the Peenth, or suburb, and, having made one gate strong, they remained quiet. The troops from the fort now formed a circle round them, and commenced a brisk fire of musketry and rockets. The officers of the Nawaub’s infantry, nevertheless did not lose heart, but determined to sell their lives dearly; and they therefore strengthened a large building at the gateway, and defended it gallantly, while the Khokur, (Afghan), with a few brave fellows, made an attack on the unlucky Mahrattas, and with the sword and spear killed a great many of them. Some of the garrison of the fort also were taken prisoners by stratagem, and from them they learned the state of affairs in the fort, as has been before related. The officer above mentioned on the next night, despatched, therefore, the prisoners to Hydur, with a letter, stating what had occurred by the treachery and misconduct of the ill fated Poligar, and then waited for succour.
On his receiving this letter, and hearing the statement of the prisoners, Hydur became as furious as an enraged lion, and with his troops and artillery made a forced marchd back from Dewun Hully, and arrived at the fort, round which the cavalry of the Rao were stationed, and they being attacked received such a defeat from Hydur’s Bedes or Kuzzaks that they fled and never looked behind them until they arrived at Goori Bundah. Perceiving the advantage which Hydur had gained, his officers who were on the alert in the Peenth or suburb, immediately hoisted his standard on the gate and beat their drums. The Nawaub on seeing this was highly pleased, and, having entered the suburb, he occupied the same batteries he had before raised, and ordered his artillery and infantry to give the fort a shower of shot. Hydur remained only two days before the fort, when he assaulted and took it, and directed some of the men belonging to the artful Rao to be put to death, and, for an example, some had their noses and ears cut off, and were sent bleeding to join their comrades with the Rao. Alí Ruza Khan was then appointed to command the fort; and having given him strict charge to take the hill fort of Nundi, and the unfortunate Poligar, Hydur marched off to Goori Bundah, with his victorious army, to attack Morar Rao. The Rao, however, finding himself unequal to contend with Hydur, marched to Goori Koonda, a place in his own possession. The Nawaub Bahadúr after a siege of two or three days, reduced Goori Bundah, and, leaving a detachment there, he moved on.
When Hydur arrived near Goori Koondah, the Rao mounted his horse, and with his cavalry, infantry and artillery, took post ready to receive him.— The Nawaub having placed his regular and irregular infantry and artillery in ambush, in the dry bed of a river, now ordered off all his light horse to the front, to attack the Rao’s troops, but when the Rao’s cavalry attempted to charge them in a compacte body, Hydur’s horse, before the enemy came near turned their backs and fled at speed. The Rao’s horse, who were rendered very bold by this flight, followed them, and while they were in pursuit, all at once, the troops in ambush rose up, and received them with such a volley of cannon, and musketry, that to this day their loss remains inscribed on the page of time; for the troops of the Rao were scattered like grain shaken out of a slit bag, and they did not drink water until they arrived at the walls of Gooti. The Rao also fled his own way. Hydur, victorious, advanced; and, after a siege of seven days, took Goori Koondah, and from that place marched towards Pen Koondah, where also the Rao had a garrison. He first, however, took and fortified the Ghauts, or passes, and then, by successive assaults on the hill fort, in a month took it, after which he proceeded to attack the hill fort of Murg Sura. The commandant of that fort, who was a brave man, prepared however to oppose him, and on his approach, by the continual fire of his guns and musketry, he killed a great many of the Nawaub’s troops. The Nawaub being in great anger at this, gave orders to his officers for the immediate investment of the fort, and, under the cover of the rocks to make an assault, while he himself took his station on a hill to the northward of the fort, but adjoining to that on which it stood; and, having mounted some large guns on that hill, he sent to the Killadár a Kowl Nama, or a summons and terms for his surrender. The terms not being accepted, Hydur, who was much annoyed gave orders to the marksmen among his artillerymen to fire at a particular part of the rocks, which rose above the middle of the mountain, and beneath which stood the houses and buildings of the fort, full of inhabitants; and, as these rocks were knocked to pieces by the cannon balls, the fragments killed a number of the besieged, and scattered the rest so effectually that the garrison of the fort lost the powerf of defence. Seeing his soldiers in this inefficient state, the Killadár became alarmed, and after begging their lives might be spared, he gave over the fort to the servants of the Nawaub, and himself, seeking Hydur’s protection, was allowed his life and property.
Meer Alí Ruza Khan who, meanwhile, was besieging the hill of Nundi, by exerting the greatest skill and bravery, reduced the besieged to such extremities, that being in all respects without resources, the Poligar surrendered it to the Meer, and sought the asylum of the Khodadad. The Meer, agreeably to Hydur’s orders, despatched the captive Poligar, and his family to Bangalore; and of his sons two were made Mussulmans. One of them died, but the other, named Sufdur Khan, is now living, and with his troops was received into the Nawaub’s service.
Budruzzuman Khan was appointed governor of the newly captured fort.
When the dependencies of that country, which, in truth, may be likened to the Garden of Eden, fell into the powerful hands of the Nawaub, he rubbed the forehead of his hopes on the threshold of the Creator of the Universe, pure from wants or desires; and, this being done, appointed and despatched intelligent agents, and faithful and able Killadárs, to the different parts of the country. The Nawaub himself halted some days at Sura, to make arrangements for the government of that district.
An account of the conquest of Bednore, otherwise called Hydur Nugger, and other forts and towns of that country, in the year 1173, Hijri. A. D. 1759.
As the knowledge of the good or bad state of different countries, and the hearing of intelligence describing the policy and ability of both friend and foe, form the rule of conduct of the sovereigns of the field of empire, and guide the actions or measures of the conquerors of the world; it was the constant custom of the Nawaub Hydur to receive daily news from all districts of his own kingdom, far and near, and from the dependencies of friend and stranger; and every night, after making himself well acquainted with the details of the state of all countries, as the government of the Zemindárs, and Rajas; that of the Nizámg of the Dukhun, the Nazimh of Poona, the Soubadar of the Carnatic Payeen Ghaut, &c. he retired to his private apartments, to take his rest. For the performance of this arduous but indispensable duty, which required so much care and caution, intelligencers of talent, and Kasids, or messengers, who from head to foot were eyes and ears; able spies; secret writers, unequalled in the age, and correspondents quick of hand, and of great understanding; were stationed in every quarter of the country, and by these men correct accounts of all occurrences were written and forwarded daily. It happened at this time, that they all wrote respecting the country of Nuggur, describing that, from its beauty and verdure, it bestowed splendour on the Balaghaut country, nay, that it might be said to be equal to the Gardens of Paradise.— Verse.i “If any one burned with grief enters Nuggur,k were he even as a bird roasting on the spit, he would regain his wings and feathers.”l— In fact, that the fertility of the country was the envy of Kashmeer, for on it depended many cities, pleasant and rich, and its beautiful fields and meadows gave delight to the heart of the beholder; that moderate rains fell there for six months in every year, which gave life and verdure to the hearts of the withered vegetation and the animal creation; that the trees of the forest and gardens were mostly cocoa nut, and date, like the stature of the lovely, with their heads erect; that the fruit trees, were of all kinds, laden with their pleasure-giving store, and the sandal trees, filled the hearts and palates of men of all countries with fragrance; that the perfume of the flowers and sweet smelling herbs, and the early fruits of the country soothed the sickly and gave rest to the unquiet soul;— that, the rosy cheeked and moon faced damsels there with forms straight as the poplar, like a rose garden, ever flourishing, adorned with the colour and perfume of loveliness, practised stealing the heart, while speciously delighting the eye; and clothing their slender forms in elegant apparel, with their subduing smiles and glances conquer and enslave amorous young men; that, the rivers and streams of that flowery and ever blooming country are like the sea, ever flowing, and the lakes and reservoirs ever full to the brim, like the fountains of a generous heart; that, the inhabitants of all classes in that country lived freely, and were wealthy; but that they had, always kept their eyes on the path of the brave man of the field of battle, that is, they had looked anxiously for the conquest of their country by some just and distinguished chief,m for this reason that that delightful country had fallen into the hands of a wild race, and a low minded fearless woman wearing the dress of a man, exercised unlimited authority there; that, in former times, this district or province was under the authority of the Soubas or governors of Sura, but that, at present, having rebelled, the ruler had neglected to forward the Paishkush or tribute, and, notwithstanding the successors of her former governors still existed, the Rani was ambitious of being independent, and had lately formed an illicit connexion with a slave, and the country, with all its fertility and riches, like the eyes of the blind, had become totally deprived of light, while the hearts of the people, by the tyranny and oppression of the dissolute Rani, were sorely afflicted; that, the sounds of complaint and grief were heard in every street and market; that on all sides, thieves and robbers laid hold on the property of the poor; that the men were ashamed of obeying their ruler, and had shut themselves up in their houses, and the women, licentious, fearless, and drunk with the wine of immodesty, ornamenting their hair, and (painting) their faces, gave themselves up to sensuality, and the men had no power to correct or reprove, even the women of their own families; and that, they gave themselves up to dalliance in the open streets, and markets, and walked about in eager expectation of their lovers.n
Truly, if rulers noted for want of sense be appointed to govern and protect a country, what hopes of comfort or safety can be entertained by their subjects. It appeared, therefore, improper that the government of such a fine province should be held by such a person, and that a bad woman should govern so beautiful and fertile a country was unreasonable; besides this, she had rebelled against the government.o There was a man, (it was said,) a descendent of the chiefs of that country; but he was void of sense and intelligence,— for, notwithstanding he had laboured and schemed much, in the hope to obtain the chief authority, he could effect nothing; and it was, therefore, evident how proper and likely a man he was to be qualified for government, who was more ignorant and incompetent than the Rani herself. Did he not know the noble master, (Hydur), to whom this fine extensive country and high office should fall?
In short, on hearing these joyous tidings, the fortunate Nawaub immediately despatched searching spies and able intelligencers on this business with orders to collect correct information respecting the government of Nuggur; the abilities of those who conducted it; the amount of the revenue, the number of the troops; and to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with these matters, and write a full and distinct account of them. He then marched with a strong force towards Chitul Droog, and, from policy, and to make an impression, he gave orders to take, plunder, and destroy, the dependencies of that place. His fearless Kuzzaks, in consequence, immediately spread themselves over the whole of its Talookas or districts, to the Ghaut of the Droog, and levelled every town and village to the ground. The Nawaub, however, marched straight to the Droog, where the Poligar of that place took the head of submission out of the veil of rebellion, and entered the circle of obedience; and agreeably to the directions of the Nawaub, paid two Lakhsp of Rupees, in lieu of Paishkush, and one Lakh of Rupees as a present, and was allowed his life and property, and he and his troops accompanied the army. In the meantime, the spies and intelligencers had proceeded with the greatest speed to Nuggur, and had examined closely the state of that country, and they described the whole in detail to the Nawaub. About this time, also, the personq who was ambitious of obtaining the government of Bednore, and who, as has been already stated, desired an opportunity to establish his claim, had sought refuge in Chitul Droog, and, under the auspicious star of his good fortune, was introduced to the Nawaub. This person promised and engaged, through the medium of the Chief of Chitul Droog, to gird his loins in the service of the Nawaub; and stated that he considered the service of that victorious Chief as an honour to his house; and that he entreated the Nawaub to proceed quickly to the punishment of the Rani, whose government was a display of caprice, and who, like a man, galloped over the field of licence, and extinguish the torch of her immodestyr with the waters of the sword, and give to the world, (the people of which had their lives on their lips from her oppression, and tyranny,) comfort, consolation, and a new life. Seeing that the appearance of things was conformable to his hopes and wishes; the Nawaub Bahadúr agreed to the prayer of this man; and, having arrayed the right and left wingst of his army, the main body,u and advanced and rear guards,v he gave the command of each to brave experienced officers, and, the next morning but one, he marched towards Nuggur, his worthy son of victorious presage acompanying him. At every station and encampment on the march, Hydur, by his affability and presents, raised great hopes among the inhabitants of that country, and, to stimulate the cultivation and prosperity of the land, he gave them every assurancew of safety. In every town or fort, also, where his army encamped, he sent for the whole of the poor, and persons without employment, of all classes, and by favours and gifts gained their hearts, and enrolled them among his own servants. Those, however, who left the circle of obedience to his commands, and did not attend to his advice and instructions, but prepared to oppose him, those he endeavoured by all means to make prisoners or destroy. From this cause, fear and trembling came over the people of the country, and the mass of peasantry, civil officers, commandants of forts, &c. throught the medium of Hydur’s son, (Tippoo,) submitted and offered their obedience, and obtained encouragement in proportion to their merits. When Hydur’s troops arrived and encamped two stages on this side Nuggur, the spies, who had been before secretly ordered there, presented themselves, and stated that the Rani was much alarmed and grieved, that she took no rest day or night, and was immersed in deep reflection:— that she had given over all regulation of the affairs of government, and had determined to die; but that she still hoped, by management and deceit, the payment of the Paishkush, and by presenting valuable presents, that she might turn Hydur from his purpose; and, indeed, just at this time, according to the statement of the spies, the Rani did send confidential embassadors with presents, and a supplicatory letter. These Vakeels, after paying their respects to Hydur, presented the articles and rarities intended for gifts, and stated that the Rani would pay a yearly sum of 100,000 Hoons or Pagodas,x besides a tribute of other valuable articles, such as Foful.y Dates, Sandal wood, Kakul, (a particular kind of wood), black pepper, &c., and that, as long as she lived, she would be submissive to his orders, and pay tribute; and that she hoped the country would be restored to her charge, as a gift from him, so that, under the shade of his protection, she might be safe from all enemies. To this, Hydur returned for answer, that if she desired or hoped for safety, present comfort, tranquillity of mind, and the preservation of her honour, she must come without hesitation to the army; and that, then, she might proceed with every comfort to the fort of Seringaputtun, the asylum and stronghold of modesty and virtue, where she might reside, and receive from him an allowance proportioned in every respect to her wants.
The Vakeels returned to the Rani with this message, and reported to her the commands of the Nawaub. The Rani, free from restraint, proudly rejected the terms of this proposal; and right or wrong, foolishly prepared to defend herself; with this intent, she intrigued with Abdul Hukeem, Khan of Shanoor, sending a large sum of money to him, and entreating his assistance. Abdul Hukeem agreed to her request, and immediately despatched two thousand horse and four thousand foot, to assist her; and himself with a large force and artillery, advanced and encamped on the river Bala. The troops sent in aid entered, meanwhile, the fort of Nuggur, from the hills and forests surrounding the fort.
As soon as this intelligence reached Hydur, he became violently incensed, and, moving forward, encamped within one stage of Nuggur. Then sending for his officers, he despatched them to take the forts and towns near Nuggur, while he himself, with a body of his infantry and cavalry, commanded by his bravest officers, marched and invested the fort of Nuggur. The officers Hydur had detached, had, in the meantime, after much fighting, taken and plundered most of the towns and forts, in the neighbourhood, and those who demanded quarter were sent in troops to Hydur. While they were thus engaged, Hydur was employed day and night in the investment of Nuggur; and by raising batteries, and taking up ground by degrees for the attack, he so straightened the field of action on the garrison, that it became small as the eye of a needle; and the garrison, quitting all the places they had fortified outside, retired into the fort, and manned the walls. Although the garrison had in a short time lost the power of defending themselves, their senses being dissipated and though fear for their lives and the honour of their women had taken possession of their hearts, still, in faithful performance of their duty to the Rani, (the writer always affects to speak of this lady with great disrespect) who herself behaved with as much steadiness and courage as a man, they remained stedfast at their posts, and defended themselves bravely. Nay, even although the Nawaub’s brave soldiers daily killed troops of them with their cannon, and musket balls, and the sword, and burned numbers of them with the fire of hopelessness and despair; still, notwithstanding all this calamity and misery, the garrison continued to fight; they were killed, but not subdued. The Afghan troops, also, with great insolence did their part in aid of the fort and attacked the batteries of the besiegers repeatedly, but were always defeated; and although, in a short time, the besieged saw their field of battle still more straightened, and the field of flight and desertion appeared to them wider than the plain of the day of Judgment, still the siege was so strict and close, that they could not escape with their lives; and, being without resource, they determined that they would fight as long as they were able, and after that, by changing their clothes, try to save themselves, and penetrate to some other country.
When the Nawaub found that the town and forts in the vicinity, the commandants of which were brave men, had been conquered, and that the siege of the fort of Nuggur, defended by a woman, had been protracted to so great a length; also, that the rains, which bring distress upon man and beast, were at hand, and consequently his operations must be soon brought to a close, he, on the day on which the siege had continued one year, gave his troops orders to make the assault; granting them free permission to retain all their plunder, all articles of gold and silver, and likewise all handsome Hindoo women who might be taken. The cavalry, therefore, quitting their horses, and the infantry stepping out at the charging pace,z marched up the breach, firing vollies, and, mounting the walls and bastions, made the air resound with shouts of “take and kill!”a Every one who made opposition to them became the butt of the ball and bayonet, and the food of the blood-red sword. When the manlike Rani saw her affairs in this condition, she first set her palace on fire, that is, her ornamented sleeping apartments, which had been built and beautified by her husband, Shoom Shunkur, with Chinese bricks and tiles, washed and set in gold; the interstices being gold, and the doors and walls ornamented with jewels. She next burned most of her boxes of jewellery, or beat them to pieces in an iron mortar; and then, accompanied by only two or three damsels, or slave girls, she escaped on foot by the way of a water drain,b with her life only, to Kooli Droog, five kose from Nuggur, a very strong place, surrounded by a thick forest. This place she strengthened still more, and remained there, leaving the whole of the country, treasures, and valuables, of her husband and forefathers to the iron grasp of the renowned Nawaub.
As soon as the Nawaub knew that the Rani had escaped, he placed a garrison in the fort of Nuggur and immediately followed her steps, and invested the mountain fort, with every care and caution, and closely besieged it. The siege continued for some time; but, at length, after a month’s resistance, when the garrison had been completely subdued by the bravery of Hydur’s troops, they surrendered the hill to the Nawaub, and the Rani being taken was brought to the presence. This being effected, the Nawaub returned to the fort of Nuggur, and put the Rani in prison, and afterwards, placing her in a meeana or palankeen, he despatched her by the route of Sura to Seringaputtun. He then, with the greatest pomp and display of force, and at a fortunate moment, made his entry into the fort of the capital of Bednore, bestowing honour on the seat of Government; and for fifteen days he held a banquet, during which season of festivity he enjoyed the sound of music and the abundance of good things provided for the feast. He then gave to the poor, the religious, the musicians, and dancing women, presents of gold and silver ornaments, valuable cloths, and shawls. Also, to the brave chiefs of his army, and his soldiers, who had distinguished themselves by their gallantry, and had perilled their lives in this conquest, besides what they obtained in the assault of the fort, which, by Hydur’s orders, was what they could take, of heaps of gold and silver, valuable stuffs, jewels, pearls, arms of all kinds, and a great number of beautiful women, the value of all which was sufficient to place them above all wordly wants, to these valiant men he now again gave costly presents and honorary dresses, gold bracelets, pearl necklaces, jewelled gorgets, splendid swords, and lastly, jageers or fiefs (for conditional service), according to their rank and respective capacities. Hydur likewise selected a man of the name of Oojni, a Kolur, an old servant of his, and an intelligent able man, and, having given him the title of Raja Ram, committed the charge of Nuggur to him, giving him orders to repair the fort, and its defences; and, having bestowed on it the name of Hydur Nuggur, he again entered his tents.
An account of the incursion of the Afghans of Shanoor, who came to the aid of the imprisoned Rani of Bednore, and the punishment of the Chief of Shanoor, by the sharp sword of the Nawaub Bahadúr, with the conquest of other places, occurring in the year 1175. Hijri. A.D. 1761.
DURING the period the Nawaub was occupied in the siege and assault of Nuggur, the Afghans of Shanoor, who had arrived to the aid of the Rani, were the cause of great annoyance to the troops of Hydur, and even prevented the arrival of their provisions and supplies; in fact, they let slip no opportunity of giving the Nawaub a good deal of trouble; and, although the Bukshi, Hybut Jung, was appointed to oppose them, still, encamping under cover of the forests and hills, they fought his detachments daily, sometimes beating them, and being themselves sometimes beaten. The Nawaub, therefore, after he was freed from the necessary arrangements for the safety of the dependencies of the fort of Nuggur, which was effected in about two years, in person marched straight towards Shanoor. And on the morníng of his arrival, when the Kuzzak horse appeared wheeling round the Afghan army, the Afghans who thought them the horse of Hybut Jung, advanced quickly into the field of ambush to oppose them, like men without discretion or foresight. The Nawaub, therefore, gave orders to the regiments of regular infantry, the horse, foot, and artillery, all which were posted in ambush immediately in front of them, to fire and charge; and accordingly, firing vollies, they rushed upon the Afghans, and most of their men of valour and chiefs of note, were sent to eternity by the showers of cannon and musket-balls in that charge.c Having lost their presence of mind, the rest of the Afghans fled, and never drew the breath of courage until they reached the river Bala. Hukeem Khan, the Chief of the Afghans, having also lost his senses, left the whole of the baggage of his army, that is, his tents, standards, drums, camels, elephants, &c., and retired to his capital. The Nawaub, however, followed close on his heels, and appointed his Kuzzaks, (predatory horse) to pursue him from the field of battle to the gates of the fort; and they took many of his cavalry and their horses, nor did they draw back their hands from the discomfiture of their enemies. The Khan of Shanoor, being thus completely humbled, attempted no further opposition; but, taking the road of safety, made peace by paying a krore of rupees— verse.d “Who did (evil), who did not find (retribution)?”e
In place, however, of the sum demanded, the Khan gave up elephants, camels, tents of velvet, bechobas embroidered with gold, (a kind of tent without a pole,) Boorhanpoor cloths, of great value, arms of costly price, and a sum of money. These articles the chiefs of former times had accumulated at the expense of hundreds of thousands of pounds; but all these articles were at once given up, and then he was released from the violence of Hydur’s brave soldiers.
When the Nawaub had completed his arrangements here, he placed garrisons in the forts of Bangalore, Chenolee, Hurnee, &c., and then returned victorious to Nuggur; and from that place despatched Hybut Jung, with a large force, towards Hurpun Hully, Kunakgiri, &c., to reduce the Poligars of the Suba of Sura, and to collect the amount due for the customary tribute or Paishkush; there being due, also, from every Poligar, besides the Paishkush, one-tenth for the horse-shoeing of the Foujdári.f Hydur himself, at the same time, crossed the Ghauts to the westward of Nuggur, to reduce the forts and country on the sea-side depending on that state; and Mirza Husseini Beg, his brother-in-law, the maternal uncle of Kureem Sahib, the Nawaub’s youngest son, was sent with a detachment to reduce Buswa Rai Droog.
As soon as he obtained his audience of leave, the Mirza marched to the sea-side, and, having seized some fishermen’s boats, embarked with his followers, and sailed towards the Droog, which lies about two fursungs (nine or ten miles) distant from the shore, and is surrounded by salt water. When they arrived there, he with his troops encompassed the hill, and despatched a message to the garrison, informing them of the capture and plunder of the town of Nuggur, and the captivity of the Rani; sending also a separate Kowl Nama from himself. The garrison losing heart (at this intelligence), after three days, surrendered without resistance. Having placed a strong garrison on the hill, the Mirza returned with the whole of the property of Shoom Shunker, the Raja of Nuggur, deposited there for safety, which consisted of two or three boxes of pearls and diamonds, two boxes of jewelry, two elephant housings, richly embroidered and curiously wrought in gold and silver, a jewelled chain for the foot of an elephant, two sets of gold and silver bells for the necks of the royal elephants, and two gold embroidered saddles. These, on his return, he presented to the Nawaub, and was highly complimented by him.
The Nawaub himself, having in a very short time settled and regulated that part of the country, and having placed strong garrisons in the forts of Mirjan and Angola, (which are on the boundary of the Kokun Ghauts, and were built by Syfe ul Moolk, the governor of the Kokun, an ameer of the Adil Shahi dynasty,) also in Gorial Bunder (Mangalore) Sudasheo Gurh, Mykuni, Moleer, Honawur, Pykul, &c., returned to Seringaputtun.
When Hybut Jung, with a large body of troops, had taken leave of the Nawaub, he marched to Kunakgiri, and having realized there three years’ Paishkush, or two Lakhs of rupees, he next proceeded to Hurpun Hully, and, by fair and foul means, made the Poligar of that place pay three Lakhs of rupees. He then marched to Chitul Droog, and obtained four Lakhs of rupees Paishkush from the Poligar, and, marching thence by Jureemli and Goori Kota, arrived at Rai Droog, from the Chief of which he demanded the tribute. In his reply, the Chief pleaded poverty, and described the devastated condition of his country, and delayed payment of the tribute under different pretexts. It is not, however, to be suppressed, that the Poligar of Bellari had made an excursion into his territory, and had plundered and laid it waste. Hybut Jung however, for an example, besieged the little fort of Kanikul, depending on the Droog, and laboured to effect its capture. The Poligar, therefore, assembled five or six hundred cavalry and two thousand foot, and, by occupying the roads in the vicinity, stopped all supplies for the army. At this time, which was the period of the return of the Nawaub from Nuggur, he despatched a letter, by a pair of camel sowars, or riders, to Hybut Jung, requiring him to send him from his force a thousand able men, without arms. Hybut Jung accordingly selected a thousand young men from his division, and despatched them from the northward of Rai Droog to Simoga, under an escort of five hundred horse and two battalions of regular infantry, with arms. This body of troops had proceeded two or three fursungs (fursung here apparently means kose), when suddenly the horse and foot of the Poligar made their appearance, and, at first pretending to be friends, charged the escort without hesitation; and although the escort fired briskly, and the horse attacked the enemy, sword in hand, still the infantry of the Poligar, having the cover and protection of the forest, mastered and threw them all into confusion, and most of the old soldiers or men of experience were without pity put to the sword. Some, however, escaped from the carnage to the protection of the mountains.
When Hybut Khan heard this he left his batteries, and marched with his collected force, and, in the twinkling of an eye, attacked the troops of the Poligar, and gave them such a defeat, that the runaways did not look behind them until they reached the ditch of the Droog before mentioned. He then, in the same place, that is, to the eastward of Rai Droog, planted his colours, and pitched his tents, and wrote a letter to the Poligar, stating that his insubordination arose from the kindness and lenity with which he had been treated by him, (Hybut Jung); and that certainly he had intended, by every means in his power, to intercede with the Nawaub, so as that the Poligar’s district or countryg might remain to him as it was without diminution, and then return with a good name for mildness or lenity; but that, now, he was not to look for any indulgence, but wash his hands of his life and property. When the letter was received by the Poligar, and he understood its contents, he despatched Kistnapa, his Dulwai, or Minister, to intercede for the pardon of his offences; and by his negociations he engaged to pay three lakhs of rupees as a Paishkush, two lakhs for his rebellion, and one lakh as a present for his life. He also paid for all the property and cattle belonging to the detachment he had attacked and destroyed, every article being returned; and, after this, Hybut Jung, taking the Dulwai and the money with him, proceeded to the presence. About this time, Meer Alí Ruza Khan was appointed to the Foujdári of Sura, and took leave.
An account of the Invasion of Mysoor, by the Paishwa Siwaee Madhoo Rao, Mahratta, and his taking a number of Forts, and the Souba of Sura, &c., with other events of the year 1076, Hijri. A.D. 1762.
WHEN Ballajee Rao Nana, the Poona Paishwa or Purdhan (Minister), died, Siwaee Madhoo Rao, his son, seated himself on the Musnud of his Government, and remained for some time occupied in the internal regulation of his own dominions; sometime after that, however, he began to collect troops, stores, and heavy artillery, so that he at length assembled near one hundred thousand horse, sixty thousand Pindarehs, and fifty thousand matchlock foot, in addition to the troops of Alí Bahadúr, the son of Shumshire, Bahadúr, (who was a son of Ballajee Rao Nana) and, with this immense force, he made an incursion into the Karnatic Balaghaut. An abridged account of Alí Bahadúr is as follows:—h
After the ruin of the Adil Shahi dynasty, a Hindostani dancing girl travelled from Bijapoor to Poona, and took up her residence in that city. This woman being the most beautiful and most accomplished dancer of her time, Ballajee, beguiled by the elegance of her person and accomplishments, fell in love with her, and selected her for his bedfellow, and, being deceived by his professions, this vile woman consented.i Being fond of each other, after sometime a son was born, who was brought up by his mother as a Muhammadan. When, however, this boy grew up to manhood, his father, that is Ballajee Rao, gave him the title of Shumshire Bahadúr, with a munsub, and jageer of twelve thousand horse. This Bahadúr was present in the battle of the Sirabdalli (the battle of Paniput), with the Rao, and was killed there, with him; and his son, Alí Bahadúr, was there also.
In reference to the Pindarehs, it is not unknown that they are a low tribe of robbersk entertained by some of the princes of the Dukhun, to plunder and lay waste the territories of their enemies, and to serve for guides, or as an example to their own troops. They give these men no certain pay from their treasury; but when the troops halt, these people bring hay and wood to the camp for sale, and the price of these articles provides them with necessary subsistence. In time of active service, they are highly pleased to obtain, from the Commanding Officer of their army, permission to plunder; and then they lay waste the country of an enemy so completely, that even the owl and bat would be afraid of such a desart. Indeed, in time of war, they generally pay the Chief of their army a sum of money, under the denomination of horse-shoeingl money. But, to return, when Madhoo Rao marched towards Mysore, he visited Shanoor, and took the Hakim or chief of that place, and his troops with him. He next sent for Morar Rao, and then, crossing the river Tungbhudra, by the Gooraknauth Ghaut, marched by the route of Chituldroog, (the Poligar of which also accompanied his army), to the Souba of Sura. The Meer before mentioned, (Meer Alí Ruza Khan,) on the first day, marched out of the fort with his troops, and having viewed the Mahratta army, he returned, and prepared to defend himself. The Rao stationed his artillery on a tank, to the northward of the fort, and began to breach the fortifications at a considerable distance. The Meer, however, defended himself for ten or twelve days; and then, after exacting good conditions, gave up the keys of the capital of the Souba to the Mahratta, and he himself entered his service; Madhoo Rao, treating him with great kindness, and keeping him about his person. Madhoo Rao next marched to Mudgiri, and, after a siege of about a month, took that hill fort, and leaving there a garrison of his own men, marched onward.
The Nawaub although he marched to Bangalore, with the whole of his horse, foot, and artillery, yet, from the strength of the Mahratta army, which was ten times more numerous than his own, he did not consider it prudent to come in contact with them; agreeing with the words of the wise— Verse, “You may overcome a proud enemy by humbling yourself, &c.”m Making, therefore, no opposition, he returned to Seringaputtun, and threw up batteries round the fort for its protection, and also stationed his artillery, and his regular and Karnatic infantry in different places, and remained at his own quarters, in perfect readiness. All this seeming negligence, or quiet indifference,n was however put on merely to try and ascertain the intentions, strength, courage, and ability, of the Mahrattas; and Hydur’s stable horse, and the Pindarehs, were kept concealed in the jungle or fort of Makuri Droog, and had orders to make plundering expeditions against the enemy.
After sweeping hill and dale, mountain and forest, the Mahrattas at length sat down before the fort of Nijigul, and despatched a summons, demanding the surrender of the fort from Hydur’s Killadár, whose name was Sirdar Khan, a brave man, of good family, and faithful to the Nawaub. That trustworthy and brave officer, however, who, by his ability and liberality, had secured the affections of his men, and was certain of their loyalty, replied to the summons by sending them a few cannon balls; upon which, being much incensed by the steadiness and courage of Sirdar Khan, Madhoo Rao immediately assaulted the place, in hopes to break down the defences. The Mahratta troops came on, making a great noise, like a swarm of bees buzzing round their honey. But Sirdar Khan, who thought himself more than equal to a thousand Mahrattas, advanced with his men, and made the breasts of his enemies butts for his cannon and musket balls and arrows, and killed a great number of them; aud from the marks of their blood on the stone steps and rocks of the mountain, he acquired honourable distinction,o and remained victorious. The Mahrattas, having received a total defeat, retired. Nevertheless, they did not delay before they again made another very gallant attack, which, however, had again the same result, and the colour of their faces departed. The next day Madhoop Rao mounted his elephant, and, all being ready, he gave his officers and troops, horse and foot, orders again to assault the hill fort. On this day also, this gallant officer, Sirdar Khan, faithful to his master, fought desperately, and succeeded in repelling the Mahrattas; and, from the continual fire of the artillery and musketry, from the foot of the mountain to the walls of the fort, heaps of the assailants lay rolling in their blood. Seeing this carnage, the Mahratta began to pause and reflect; and, having raised the hopes of the Poligar of Chituldroog and others, by valuable presents, and the promise of the remission of their Paishkush for two years, and giving orders also to put to death the whole of the garrison, he employed them to take the fort. The Poligars having in consequence directed their own Bedurs,q men particularly well acquainted with the country, to attack the fort, now sent them on for that purpose. These men, therefore, climbing up at the back of the mountain, through a thousand difficulties and dangers, scaled the walls and towers, by the help of ladders, and raised their shouts of “Koo! Koo!” Sirdar Khan, although he with a party of his men, immediately attacked them desperately, and killed many of them, yet the garrison, seeing their enemies in the fort cutting off heads, became so terrified, that they threw away their arms, and at the same time their lives. Sirdar Khan was wounded, and taken prisoner. Madhoo Rao, however, sent for this brave man, whose forehead shone bright with courage, and seated him in the place of honour, and, bestowing on him great commendations, took him on with him.
Leaving a detachment in Nijigul, Madhoo Rao marched forward; but the Nawaub’s Kuzzaks made great havoc among his foraging parties, and also attacked his advance and rear guards, and displayed so much bravery, that the Pindarehs of the Mahratta camp, who, in thieving, cheating, and roguery of all kinds, were the ablest men of their time, were, by the daring and villany of Hydur’s Kuzzaks, completely outdone, and unable to leave their camp. The Mahrattas themselves, also, notwithstanding the strength of their army, were frightened at the Nawaub’s troops. But, to return— in time Madhoo Rao took Balapoor the greater; and intending, in the first place, to reduce the forts in the neighbourhood of Puttun, and make the Poligars of that quarter join and assist him in the conquest of the capital of the Khodadad State, he directed his march towards Balapoor the less. Budruzzuman Khan, who was Foujdár there, seeing the strength of the Mahratta army, was alarmed, and considered that opposition could be of no avail; nevertheless, Budruzzuman Khan was a brave and faithful man; but the state of a man’s temperament is never long the same, and, according to his view of the case, it seemed to him that his best policy lay in surrendering the fort, and he accordingly gave up the keys, and those of the stores, to Madhoo Rao, and, being allowed to depart freely, he retired to Kirpa.
The Mahrattas now marched to Kolar; and, taking a sum of money from Delawur Khan, they allowed him to retain his Jageer. They then besieged the hill and fort of Murwakul, in which was a garrison of the Nawaub’s; and, after several assaults, and the loss of thousands of brave men, the fort was taken, and the Killadár and garrison all put to the sword. From that fort they marched towards Goorum Kondah, which fort was also in charge of one of Hydur’s officers; and, after some opposition, they took that also. Madhoo Rao gave this fort in Jageer to Meer Alí Ruza Khan, who was with him as an Omeidwar,r and whose father and grandfather had, in former times, held its Killadári or command for several generations, with authority to raise a thousand horse, and two or three thousand foot, to keep the country on that side in subjection, and with strict orders to reduce the Poligars.— Madhoo Rao then marched to attack Puttun.
The Nawaub had however obtained information of his design; and, with the whole body of his cavalry sought cover in the Jungul of Makuri, and waited there, like a hungry lion looking out for his prey. While he was thus waiting, it happened that suddenly the advanced guard of the Mahrattas, which, in the Persian language, is technically called Beeni-i-Usakir,s with a great quantity of stores, provisions, artillery, and the standards of the Paishwa, arrived, and encamped in the neighbourhood of Ootri Droog, ignorant of the presence of the Nawaub’s troops. The first day they halted, and the next day resolved to proceed, to besiege the fort of Seringaputtun; all the Mahratta troops being void of apprehension of meeting with the Nawaub’s forces. Having received this information from their encampment, the Nawaub forbade and prevented, for the whole day, a single man of his force from quitting the Jungle, keeping them in constant readiness. But, as soon as night drew on, the Nawaub marched, and, about midnight, came upon the rear of the unwary Mahrattas, and attacked them so vigorously and successfully, that, with all their overwhelming numbers, amounting to between forty and fifty thousand men, they lost the use of their senses; and, unable to stand against the sword and spear, mostly hid themselves in rice and camel bags,t which they had previously emptied, and some, by the active employment of their hands and feet, and by resorting to a hundred tricks and subterfuges, escaped from the battle. Some Chiefs of the Mahrattas, with abject fear, laid their heads under the feet of the horses of the Nawaub’s brave soldiers; and the Commanding Officer of the Mahrattas, mounting a horse without a saddle, fled to his great camp or head quarters. Victorious in a degree above all his former victories, the Nawaub ordered his drums to beat and trumpets to sound for joy, and despatched the whole of the Mahratta spoil, as artillery, standards, &c. to Seringaputtun, and took up his ground of encampment on the same spot.
When Madhoo Rao heard of the shameful defeat which his Beenee, or advanced guard, had received, he was greatly afflicted, his colour fled, and he shed the fast tears of sorrow and anger, and bitterly reproached the pale trembling officer, who, after the destruction of his troops, had found means to escape, saying to him in great displeasure “by thy folly thou hast cut off the Paishwa’s nose,”u meaning that he had lost or sacrificed the Paishwa’s honour.
Madhoo Rao after this, left the neighbourhood of Chintamuni, where he was encamped, and went to seek refuge in the mountains of Ambajee Droog. At this time the Nawaub, by a night march, surrounded the fort of Balapoor the greater, carried it without difficulty at the head of his cavalry, and put the whole of the Mahratta garrison to the sword, and the next morning he returned to Makurri Droog. When this intelligence reached also Madhoo Rao, it threw him into great perplexity.
About this time, also, an officer from the Mahratta camp, with five or six thousand horse, plundering the country, as they went, arrived in the Barh Mahl; they were, however, followed and tracked by Hydur’s Kuzzaks, and by their exertions entirely dispersed or destroyed. And here, is it not natural to pause, and consider how wonderful it was, that, notwithstanding the exceeding great number of the Mahratta host, the intrepidity of the Nawaub’s Pindarehs so straightened them that they dared not quit the ground of their encampment. The words of the holy book,x “How often has a small company conquered a large army.”y were thus completely verified.
After this, however, the Nawaub, consulting his good sense and discretion, and adapting his conquering policy, to the times; according also, to the verse, “A wise man will not give cause of offence.”— “To a proud enemy he will be humble:— “When fire flames high water is thrown on it.”— “No one would put out fire by adding fire,”z— he despatched several able ambassadors to Madhoo Rao, with some presents, which had fallen into his hands in the plunder of their camp, seven lakhs of rupees in money, and a message to this effect; that “it was not just for men of rank and courage, (meaning Madhoo), without cause to slay the poor or plunder the peaceable, but that there was no help for what was past;a that it became the dignity of Madhoo Rao to withhold his hands from slaying and plundering God’s creatures, and restrain his heart from devising injury to mankind; that he should return to his own country, where he would recommend that the money now sent should be deposited in his treasury, and be received by him as the profit or the produce of his invasion; and that he might consider the Khodadad state, (Mysore) as the aid and support of his own.”b
When these able, clear-sighted agents reached Madhoo Rao, they delivered their message to him in distinct terms, and handing over the money, with fair and flattering words, brought him to agree to extinguish the fire of discord, and make peace. Madhoo Rao, who had done nothing in two years and three months, in that time had made no permanent acquisition in Mysore, but on the contrary, had witnessed on all sides the ruin of his own army; now, therefore, saw his best policy in the terms of the message, and accepted the propositions of the Nawaub; sending to him the prisoners he had made of the Nawaub’s troops, with presents of money and clothes; and, after that, returned to Poona.
The Nawaub, with his army, followed the Mahrattas as far as Balapoor the less, and then visited the Talookas or districts plundered by them, where he pleased the hearts of the farmers and husbandmen, by advances and aids of money, bullocks for the plough, seed and instrumentsc for the cultivation of the land, and he moreover gave strict orders, to foster the population, and increase the cultivation, and remitted the share of produce belonging to government for one year. He then returned to Bangalore.
At this time, Alí Zumán Khan Nayut, who was married to a sister-in-law of Budruzzuman Khan, arrived at the presence, as the agent of Muhammad Yousuf Khan, commandant of Mudhra, (Madura), against whom Muhammad Alí Khan, the chief of Arkat, had marched a body of troops falsely accusing him of rebellion. Alí Zumán was sent to solicit aid to repel this attack. As, however, the Nawaub had objects of great necessity and importance on hand, he did not consider it convenient or safe at that period to detach any part of his army. For some time therefore the negotiation was prolonged, on different pretexts, until, about this period, the chief of Arkat defeated the commandant, and the fort was taken, through the treachery of Seonas Rao, a Brahman of Tanjore and other Jamadars, and the said commandant was impaled: the date of his execution will be found in the words; ‘the rebellious commandant.’d Meer Alí Zumán Khan, after this, remained with the Nawaub, who, being pleased with his polished manners, his mild disposition, and the charms of his conversation, made him a constant companion. Sometimes, however, he was offended with him, or treated him with caprice. Being a very stout man, the Khan was not able to mount a horse, and therefore, when he went out, Hydur was used to give him the loan of his own elephant.
About this time, also, Fyze Ullah Khan Hybut Jung, who had quarrelled with his father-in-law, Delawur Khan, sought refuge with the Nawaub, to prefer a claim he had on that person, to jewels and articles of value, belonging to his wife; and, opportunities offering themselves, he repeatedly complained to the Nawaub, and excited him greatly against Delawur Khan. The Nawaub, therefore, despatched his own elephant, with the equipage and a few horse, to Kolar, with a summons for Delawur Khan.
The Khan being a wise man, and seeing that his ruin impended, and fearing the mischief produced by his foolish son-in-law, also that he could not with safety to his life reject or refuse the Nawaub’s invitation, without any equivocation set out on his journey. When, however, the Nawaub heard of the venerable Khan’s arrival, he took the veil of enmity off his honest heart, and advanced to the enclosures of his tent, to meet and do him honour, bringing him into the tent, and seating him on the Musnud with himself, with all the respect and deference which distinguish a man of perfect good breeding,— as one of the poets says, “That man is perfect among the perfect, who shows he is master, while humble as a slave.”e Hydur told the Khan that he must have considered him, (Hydur), as one of his most faithful servants, to have made so long a journey to see him;— that he, Hydur, was an ignorant man, who yet had much to learn; but he hoped that, by his advice and instruction, he might be brought to the good way. After Hydur had been gratified by the visit of the worthy Khan, and had been made acquainted with the real facts of the case, he considered the claim of Hybut Jung to be entirely false, and discharged it from his mind. The sons of Hybut Jung, whom Delawur Khan had brought with him, were, however, sent to their father; and a separate tent, being cleared and provided with articles of use and comfort, Delawur Khan was placed therein, and proper servants appointed to attend him, and for his expenses a thousand rupees a month were allowed; besides which, he ate twice a day at the Nawaub’s table. About this time, likewise, Noor Ulabsar Khan the son of Dileer Khan, and the nephew of Delawur Khan, was selected by the Nawaub as his son-in-law, and the usual marriagef ceremonies were duly performed.
After awhile, the Nawaub, intending to reduce the Poligars in the vicinity of Kolar, and Murwakul, marched a force in that direction; and, at the same time, by the mediation of Khaki Shah Durvesh, one of the Nawaub’s counsellors, Hybut Jung, and Muha Mirza Khan, the Bakshi of the Paigah,g (a person who had been sent for from Aurangabad, and treated with great distinction and honour,) Meer Alí Ruza Khan, by the promises of a large Jageer, and an increase of rank, was invited and induced to return to the presence; and, as he was a brother-in-law, and otherwise related to the Nawaub, he returned with confidence, and, to secure his attachment, the Nawaub presented him with the hill fort of Goorum Koondah, and the whole of the district of Dindigul in Jageer, and also honoured him with an order to enlist troops.
The Nawaub in about six months had reduced the Poligars of that vicinity; that is, the Poligar of Punganoor, Mudun Pally, Komneer Palah, &c. and, having finished his arrangements, he returned to Seringaputtun, where he remained for two years, occupied in pleasure and enjoyment; also, in the collection of military stores for future conquest, in the acquisition of which he expended hundreds of thousands of rupees in gold and jewels, as he likewise did in the enlistment of horse and foot, and the purchase of horses.
Yaseen Khan, Wanti Koodri, came, about this time, from Nuthur Nuggur, otherwise Trichinopoly, and entered the Nawaub’s service. Muhammad Omar, commandant, about this time fell sick and died, and his son Muhammad Alí, who, during the life of his father was a Soubadár,h was promoted to the command of the same Risala.
As soon as, in all respects, his army was ready for the field, the Nawaub turned his thoughts to certain arrangements required at Nuggur, and marched thither with a well appointed force. On this expedition he took with him Delawur Khan; and, on the days of march or action, the venerable Khan was mounted on Hydur’s own elephant, and marched surrounded by the horse of Hydur’s stable or Paigah, and accompanied by his Julow or personal guard. Hydur himself rode on horseback, and in front of the regular infantry, and artillery. From Nuggur he despatched a force under the command of Vinkut Rao, Mooshrif, (inspector), a faithful officer in his service, accompanied by Hybut Jung, towards Shanoor; that, by this manifestation, they might collect an adequate Paishkush from the chief of that place, and also reinforce certain garrisons in that neighbourhood. In about a twelvemonth, the Nawaub returned to Puttun, and remained there for some time.
The Second Invasion of Mysore by Sewaie Madhoo Rao, and the march of the Nawaub Bahadúr to the neighbourhood of Shanoor, to oppose him; with other events of the year 1078, Hejiri. A. D. 1766.
WHEN Madhoo Rao, after peace had been concluded, returned for the first time from the Karnatic Balaghaut to Poona, he left a Thana, or garrison, in Sura. The Killadár of that place, now hearing of the assembling of the Nawaub’s army, and his advance towards Nuggur for the regulation of his affairs there, and becoming alarmed, despatched a full account of these matters to Madhoo Rao, who being also troubled and perplexed, and considering his own destruction to be threatened by the assemblage of the Nawaub’s forces, again commenced to collect his troops and chiefs. Having commenced his march towards Mysore, he despatched a body of troops, to reduce all the forts on the frontier, which were held by the Killadárs of the Nawaub. Hearing of the march of the Mahratta army, the Nawaub marched also with his victorious troops by the route of Seo Mooka, (or Simoga,) and Buswa Puttun; and, having crossed the Tung Bhudr, advanced to Hur Hur, and Arnee, and from that to Meduk, known also by the name of Shikarpoor, where he encamped.
The army of the Mahrattas, after taking the forts before mentioned, marched towards the Nawaub, and encamped about three miles distant from him, and the next morning advanced to attack him. The Nawaub was, however, all ready to receive them, and his troops, ready formed for battle, kept their ground. The Poligar of Chitul Droog, with his force, was present with the Nawaub’s army on this occasion. The Mahrattas now surrounded the Nawaub’s troops, forming a ring round them; but, although they charged desperately, still the Ghazies, or Mussulmans, constantly repelled them with the greatest steadiness and courage, and maintained their ground throughout the whole of the day. At night, however, the Nawaub quitted that ground, and marched straight to Cheroli, Anoti, and Jara, and there, placing his rear to the Jungul, he encamped; and for the further security of his camp, he mounted his artillery in batteries on all the rising grounds surrounding it; and, being in readiness, he waited for an opportunity to destroy his enemies. After the Nawaub had taken up this position, Madhoo Rao was not able to march and quit him, or to attack any other place. The Chief of Shanoor, however, had made a treaty with the Mahrattas, and gave them his aid.
After a few days, therefore, parties of both armies daily met in the field, and did justice to their manhood by keeping the field of battle constantly occupied by combatants. The Mahrattas likewise placed on the top of a small hill all the guns of their artillery which carried furthest, and from thence cannonaded the Nawaub’s camp, and caused great inconvenience to his camp followers. To remedy this, the Nawaub, after some consideration, one night marched with a body of five thousand matchlock infantry marksmen, about fifteen hundred horse, and four lighti guns of his Julow, or guard, all selected men, leaving the rest of his army under the charge of Hybut Jung Bukhshí, and the regulation of the treasury and Tosheh Khana, &c., to the superintendence of Delawur Khan; the Nawaub’s object being to make a night attack, he marched, under cover of the thick jungle, straight on the Mahratta artillery. The time, however, was unlucky, and the hour favourable to his enemies; for, by reason of the badness of the roads, his troops being obliged to cut down the trees to obtain a passage; by the time they had arrived on a plain near the Mahratta artillery, night vanished, and the morning shone forth brightly. The Mahrattas, therefore, being aware of the approach of the Nawaub’s troops, immediately surrounded him, and, setting up shouts of “take, and kill!” and curvettingk and leaping their horses, charged on all sides. The Nawaub had very regularly and skilfully formed his infantry into a fort, or square;l but, although he gave orders to commence a fire from his guns, not one of them would go off, and fire seemed to take no more effect on them than on so much ice. At length the Nawaub himself dismounted from his horse, and, taking a match in his hand, placed it on the touch-hole of the gun. It was, however, of no use, as the fuse did not take fire; and now, hopeless of any service from his artillery, he kept off the Mahrattas by a sharp fire from his musketry, and still fought to the very extent of his means. At last, the Mahrattas, like a flight of crows, charged in a body and mixed with the Nawaub’s troops, shoulder to shoulder, and the ranks of the Nawaub’s troops were broken, and thrown into confusion, and their lives uselessly lost. Vinkut Rao, the Dewaun, was killed, and Alí Zumán Khan, wounded; and some of the Nawaub’s troops, under pretence of bringing aid or ammunition, ran away. When they saw the field their own, the Mahratta army followed the fugitives, and as long as they were able, plundered and slew them. The Nawaub, by his intelligence and activity, escaped from the slaughter, and like the sun without a peer, and alone, sat down under a tree, and surveyed with wild passion the field so favourable to his enemies. Just at this time, a drummer with his drum arrived at the place where he sat, and stood before him. Thinking his arrival a very fortunate occurrence, and a happy presage of the fortune of his troops, the Nawaub ordered him to beat (a charge), and he accordingly beat his drum in such a way that the sound shed terror on the Mahrattas; and they fearing, from the beating of the drum, that a re-inforcement had arrived to the aid of the discomfited Mussulmans, left all the baggage they had taken, and began to run away. The Nawaub had scarcely collected the remainder of his force, which the sword had left to him, and arrived in the plain, when Hybut Jung, with the artillery, regular infantry, and cavalry, arrived to his aid by a forced march. The Nawaub’s mind now being fully at ease, he took the troops with him, followed the enemy at speed, and gave orders to his artillery and infantry to fire as fast as they could, to break the heads and legs of the runaway Mahrattas and their horses; which they did successfully. The Mahrattas now retired, dragging with them their guns; but, leaving their dead and wounded on the field, for want of time to carry them away. They, however, carried off the artillery which they had captured.— When the Mahratta army was out of sight, the Nawaub collected all his own dead, and wounded, with the wounded Mahrattas, and brought them to his camp, and ordered their wounds to be sewn up and dressed, giving, at the same time, the allowance of Murhum Putti, (a compensation in money for wounds), to every one.
The Mahrattas, with their troops, now marched towards Binkapore, where they halted; and, as the rainy season had arrived, they placed themselves in cantonments there. The Nawaub halted on the same ground, (that of the battle.)— Madhoo Rao, however, notwithstanding the rainy season, despatched Gopal Rao, the chief of Mirch, with his force, to plunder and destroy the country on the other side the river Tung Bhudr. Gopal Rao, therefore, crossing that river at the ford of Horul, advanced, plundering the people, and firing the villages, all the way he went. From the Poligars of Hurpun Hully, Rai Droog, &c., he collected the Paishkush by force, and plundered the dependencies of Chitul Droog, and filled the four quarters of the Karnatic with the noise and tumult of calamity and oppression. Gopal Rao, having made the teeth of rapacity sharper than the clawsm of a dog, with perfect confidence, and a loose rein, encamped near Hussdroog, a dependency of Chituldroog.
When this intelligence reached the Nawaub, he, leaving the whole of his troops and baggage in the same place, with only six thousand stable horse, nine thousand Sillahdárs,n four thousand regular infantry, and six guns, lightly equipped, marched secretly and rapidly towards them, and, on the third night, he fell bravely on the Mahrattas, who were seized by the hand of death, and ignorant of the change brought about by the revolution of the heavens, pouring such a fire upon them, that all at once their union as a body, and the firmness of their minds, were broken by fear, and they were scattered as the falling leaves before the desolating winds of autumn. Those men only of the Mahrattas who, throwing down their arms, abandoned their horses, and, shewing their teeth, held up the hand of supplication for mercy to Hydur’s brave soldiers, were spared. The officer in command of the Mahratta troops, whose name is above mentioned, (Gopal Rao), withdrawing the hand of courage and honour from all things denoting his rank and authority, took what was present of his property, and some plunder obtained by his rapacity and oppression; and, in astonishment, repeating these lines,— “Every one carries away some worldly goods,”— “we, for our parts, have withdrawn our hearts from the things of this world,” accompanied by a few men, escaped on one side, and took the road to Sura. The camp followers, and women of the soldiers, all that had escaped the sword, and were seeking their safety by flight, never stopped until they arrived at the protection of the ditch of the fort at Sura. Some, by a thousand stratagems and labours, fled with all speed, and falling and rising again, and thinking every moment the last, arrived at the head quarters of the Poona army. The victorious Nawaub remained the whole of that day on the Mahratta ground of encampment, and collected all the baggage; as tents, standards, and arms, and having laden with them all the elephants, horses, and camels, taken from the enemy, and setting fire to the remainder, which lay about in heaps, he returned to his camp.
When the Mahratta, (Madhoo Rao), heard of this exploit of the Mujahidan, or Mussulmans, he became convinced he would scarcely be able to preserve his own life in the present campaign, and was fearful that, by some sudden change, his power and authority might be scattered to the winds. About this time, also, the Kuzzaks of the Nawaub’s army, who, in the arts of deceiving and plundering their enemies might be considered perfect, by changing their dress and altering the cut of their beards, &c., joined the foraging parties of the Mahrattas without suspicion; and, after associating with them for some time without discovery, when they found an opportunity, raised a tumult, which might be likened to that of the day of judgment, among their quondam friends, relieving them from the charge of five thousand horses, nineteen elephants, and ninety head of camels, besides slaying them without compunction.
When Madhoo Rao saw his troops in these difficulties, and that, notwithstanding their great number, they could take no rest at night for fear of attack; that, during the day, for fear of their lives, they did not dare to quit their encampments; that, above all, from the violence of the rains of that year, the earth was more over-flowed with water, than the eyes of an unfortunate lover; and that both men and beasts had lost the use of their limbs from extreme heat and cold, and that, like as if frozen, many of them slept in the arms of death; when, therefore, Madhoo Rao found himself surrounded by such difficulties, his heart gave way, and, without the accomplishment of his projects, and after the lapse of one year and some months, by the mediation of able Vakeels or Ambassadors, the war was concluded, on the payment of two Lakhs of rupees, (by Hydur), although, in its prosecution, Madhoo Rao had incurred the expense of a great many Lakhs. After this settlement, Madhoo Rao returned to his capital, Poona.
The Nawaub, victorious, after making some necessary arrangements in that quarter, returned by the route of Nuggur, happy and rejoicing. When he arrived at Seringaputtun, Delawur Khan, pretending to be sick, obtained leave of absence and retired to Kolar; from which place, secretly and at night, he, with his baggage, valuables, women, and his whole household, without any evident cause, took the road to the Payanghaut; and, on his arrival there, selected Arkat as his residence The Nawaub, when he heard of his flight, was much surprized; but lost no time in sending a detachment of troops to garrison the fort of Kolar, and took possession of the district for himself.
An account of the conquest of Koorg, and the reduction of Kalikote, (Calicut), &c. events which occurred in the year 1181, Hijri. A.D. 1767.
FROM the time of the Kings of Bijapoor, the Zemindárs of this part of the country, (meaning the south of India), such as the Chiefs of Koorg, Kalikote, (Calicut), &c., paid each of them a proportionate Paishkush, at the capital of the Kings; through the medium of the governor of the Souba Sura, and after the fall of that dynasty, they paid their customary tribute to the Názim, or Soubadár of the Dukkun, that is, to the Nawaub Asof Jah; sometimes without denial or delay, and sometimes when troops were marched towards them to enforce payment. In the last days, however, of the Nizámut of Asof Jah, who, by reason of the arrogance and incursions of the Mahrattas, and his constant conflicts with them, had no leisure to collect or confirm the dues of Government in this quarter, the whole of these men, taking advantage of the opportunity thus afforded them, rebelled, and without further hesitation each became a sovereign prince in his own territory. The governors of the Souba Sura, also, who had been ordered by the Názims of the Dukkun to correct and chastise the irregularities of these Zemindárs, not only slothfully neglected their duty, but, from the influence of bribes, connived at the irregularities of the Poligars. When, however, by the strength of his arms, and the exertion of his courage, the power of the Nawaub increased he reduced them all to subjection, and drew them into the circle of those obedient to his commands, making them the servants of his will, and the slaves of his policy. At this latter period, however, from the incursion of the Mahrattas into the Nawaub’s country, and the Nawaub’s full occupation in repelling them, they again became insubordinate in their own districts, lifted up their heads to rebellion, plundered and murdered the garrisons of the Nawaub, stationed in all the forts in their vicinity, and reduced the whole country under their own authority. These circumstances having been reported to the Nawaub, and he being now relieved from the Mahratta contest, he, like an angry lion, marched by the way of Nuggur and the sea-shore, towards that wild desert, (Koorg); and having collected six or seven hundred fishermen, with their boats, and directed his supplies and stores to be sent by sea, he himself marched with his regular and irregular infantry, and artillery, and fell on the heads of these rebels like a sudden calamity. The first on whom he fell was the Poligar of the Bul district, who, when he had an opportunity, had attacked the dependencies of Seringaputtun, and plundered them, carrying off the goods and cattle of the peasants of the Sirkar.o This violence had unsettled the minds of the people, and made them abandon their homes. The re-assurance of their minds, and their safety and comfort, the Nawaub thought could, therefore, by no means be so well secured or established as by the destruction of these rebels. He consequently attacked them briskly, and plundered and devastated their country. Not being able openly or alone to oppose the invincible Nawaub, the Poligar abandoned his fort, and, with his property and family, slunk away like a fox, to the protection of the forest, and, in confederacy with the Chief of Koorg, prepared for war. The Nawaub, seeing this, left a strong detachment in the fort of Bul, and instantly marched forward, and courageously threw himself into the terrible forests and wilds of Koorg, like a wild elephant, and near Akrubnar, (a town or village so called), a great and well contested battle was fought between him and the Poligar of Bul— so fiercely contested, indeed, that, at the commencement of the engagement, the discipline and order of the Nawaub’s troops had nearly given way. While, however, they were in this state, the Nawaub himself, with a few brave men, under the thick cover of the trees, marched and attacked the rear of the enemy, and wielded the sword with such vigour, that the great actions of Rustum and Isfendiar were again presented to the admiration of the world; so that most of the rebel Chiefs and soldiers were slain, or ran away, and some sought refuge among the troops of the Khodadad.
Tippoo Sultaun, Hydur’s son, on this day first displayed the innate courage of his nature, and the honour he obtained by his prudence and bravery, enlightened his daring countenance. The mode in which the circumstance occurred was this:— When Hydur, with his select band, attacked the rebels, and overthrew them, Tippoo, who was then only eighteen years of age, fortunately obtained a clue to the place where the dependents, (that is, the women,) of the Poligar had taken refuge. This place was five or six miles from the field of battle, and through a thick dark forest, as full of turnings and windings as the curls of a Lady’s ringlets. With two or three thousand brave and experienced men, Tippoo, by a forced march, came suddenly upon them, and, although the guardians of the honour, (the women), of the Poligar were aware of their coming, and steadily opposed their advance with spears, swords, and matchlocks, yet the bravery of Hydur’s men was irresistible, and their first attack effaced the memory of the great actions performed by the brave son of Zal, (an allusion to Rustum the hero of the Shah Namah). The rebel guards, giving their honour to the winds, saved themselves by covering or concealing themselves under the robesp of the women, and some even dressed themselves like women, and trembling fell down before the swords of the brave soldiers; and some, who fought fearlessly, were slain without accomplishing their object. The fortunate son of Hydur, therefore, rubbing the forehead of gratitude and thanksgiving on the threshold of the true and only giver of victory, with (the honour of the dishonoured) the women, and other valuables, returned to his father, and was received with great favour and distinction.
When the Poligar saw the miserable state of his dependents and servants he was thrown into deep affliction; but now, in addition to this, he was doomed to hear of the plunder of his house, and the capture of the women of his family; and, overwhelmed by this calamity, striking the hand of grief on the head of his pride, he, in the most abject manner, with his hands bound, accompanied by some of his servants, presented himself to Hydur, and, like a slave girding his loins to service, was obedient to the orders he received. He also brought valuables, treasure, and elephants’ teeth, of which there was about fifty camel loads, collected in a long period by his forefathers, and presented them to Hydur, who, pitying his condition, received him with favour and encouragement, took him with the army, and soon after gave him back his women and his territory; and having taken assurances from him, for the protection of the peasantry, and the improvement of the country, Hydur marched on.
Hearing of the ruin and desolation which had fallen on the Poligar of the Bul district, part of which, indeed, he had seen, the Koorg Chief began to fear what would befal himself; and he, therefore, commenced to devise means to secure his own safety. The result of his reflections being that submission to the Nawaub was the best and safest policy, he submitted, became tributary, and paid a large sum of money, and likewise gave valuable presents of the rarities of the country. By these means, he was received as one of those to whom forgiveness is extended. The Nawaub, however, placed a garrison of his troops in the fort of Murkera; but left the country in his possession, and proceeded further on. Alí Raja, the Chief of Cananore, who was a Muhammadan, and of the tribe called Mapilla,q rejoiced at the success and conquests of a Muhammadan Chief, and considering obedience to him as an increase of honour to himself, submitted without delay, and entered into public affairs, in aid and support of the Nawaub’s measures. Hydur, also, by presents and kindness, gained his confidence; and, because this chief was known to be well acquainted with the secrets of that country, he associated him in his plans, and marched to the reduction of the environs of Kalikote. The rebels of that place, who were of the Naimar caste, brave and hardy, as they undoubtedly were, were soon conquered by the ability and bravery of Hydur; some were slain, and some were put in irons. The Poligar of Charkul being likewise subdued, his wealth and country were assumed by Hydur; but, as he was not taken alive, being slain, his son, who was about seven years old, and a prisoner, was honoured by being adopted by Hydur, and was named Iyaz Khan. This young man had other brothers. In short, when the Nawaub prepared to commence the siege of Kalikote, the Chief of the Naimars, seeing that his affairs were going to ruin, that all his country had been conquered by the brave soldiers of the Nawaub, that he was not able to oppose him in open fight, nor had he the means of escaping from him, and, being therefore resourceless, despatched Vakeels with presents, and provisionsr for the army, and the tribute money, and asked forgiveness of his offences. The Nawaub, from convenience and policy, called the Envoys to the presence; and, having severely reproved them, he honoured the Chief with a Kowl Nama, or security, to set his mind at ease, and sent for him; and, after they had met, Hydur gave him his life and property, and forgave his offences, but took the country out of his hands, and instead of it gave him a monthly pension, and thus freed himself from all further trouble with him.s
When this intelligence became known in that neighbourhood, that the Nawaub received those under the shadow of his protection who sought his forgiveness, and that he punished the rebels to his authority with a strong arm, by plunder and desolation, and to such a degree, that the names and signs of them and their families were no longer found on the page of existence, the Naimars and Mapillas placed the ring of obedience in the ear of their affections, and bound the girdle of devotion on the loins of service. From this place the Nawaub marched to Koochi Bundur,t from the inhabitants of which neighbourhood he exacted a large sum of money, and drew the whole of the Naimars under his authority. The Chief of Malabar, also, dreading the courage and lion-like qualities of Hydur’s soldiery, and fearing lest his territories should be ravaged, sent Hydur twenty-eight elephants, and seven Lakhs of rupees, as a present; and, by that means, turned him away from his quarter. The victorious Nawaub remained nearly two years making arrangements for the regulation of the Naimars of the hilly tract of country, and the neighbourhood of Coimbetoor, &c. and Sirdar Khan, an officer of great courage, was appointed Subadár of that province, with a sufficient military force attached to him; and then, after having given him orders to punish the insubordinate in that neighbourhood, Hydur marched to reduce the Poligar of Dindigul.
An account of the incursion of Trimuk Rao Mama, the maternal uncle of Madhoo Rao, into the Karnatic Balaghaut, and the terrible defeat the troops of the Nawaub sustained in the battle of the hill of Churkooli, a place about four or five miles to the northward of Seringaputtun; and, lastly, Trimuk Rao’s bootless return to Poona; with other fearful events of the year 1182, Hijri, A. D. 1768.
MADHOO Rao having returned from his first and second expeditions without success, and brooding over his failures, in the same fit of despondency was seized by the palsy,u and died. Narayen Rao, his brother, succeeded him, and remained for some time occupied in his own regulations and government. After that, however, the thorn of his shameful failure in the Balaghaut, wounding his heart, to relieve himself from painful reflection and sorrow, he formed a deep scheme or plan, and despatched Trimuk Mama, his maternal uncle, with a hundred and twenty thousand horse, and sixty thousand foot, and a hundred pieces of light artillery, to conquer that country, and he himself proceeded to Sitara.
As soon as Trimuk had received his orders to proceed to this quarter, he marched on, and soon arrived in the Balaghaut; and all the Poligars of this part of the country, such as Morar Rao, the Chituldroog chief, the Ruttun Giri, the Merkaisi, the Khut, Kumneer chiefs, &c., who had all been spared by the heavy hand of the Nawaub, all now at once turned against him, and joined the Mahrattas; and every one took upon himself the responsibility of guarding the Mahratta camp, and escorting supplies to their army. The chiefs of Shanoor and Kirpa,v also, followed the same path. Trimuk, consequently advanced, and took possession of some forts, depending on Puttun, which were out of repair, or not well garrisoned, and, giving them over in charge to his own officers and men, he marched towards Puttun, and, with the hand of oppression, plundered and destroyed the poor inhabitants of the country, and so completely desolated most of the towns and districts, that they have not been repeopled to this day. In whatever place his ill-omened troops encamped, were it but for a single day, that place remained uninhabited for years, and the abode of bats and owls; and on whatever ground the plundering troops of this oppressor halted, even but for an hour or two, from beneath the earth cries of Amán,w (mercy,) and the sound of Ul Hafeez,x (God the Protector), arose, and reached the ears of the oppressed world.y When Trimuk found that the plains of this part of the country were free from the presence of the raging lion,z he, without any constraint or fear, extended his steps to the plunder of the wealth and property of the inhabitants of the Balaghaut. The Nawaub, however, when he came to know Trimuk’s intentions, and his invasion of this neighbourhood, returning rapidly with his troops and artillery, arrived at Seringaputtun; and, after making some arrangements there, marched by the way of Chenputtun, towards the jungul of Makri Droog, with this intention, that, whenever the Mahratta, (Trimuk), should besiege Puttun, he would attack and harass his rear. Having arrived and obtained cover there, he remained waiting for an opportunity to carry his design into effect, while Trimuk, on hearing that the Nawaub had arrived near the said Droog, immediately marched with his troops and artillery in that direction. The Nawaub, being also informed of this movement, marched at night, and having defeated the advanced guard of the Mahrattas, he entered the mountains of Milekote. On the following day, the Mahrattas moved from their encampment, and besieged Milekote.
The first day of the siege, the Nawaub, with the whole of his regular infantry and artillery, made an attack on the Mahrattas; and, by a constant fire of artillery, and vollies of musketry, drove them off the field of battle. Notwithstanding this, the troops of Trimuk still surrounded the fort, at a distance. Hydur, meanwhile, maintained his position for fifteen or twenty days, and kept the hill against his enemies, fighting hard with them every day. At length, however, as his provisions were failing him, and as he could procure no hay or corn for his horses, he determined to return to his capital, Puttun. At night, therefore, Hydur cut down the jungul at the back of the hill, and, having despatched his artillery under Meer Alí Ruza Khan, he himself, with his horse and regular foot, marched to amuse and occupy the Mahrattas, and, after forming his lines, at the foot of the mountain, and displaying his strength to them, he marched on.
The road to the rear of the mountain was, however, very bad, the surface being up and down, and full of ravines and holes, and the guns and stores were not able to get on, until by the exertion of great laboura they proceeded seven or eight miles. At this distance, the jungul or forest ended; the night also closed, and morning appeared. The Mahratta scouts, or sentinels, now gave information to Trimuk Rao, that the Nawaub’s artillery and stores were proceeding towards Puttun; and, immediately on hearing this intelligence, he marched off all his troops, with strict orders to take the artillery, and bring it back to him; he himself following. By this time the Nawaub had advanced four Fursungsb (perhaps Kose), and had arrived near Kurri Goorah, (a place situate north-eastc from Puttun, and three or four Fursungs distant from that town, when he heard that Trimuk, like a salamander had attacked his fire department, or artillery and ammunition, and had not only taken the whole, but was actually returning with it. Hydur immediately gallopped off with his cavalry, to the main body of his enemies, who, being crowded round the artillery, formed as good a mark as a butt on a mound, and attacking and breaking in upon them on one flank, he dispersed them, and reached his guns,d and then, without stopping, marched straight from that place towards his capital, having his horse in the centre, and his right and left wings, and his advanced and rear guards, formed of his regular and irregular infantry, and artillery, and keeping up a continual fire. In this movement, notwithstanding troop after troop of the Mahratta cavalry leaped or sprang their horses against the rampart formed by his infantry, the fire of his veterans blackened the faces of their manhood, and sent them away in despair. During this time, however, the Mahrattas had placed seven or eight long guns on the bank of the Mooti Tulaub, or Pearl Tank, and had blocked up the road of safety to the Nawaub’s troops; and from that position they commenced a brisk fire, the shot of which threw the Nawaub’s baggage and followers into great confusion. The Nawaub, therefore, taking with him a number of his brave fellows, and two guns, advanced, fighting desperately; and, not giving the enemy time to draw off the guns or retire in safety, fell on them like the stroke of fate, and, at one charge, took their guns and ammunition, and this done, halted there. As the whole of the Nawaub’s army and artillery had come up from the rear, they halted there also, for a short time, to take their breakfast; and although the wiser servants of the Nawaub, and the experienced officers of his government, represented to him that for that day he had better plant his standard and pitch his tents where he was; and that the next morning they might proceed with perfect ease to the capital, still, as the heavenly bodies do not always revolve after the same fashion, and those intrusted with the decrees of fate are not always guided by the same rules; so, the ruin of the God-givene state had arrived, and there was no help for it! “In truth, an unlucky day will never be seen fortunate.”— “On his burial night no one will sleep in his house.”— “What fate has from eternity prescribed,”— “power has no choice but to meet at the appointed time.” The suggestions of the able men about the Nawaub did not agree with his opinion for the reason that “When ruin comes to any one, folly or madness shuts up the path of wisdom.”— “On an unlucky day sense or wisdom is taken away;” and the Nawaub, therefore, let go the thread or clue of care and caution; and, after eating and drinking what was presented to him, he arose, and the troops, forming by his directions, commenced their march.
The forces of the Mahrattas were, in numbers, like ants or flies, and, surrounding him as he moved on, they made continual attacks on him. On their arrival near the hill of Churkooli, it chanced that a shot from one of the Mahratta guns, fired at a considerable distance, fell among a string of camels carrying rockets, and threw them into disorder; and, in the tumult and crowd of men, the rockets took fire, and flying among the baggage and followers, threw them into utter confusion. To increase their misfortunes, a rocket, which had taken fire, fell on one of the boxes of ammunition, and blew it up; and in the black cloud of smoke, which rose up to heaven, many of Hydur’s brave soldiers were carried up to a great height, and then cast down head foremost on the ground. Fate having thus broken the bonds of discipline and order, which held the army together, the enemy’s Pindarehs, taking advantage of this disaster, like a new bride in the house of a son-in-law,f with the greatest confidence insinuated themselves into the mass; and, notwithstanding the Nawaub’s troops used their arms with effect, and resisted to the utmost, they could avail themselves nothing, but were completely subdued and cut up; and, therefore, like the humblest and most patient, they bore whatever insult or injury the Mahrattas chose to inflict on them. Lala Mean, the favoriteg son-in-law of Shahbaz Sáhib, after making a desperate resistance, and giving worthy proof of his courage, drank the cup of martyrdom. Meer Alí Ruza Khan, and Alí Zumán Khan, with many other chief officers, were taken prisoners, and most of the soldiers, both horse and foot, considering flight as a stain upon their honour, fought as long as they could stand, and then resigned their heads, as a religious offering or sacrifice, to the swords and spears of the Mahrattas. Yaseen Khan, Wunti Koodri, a faithful friend and servant of the Nawaub’s, who was in some respects like him in person,h entered the ranks of the Mahrattas, and gave himself out for the Nawaub; and, having taken more draughts of the Sherbet of sword wounds than his strength could bear, was lying senseless on the ground, when the stupid Mahrattas thinking he was the lion-hearted Nawaub, and, rejoicing, took him up and carried him away to Trimuk Rao. Thus the whole of the equipment of the army, which had been collected with so much labour, was now plundered and trampled beneath the hoofs of the Mahratta horse, and the excellent store department, and artillery, small and great, all fell into the hands of the Mahrattas. The Nawaub, however, while he repeated these lines, Verse,— “If thou art fortunate, it is not owing to thy prudence.”— “Or if thy plans be bad, it is not thy fault.”— “Be resigned and contented, and live happy.”— “Thou art not qualified to know any thing about fate, good or bad,”— mounted the hill of Churkooli, and, standing on a millstone, viewed on all sides, with furious anger, the victorious career of these wild men, the Mahrattas, as they charged and pursued his troops. At that moment, Ghazi Khan Bede, (a Pindara), presented himself, and with the greatest difficulty forced him from the field, and, attended by only fourteen good horse, escorted him to Puttun.
The Nawaub, however, in his absence from his brave son Tippoo, who had been separated from his side in the battle, lost all rest and peace of mind; and was overwhelmed with affliction, and having visited the tomb of the saint, Kadur Wuli, a Peer Zadah, which is situated N. E. (Eesani) of the fort, near the bank of the river Kauveri, he made his arrival known to Meer Ismael Khan, who was commandant of the fort. Having made all necessary arrangements in the fort, Meer Ismael waited for his coming and when the time of eveningi prayer arrived, Hydur’s son, of auspicious presage, came in without injury, attended only by two or three horsemen, and in the garb of a Mahratta Pindara. The Nawaub’s life was restored to him by the sight of his son, and, immediately entering the fort, he threw open the door of his treasury of gold and jewels, and to every horseman or foot soldier who had escaped from that disastrous battle, he gave his two handsful of gold, and to every man, who returned with his horse and arms, he gave, besides an honorary dress, a present of five handsful of gold. “The fortunate Feridoon was not an angel.”— “He was not formed of musk and amber.”— “He owes his name to his liberality.”— “Give and thou shalt be Feridoon.”k
But, (to return to the combat,) Muhammad Alí, commandant, when he saw his troops in this condition, and being at the same time ignorant of the safety of Hydur, determined to devote himself to death, and repeated to himself the following lines.— “I call myself a man as long as I have life in my body,”— “but of what use will my life be if I be without manhood.”— “To be fearful in the day of battle, is for cowards.”— “It is the custom of brave men to leave their heads on the field of battle.” The commandant, therefore, with the utmost coolness and bravery, collected his own men, with others of Hydur’s troops, and mounting the hill, and taking advantage of the cover of the rocks, without water or food, and carrying on his body three sword wounds, and still keeping up his courage, he fought till the evening. During this time, his well sustained fire of musketry slew numbers of the Mahrattas, and every one of the Nawaub’s men, who was able, by every art and means in his power, joined the brave commandant’s company, and fought valiantly. Trimuk Rao himself was pleased with his courage and devotion, and, by the medium of Muhammad Yousuf, a commandant in his own service, sent them a Kowl Nama, or assurance of safety, and by that means at night brought down the gallant commandant and his party with their arms, to whom he also sent a dinner. The arms of his men were, however, taken from them, and a guard was placed over them. And now, at the instance of his master, the officer of Trimuk, however much by fair words and every art, he endeavoured to induce Muhammad Alí to accept service with the Mahrattas, still, the brave commandant refused; but, to please and deceive them, he said, that, if they would give him leave to return once to Puttun, he, after he was cured of his wounds, would bring his family, and then serve them according to the best of his judgement and ability. The next night, therefore, he was released, and marched towards Puttun, with sixteen hundred men. On his route it happened, accidentally, that two thousand Mahratta matchlock men were stationed as an outlying picket, or outpost, about two fursungs from the camp, and were sleeping in great security, with their arms stacked or piledl about them. The commandant, on seeing them, thought them a valuable prize, and with his unarmed men having broken with stones the heads of those who were lying about, and having seized all their arms and ammunition, he marched, firing at the Mahrattas, until he arrived near the fort of Seringaputtun, where he learned that the Nawaub was safe, and soon after joined him. On the commandant’s arrival, the Nawaub, knowing his fidelity and his bravery, and having heard the fire of the muskets of his party, (when engaged with the enemy), returned thanks to God; and, considering the life of that brave man as one of the best supports of his government he embraced him warmly, and made him presents of honorary dresses, money and a new musket, or rifle, fabricated in his own arsenal.
The fort was now strengthened on all sides, by new works, and guns were mounted on them; and being quite prepared, the Nawaub waited for his enemy, he, however, was daily engaged in enlisting recruits, and collecting warlike stores.
The victorious Mahrattas now despatched to the Souba of Sura, the prisoners of the Nawaub’s troops, which they had made. Meer Alí Ruza Khan, however, (who, after much solicitation, had entered the service of Madhoo Rao and been appointed to the government of Gurum Kondah, but who, after that, in consequence of his ties of kindred, with the Nawaub, had again returned to him, deserting the Paishwa’s service,) was sent for by Trimuk, who, after reproving him in no very proper or delicate language, despatched him a prisoner to Poona. Still believing that Yaseen Khan was no other than Hydur Alí, himself, Trimuk Rao had a separate tent pitched for him, and all means were taken to console and comfort him, and he was requested, with much importunity, to send for his family and his son Tippoo. Yaseen Khan, being a prudent man, who, merely from gratitude, endeavoured to shield his master from injury, (under the shadow of whose protection thousands and thousands of men found subsistence), and who had borne the hardships of the fight, and had made convenient to himself both the heat and cold of fortune, laughed in his sleeve at the soft flattering words of Trimuk, but gave him no answer. When, however, in the course of about eight or ten days, Trimuk was informed, that the Nawaub was safe, and that he was assembling troops, collecting stores, and mounting guns, to strengthen the fort, he became aware that his prisoner was one of the Nawaub’s faithful and devoted servants, and was ashamed of his own want of discernment; and he marched forthwith to attack the fort. He, therefore, raised batteries, commenced to carry on his approaches,m and opened the fire of his guns. The rumour of the generosity and profusion of the Nawaub, was, however, so prevalent in Trimuk’s camp, that most of the brave and experienced soldiers, who served under him with degradationn and despondency, taking their arms and horses, repaired to Hydur, enlisted in his service, and prepared to chastise his enemies. In a very short time, ten or twelve thousand horse, and regular infantry, were thus collected, and the Nawaub had gained the hearts of his servants to such a degree that all were ready to die for him, and breathed nothing but defiance.o One night, therefore, Hydur sent for Muhammad Alí, commandant, and said “the Mahrattas having become insolent, fearless, and very rash, we have determined that their correction shall fall to the share of our Khodadad (state); but what is your advice?” The brave and veteran commandant in reply immediately took the responsibility of the plan on his own experience and ability, and, with two thousand matchlocks, lightly equipped, leaving the city by the Mysore gate, and then crossing the river and passing under cover of the walls of the Soomar Peenth, or suburb, he fell upon the enemy, stationed near the Eed Gah, to the amount of three thousand foot belonging to the Poligar of Chitul Droog and two thousand foot belonging to Morar Rao, who with four guns and one thousand horse had established themselves there; these troops he immediately attacked, and with sword and bayonet roused the men whose fortunes were sleeping, from the bed of life, and those awake, whose good fortune was also sleeping, were laid to rest in the bed of eternity. The remainder both horse and foot, were made prisoners, and their hands tied behind them,p and placing all the arms and equipment of the defeated party on their heads, sent them with their horses and guns to Hydur. He for his own part remained in the same place about two hours, and in the morning returned victorious. The Chief of the Droog and Morar Rao escaped with shame and disgrace q. The Nawaub was rejoiced at this victory, and beat his drums, and fired a salute on the occasion. The Mahrattas, however, being very numerous now without any fear or hesitation raised a large and very strong battery on the north of the Kurri Khetr Hill, and near the river, this was called the Khas or Trimuk’s battery and they mounted some large guns on it and by the shot and shellss from this battery the people in the fort suffered much. The brave commandant seeing this presumption of the Mahrattas, and the injury sustained, was exceedingly angry and several times represented to the Nawaub that if he had permission he would raise a storm on Trimuk Khas’s battery, and compel the occupiers to quit it, and that then he would give the rest of the Mahratta troops a great shock by pouring vollies of arrows and musketry on them.t The Nawaub, however, was alarmed at this proposition considering the immense army of the Mahrattas, and, therefore, kept him back; he, however, by importunity and repeated requests at length obtained leave. “Oh truly the hearts of the brave are restless as quicksilver until they effect the destruction of their enemies”— having therefore obtained leave he set out at night with three thousand regular infantry and one thousand Karnatic foot, taking nothing with him but his ammunition marched by the road of Sosili and having crossed the river at the distance of two Kose and taking the cover of the forest,u he proceeded above the villages of Kurkawul, and Arkera, and passing towards the small hills of Hurroor, advanced steadily straight from the rear to the battery under the pretence of being a reinforcement and relief to the Mahrattas stationed in it. The Mahrattas in charge of the battery hearing of the relief of the advanced partiesv were highly pleased and anxiously expecting them; when the brave commandant found, that the time was favourable and his good fortune aiding him, and that by deceiving his enemies he would attain his heart’s desire, he without any hesitation marched into the battery and instantly gave his orders to his men to attack, and throwing their hand grenadesw on the heads of these worshippers of pride, they raised out of them the black smoke of destruction,x and with the merciless sword cut off the heads of the soldiers, pioneers, and men lying in the battery and trenches, and laid them up in heaps. They then buried all the larger guns, but the light guns, being more useful and available, were sent off to the presence. Although, as soon as they were aware of this assault, the Mahrattas behaved very gallantly in attacking the Nawaub’s troops, and trying hard to regain the battery and expel them, still they could effect nothing, and, placing their hands on their heads, they returned hopeless. The commandant having thus conquered his enemies, before the rising of the sun, levelled the trenches and battery with the earth, and, setting fire to the materials, returned to the presence, and was honoured by being addressed by the title of Son by Hydur, and, moreover, received the praise and applause of all ranks.
When Trimuk saw the distressed state of his troops, and their want of confidence, he gave up all thoughts of restoring the battery, and commenced to plunder and devastate that part of the country, which had as yet remained untouched; and, having spread abroad his Pindareh horse, he and his army took up their encampment in the plain of Chuttur; while here, however, on the day of the Hindu Eed, Trimuk with his officers mounted their horses, and came from the eastward of the hill called Kurri Khet, to bathe at the confluence of the two rivers, which is called by the Hindus Sungum, and is near the Lal Baugh. Having received intelligence of this movement, the Nawaub immediately sallied out of the fort with his troops, and took his station near the Mana Munduf, (or Mundip), and placed his son Tippoo, with all the horse, in ambush near the temples of Kurunkote, (written also Kurun Koor), which are on the other side of the river. The brave commandant, Muhammad Alí, with the gallant Ghazi Khan, and four thousand matchlocks, four hundred Pindarehs, and four guns, for display, and after the manner of scouts, or an advanced guard, were sent to the south of the hill above mentioned. When the cavalcade of the Mahratta Chief arrived at the river, they dismounted, and began to amuse themselves, and swim about in the water; the horsemen of their rear guard following, caracoling and curvetting as they came along. The commandant, in the meanwhile, posted his guns and matchlock infantry in the dry bed of a nullah, or river, and made a concerted sign to Ghazi Khan; and that brave man no sooner saw it than, with two or three hundred tried men, he galloped towards the rear guard, and by tricks and wiles, and teaching the fools how to play the lion, drew them gradually in front of the guns and musketry of the ambuscade, and having brought them there, his whole party suddenly facing about dispersed, and every one retiring placed himself under cover of the concealed party. The commandant now suddenly charged them, and with the fire of his guns and musketry broke their ranks, and sent a great many to their eternal abodes. In this skirmish, two or three Chiefs of the Mahrattas were killed, and the elephant which carried the flag and kettle drums was also killed. As soon as the body of the enemy’s troops became disordered, Ghazi Khan, and Hydur’s son, esteeming this a most favourable opportunity, galloped their horse at once into the midst of the fugitives; and, as long as they had strength, withdrew not their hands from spoil and slaughter; following the fugitives half a fursung, taking four or five thousand horses, and two thousand prisoners, and then returning with them, and a great quantity of plunder. The face of Trimuk, on his hearing this intelligence, became yellow; and, in the greatest haste and trepidation, with his clothes wet, and his lips dry, he returned and encamped near the Mooti Talaub, or Tank. The Nawaub manifested great joy at this victory, and, prostrating himself at the threshold of the High and Mighty Bestower of all blessings, returned his thanks, and, beating his drums in honour of his victory, entered the fort. But, to say the truth, the skirmishing and fighting of the brave men of both armies continued daily; but, for the most part, the Mahrattas were worsted and put to flight. Trimuk, therefore, now put a stop to the fighting, and began to plunder and devastate the country of the Payan Ghaut, that is, the territory in the Nawaub’s possession to the southward of Puttun, namely, Koimbetoor, Palghaut, and Dindigul; because he had heard that supplies from those parts, escorted by the Naimars and Mapillas, arrived in the camp of the Nawaub; and, moreover, that levies of horse and foot were made there, and that considerable bodies of these troops had joined the Nawaub’s camp. In consequence of this, he raised a storm of mischief in that unfortunate country, and destroyed and desolated it to that degree, that not a root of green herb or blade of grass remained in the earth, all being torn up; and even the branches of the trees of that depopulated waste held out their oppressed hands,x to crave mercy from the giver of life. The commanders of forts, however, in that direction, strengthened their posts, and defended and preserved them well.
When Trimuk departed to the Payan Ghaut, the Nawaub prepared to follow him, and had actually planted his colours, and pitched his tents, near the hilly which has been before mentioned. The commandant, Muhammad Alí, however, represented to him, on this determination, that his quitting his capital at that time was not advisable, lest any treachery or sedition should arise; for, that the enemies of his power were innumerable, while, on the contrary, those friends and servants who were ready to sacrifice their lives for him were few; that he had better take the matter into his deepest consideration; that he, (the commandant), would exert himself to the extent of his ability, and not fail in devoting his life to his service; but that it was necessary Hydur’s son, Tippoo, should be left in the Barh Mahl district, with the whole of the cavalry and Kuzzaks or Pindarehs. The Nawaub adopted this advice, and accordingly despatched his son with six or seven thousand horse, all he could collect, to the Barh Mahl; while the commandant, with four thousand regular infantry, two thousand Karnatic foot, and six guns, followed him. The two divisions joined on the Ghaut of Rai Kote, and the Prince (Tippoo), with all his horse encamped in the plain of Kauveri Puttun, while the commandant, Muhammad Alí, with his troops, remained at Kishengiri.
At that time intelligence arrived, that four or five thousand Mahratta horse, with stores in great quantity, and cattle innumerable, being plunder which they had taken from the army of the Nawaub, and in the country of the Balaghaut and Payanghaut, and accompanied by the bankers of the Mahratta camp, with great store of gold and jewels, had come in obedience to the orders of Trimuk, from the Ghaut of Tuppoor, and passing above the towns of Wanambari and Tripatoor, and across the pass or mountainsz of Kurunpaut, were marching direct to Poona. As soon as he had heard these tidings, the brave commandant marched, at night, with five hundred regular infantry, two hundred Chittikars,a and a thousand irregular foot, by the road of Gungindi Pala, (the Poligar of which was still obedient to the Nawaub); and, descending by the Ghaut of Tubul Pulli, took up a position on the side of a hill, on the road to Kurunpaut, and there halted, despatching the Chittikars to the top of the Ghaut, which belonged to the dependencies of the Názim of Arkat. It is to be observed here, that the Arkat chief was then acting in concert, or secret collusion, with the Nawaub, and that, consequently, the guards at the gates of the Ghauts offered no impediment to their march. The Chittikars, therefore, took possession of the gates of the Ghauts, which were fortified by walls and towers, and, after that, they remained there. It happened, the next day, that the Pindarehs of the Mahrattas, with an immense quantity of baggage, and herds and droves of cattle and horses, came on without any suspicion or apprehension, in truth, like game coming of its own accord to the kitchen to be roasted. The vigilant commandant soon knew of their coming, and immediately sent information to his concealed parties in the Ghaut, while he himself remained in readiness where he was. In the meanwhile, when the Mahrattas advanced nigh the gate of the Ghaut, and their rear guard arrived opposite the hill, where the commandant had stationed himself, he attacked their rear like a furious lion, pouring volley upon volley on them. On hearing this fire, the parties in ambush in the Ghaut, rushing forward, charged them in front, beating their drums, and with the sword and bayonet, made as many holes in the breasts of their antagonists as there is in a bird cage; while those who attacked in the rear, broke the backs and sides of their enemies with their spears and muskets. When the officers and soldiers of the Mahrattas saw that the road of their safety was as small as the eye of an elephant, they, in a cowardly manner, without making that resistance which they might have done, and leaving all their baggage, hid themselves in the caves and ravines of the mountain. The commandant now made his two detachments form a junction, and, collecting the baggage and stores of the fugitives, with their horses, and bullocks, and the bags of silver and gold, placed the plunder in loads on the heads of the prisoners, and sent them, by the route of the Ghaut of Tubul Pulli, to Kishengiri, under the escort of the Karnatic infantry. As for himself, he halted where he was, near a pool of water, at the foot of the Ghaut. No sooner, however, had he done so, than a detachment of Mahratta cavalry, which had come up in the rear of the escort and baggage, arrived, and, seeing the small number of his party, instantly surrounded them, and commenced sniping at them from a distance. The commandant had sustained their attack for near two hours, when, taking advantage of the cover given by the hedges and bushes, he got close to the Mahrattas, and gave them such a warm discharge from his musketry, that at once two or three hundred horsemen, horse and man, fell killed or disabled. The rest, pushing their horses, fled as fast as they could, and the commandant, quitting the ground victorious, crossed the Ghaut to Kishengiri.
When Trimuk heard of the plunder and dispersion of his detachment, he discovered that the Ghaut of Kurunpaut was a dependency of the Názim of Arkat, and was therefore surprised how it was possible the troops of the enemy should penetrate there; he consequently inferred that some collusion had subsisted between the two chiefs, that is, Muhammad Alí Khan and the Nawaub, and, further inferred, that in the event, (which he hoped God would forbid,) those chiefs should unite together to attack the Mahrattas, and shut the passes of the mountains, on their route, the honour of the Paishwa might be thereby endangered, and many lives uselessly lost. Trimuk, therefore, made forced marches from that quarter, and, having crossed the Ghaut of Tuppoor, encamped near the town of Ootangiri. The commandant, Muhammad Alí, immediately apprised Tippoo of the arrival of the Mahrattas, and advised him to march to Puttun. As soon, however, as that fortunate and brave young man knew of the rapid march of the Mahrattas, he sent the whole of his baggage and followers, that is, his tents, stores, colours, &c., to Puttun; and he himself, with a body of three or four thousand horse, marched towards Trimuk’s force. It happened, on that day, that the Mahratta light troops had foraged to wards Dhurrumpoori, and thrown that neighbourhood into great disorder, and had plundered several towns, and were then busy in collecting wood and forage. Tippoo soon joined these men, and affected to collect wood and grass, as they did; but he was looking out for an opportunity, which at last he found. Having made up their loads, the Mahrattas put them on their horses, camels, and elephants, and, without any precaution as to friend or foe, marched towards their own encampment. Tippoo, the moment he was able, threw upon the ground the loads from his horses, and, without delay, stretching forth the hands of manhood, with little trouble, put the Mahrattas into such confusion, that, from the shouts of “kill and take,”b fear fell on their hearts, and they saw no remedy but to fly, and save their lives. Tippoo, in consequence, with three or four thousand horses and bullocks, fifty or sixty camels belonging to Trimuk’s Tosha Khana, or wardrobe, and fifteen or twenty elephants, with other equipments of the Mahratta army, returned victorious to Puttun. Trimuk, struck with alarm at this attack, marched with his army to Kauveri Puttun, and encamped there. The commandant, however, having on the same night obtained information of the encampment of the Mahrattas, and having his force in readiness, determined to surprise them by an attack under cover of the darkness, and he marched for that purpose. It happened, that by the time he had arrived near their encampment, the night was spent, and the cock sounded his loud call to attention, and to arouse the lovers of sloth; he, the commandant, therefore, quickly countermarched, and sought refuge in the low ground, near the foot of the mountain of Gugungurh. Trimuk, also, halted during that day where he was; but was still ignorant of the arrival of that lion of the field of valour, who, from the morning to the evening of the same day, passed his time under the cover of the jungul. But at night, when the veil of sleep and forgetfulness was thrown over the world, he, having all in readiness, attacked the left wing of the Mahrattas, and most gallantly captured the whole of their stores and artillery, and released several prisoners, who had been taken in the confusion of the defeat at Churkoli, and were still confined in the Mahratta camp. Having completely dispersed the followers and baggage of the enemy, and set fire to their tents and standards, the commandant, before the rising of the sun, returned with five hundred horses, six elephants, and eleven camels, laden with treasure; and, skirting or keeping close to the hills, entered Rai Kote. He, however, still marched on, and, at night, proceeded to Anikul, where he had scarcely arrived when Trimuk, having been informed of the presumption of the Nawaub’s troops, despatched his light horse in pursuit of them, he himself following. When the commandant arrived at Khan Khanhully, the Mahratta troops had anticipated him, and had occupied and blocked up the roads by which he could pass with safety, and they then surrounded him. The brave commandant, nevertheless, halted all day in a ruined fort, and at night, having lighted fires all over his ground of encampment, and hung up old dirty clothes on the walls and gates, he, with his troops, passing to the rear, through narrow and deep roads, jungul, and over high and low grounds, with much labour, but without the knowledge of the enemy, arrived after his march, on the rear of their picquets. The Mahrattas, meanwhile, seeing the fires, and the white cloths hung upon the gates and walls, thought Hydur’s troops still remained in the fort, and without fear left their horses picketted, and were busily occupied in smoking their hookahs, and cooking their victuals. They were thus employed, when, all at once, the commandant, the deceiver of his enemies, arrived on the heads of the picquets, and commenced to fire upon them, and also opened a fire from his guns, which were loaded with grape. The picquets, although numerous, were soon dispersed; but a body of five or six thousand cavalry, in armour, behaved with the utmost gallantry; for, although the shot from the cannon and musket rained upon them on all sides, so that scarce any one could escape with his life, from the field, they still, with the greatest bravery, gallopped at speed straight into the ranks of their enemies, and fought so desperately, Verse, “Yes, men will never clothe themselves in the garb of hermaphrodites,”c— that they soon killed and wounded five or six hundred of the commandant’s matchlock men. Nevertheless, the fortunate and brave commandant, victorious, with the horses and arms of those that had been slain, and taking his wounded with him, contrived, under the cover of the Makri jungul, to retire safely to Puttun. The remainder of the Mahratta picquets, on account of the darkness of the night, could not come to the assistance of those which were attacked, but fled into their own lines, and informed Trimuk of the plunder and dispersion of his advanced post; and he, being placed in great difficulties by the enterprise and stratagems of the Nawaub’s troops, fell into deep reflection, and, leaving his ground of encampment, marched by the route of Munda, towards Milekote. There he encamped, and remained, until the Nawaub, by the advice of the wisest of his counsellors, but extending his views particularly to the advancement of the peace and happiness of mankind, despatched a person, of the name of Apajee Ram as an agent, to arrange the terms of peace with Trimuk, (for it is a saying of the wise,— “True and straightforward men have (often) no choice but to seek the friendship of the crooked.”— “The arrow is compelled to obey the bow.”)
Trimuk, however, walking in his own conceited proud way, declined making peace; but still kept the Vakeel or agent near him, giving him sometimes a few words of good advice, and frequently boasting of his prowess. The Vakeel wrote all this to the Nawaub; but, after a short time, the Mahratta turned his heart from this country, (Mysore), and, being foiled on every side by the arms of the Nawaub, bent his thoughts on the pillage of Nuggur, a country very wealthy and populous; and, accordingly, he despatched his tents, (Paishkhana,)d in that direction. Hydur’s agent informed his master of this plan; at the same time advising and pressing him to make some provision for defence in that quarter.
On hearing these tidings, the Nawaub was thrown into deep thought, and sent for the commandant, (Muhammad Alí), apprised him of the intentions of the Mahrattas, and consulted him as to the method by which their design might be defeated. The brave commandant again immediately took the whole responsibility of the expedition on his courage and ability, and rose up to depart; and the Nawaub ultimately sent him forth with six thousand veteran matchlock men, ten guns, and two thousand of his stablee horse, to achieve the discomfiture of the Mahrattas.
As soon as he was dismissed, the brave commandant marched, by the route of Periaputtun, to the Koorg Ghaut, named Siddapoor. The Koorg chief, however, having at that time unfurled the standard of rebellion, by treacherously cutting off the heads of the Nawaub’s garrison stationed in the fort of Murkera, and taking the whole country into his possession, had occupied the road in force; so that the commandant could not pass that way. The commandant did not consider his involving himself in hostilities with this wild but cunning race,f as consistent with his views and convenience, and he therefore retired, and continued his march, leaving the forests of Koorg to the left. Knowing, however, that the passage of troops, with heavy baggage, over mountains and through forests, was difficult, if not impossible, he took with him only four thousand well trained light infantry, and two hundred good horse, and left the rest of the troops, artillery, horse, tents and baggage, under the care of Assud Khan, commandant, and Jehan Khan, Khokur,g Risaldár, and, having at night despatched them to the presence, he himself, without guns, and with his small force alone, took post on some high ground.
When the day broke, Trimuk became acquainted with the arrival of the lion commandant in the field, and, being aware of his having sent his artillery to Puttun, he immediately despatched troop after troop of his force, to pursue in that direction, and he himself mounted his horse and followed their track. The scouts or sentinels of the commandant, who were stationed on a small hill, and who had sent out spies in all directions, now reported to their commanding officer, that troops of Mahratta horse were marching on the road by which the artillery on the night before had proceeded. The experienced commandant, the moment he heard this intelligence, gave orders to his men to fire vollies in the air; his object being to attract the enemy to his quarter, that the artillery might arrive unmolested at the Presence; and so it happened, for the Mahratta horse, at the report of the first discharge, immediately returned, and attacked his party. When the commandant had, by his address and ability, drawn off the Mahratta troops to his side, he faced about, and began to retire by easy paces through the jungul of Makri. Before, however, he could attain the skirts of the forest, Trimuk himself arrived; and, with all his horse, surrounded and attacked him, snipingh at him and galling him with a distant fire. The commandant had scarcely time to arrange and post his men in ambush, when, all at once, a body of fifty or sixty thousand horse, gallopped on to the charge, and, with sword and spear, engaged rank to rank, and hand to hand. Having warned his men, who, ready formed on their ground, had loaded and were silent, the valiant commandant now gave the word to fire; and the brave and experienced fellows arose and poured such close and heavy volliesi on their enemies, that the earth trembled at the shock, and the ears of the heavens, were deafened at the sound.
For two hours the battle raged with the utmost violence; the troops of the commandant advancing and firing; and, from their heavy fire and desperate charges, it is estimated that not less than ten thousand brave fellows of the Mahratta army, slept the sleep of death; for, they fought in such throngs, that they had no room to turn or retreat, and their lives were, therefore, thrown away. About forty or fifty chiefs of note among the Mahrattas were killed on this occasion. The standard and Howda elephants, and camels, bearing the kettle drums, were also killed or wounded by musket balls. (Translation of some verses, from the Shah Nama apparently)— “In that field contested by the brave”— “Strife was awake, and Safety asleep”— “Peace had fled many fursungs away”— “And Fate in the mean time was in the midst (of the throng) doing its own work”— “The road of Life was lost”— “The horseman fell under his horse’s hoofs,”— “Death like a shadow fell on every one.”— “So fast did the souls of men fly hand in hand, (to Paradise) that even Death bit his hand in grief”— “One shouting take, and kill,”— “The other opening his mouth to wail,”— “The brother bewailing his brother”— “The mother weeping for the blood of her son”— “The father mourning for his son,”— “And the son shedding fast and bitter tears for his uncle and father.”— But, to return,— a river of blood flowed from that field, and the Mahrattas sustained a shameful defeat, and they fled so fast that the plain was too narrow for them, and the Mussulmans, planting their feet firm in the field of honour, remained victorious.
On seeing the condition of his own army, and the intrepidity of the Muhammadans, Trimuk was greatly enraged, and became heated like a horse-shoe in a forge, and having sent for his artillery he established his batteries in front of the Mussulmans, and gave orders to commence firing. His artillery men fired from a considerable distance, but as if firing at a mark; and their balls gave great annoyance to the troops of the commandant, damping their ardour by breaking their arms and legs; so that one hundred and fifty excellent soldiers lost their lives without advantage. But, although it went very near that the discipline and order of the troops were entirely broken, and the page of the book of shame disclosed, still the able commandant, having given the curl of manhood and intrepidity to the moustache of perseverance, arrested the wavering of those who had acquired the properties of quicksilver, and, having calmed and allayed their disorder, he gave orders that those men who were desperately wounded, and the bodies of the slain of the Mahrattas, of whom a great number had fallen, should be dragged together, and piled round his troops like a breastwork. Then, he himself, with his confidence firm, and a pure faith, performed his ablutions,k after which, turning towards the Kibleh, he repeated with a loud voice the Uzan or call to prayer. He next encircled or stockaded his position with branches of trees,l and made his men lie down in their ranks. From this time, the saintly influence of the commandant appeared evident; for, after he had repeated the call to prayer, though the Mahrattas fired thousands of cannon shot at his party, all passed over their heads, and injured no one. “If the sword of the world fly out of the scabbard”— “It will not cut a vein except by God’s command.”m In fact, the Mahrattas, by the evening, had expended many Tumbrils of ammunition, but had effected nothing, and could obtain no advantage over this little party. At night, therefore, they drew off their guns, and returned to their encampment, which was about two Fursungs distant.
The commandant, who had so manfully fought, and with his brave companions, had maintained the field without food or water the whole day, and thereby gained so much honour, at night, finding the coast clear, without fear marched with his men formed in order of battle towards Mysore, leaving all his wounded, whose power of movement had been cut off by the balls of the enemy, on the field of battle, telling them to be of good cheer, for that he would send Dooliesn for them from Astara, a town on the road to Nuggur. The Mahratta picquets and videttes, on the flank on which they marched, although they were quite aware of his movement, and had mounted their horses, and formed to the right and left of the road, looking on, still offered no opposition to the night travellers; nor did they make any report of their march to Trimuk, but wilfully allowed them to pass, and even extolled their actions as they marched along. When the morning appeared, the foolish Mahratta, posted his guns in the same place they had before occupied, and commenced to fire;— but, when the sun had risen high, and the veil of cowardice was withdrawn from before their eyes, they found the field clear of the Mussulmans, and, running forward, soon obtained information of them from the wounded who were left the ground, and a clear detail of what had occurred the night before. Trimuk, therefore, hastened off to Astara; and the commandant, without opposition from any one, entered the fort of Mysore. On the same night the Prince, (Tippoo), with five or six thousand horse, and two or three thousand regular and irregular foot, attacked an escort of the Mahrattas, coming from Poona, consisting of eight thousand horse and ten thousand irregular infantry, conveying an immense supply of stores, provisions, and treasure, which was carried on thirty elephants, a hundred camels, and fifty mules, and accompanied, also, by merchants with gold and jewels of great value, and a supply of ammunition. These men were encamped near Chundraiputtun, perfectly at their ease, and not having the slightest intimation of a night attack, Tippoo, therefore, at once assailed them and put forth the hand of exertion to the slaughter and plunder of the convoy; in such wise, that he did not allow one among them to escape in safety, or fail to take every article of the least value belonging to the Mahrattas, including their treasure; and, this done, he sent them all off to the capital, Puttun, or rather to his illustrious father, while he himself marched towards Nuggur.
On hearing of this exploit, Trimuk let fall the hands of weakness on the earth of despair, and drew his head deep into the collar of reflection, being unable to divine what he should do in the end, or by what means he should subdue the victorious Mussulmans. While he was in this state of suspense, a pairo of Hurkarasp brought news from Poona, that Raghoba had murdered his nephew Narayen Rao, and had seated himself on the Musnud, and was making his own arrangements in the government. On receiving this intelligence, Trimuk was immersed in the whirlpool of dismay and affliction, and considered that the best thing he could now do was to make peace; and, therefore, by the medium of the Nawaub’s Vakeel, he began to trace his steps in the path of conciliation. He, however, insisted on being paid the expenses of his army; for which he had disbursed Kroresq of rupees. The astute Vakeel returned for answer, in the words of the Nawaub Bahadúr, that all the wealth of the (Mysore) state was taken at the field of Churkooli; that even the wearing apparel of the Nawaub was presented to the army of the Paishwa, on that occasion; and nothing was left— that the whole of the country had become a grazing field for the Poona horse; that, consequently, the state now, (instead of paying), required assistance; that the profits of present peace would be seen in the future prosperity of the Mysorer state; that (the Nawaub hoped) Trimuk by any means would be generous enough to return to his own country; and that he was to consider the increase of the prosperity of Mysore as an increase of his own dignity.
In fine, the offer of such cajoling and fool-deceiving words and the payment of two hundred thousand rupees, having satisfied Trimuk, he released the prisoners of Churkooli and the Nawaub was allowed to remain unmolested. Trimuk now from the pressing circumstances of the time, considering his own safety as victory and conquest, withdrew his garrisons from the forts depending on Seringaputtun, and dismissed his prisoners with presents and honorary dresses; and having appointed Bapojee Sindiah to the government of the Souba of Sura, he commenced his march to Poona; and, from political motives, joined the camp of Raghoba. The Kuzzaks of the Nawaub, however, followed his camp to the river Tungbhudra, and under the cover of the hills and jungles, slew many of the Mahrattas, took many prisoners, and returned with great spoil. After enduring much mortification, and discomfort, Meer Alí Ruza Khan, by the mediation of Nana Furnavees, was allowed to quit the Mahrattas, and again joined the Nawaub, and Gurum Khoondah and Dindigul were again assigned to him in Jageer.
The Nobut and Nagara of the Mussulmans are very musical.
↩These modest gentlemen the Mussulmans apply the term rebel to all their enemies.
↩
The author has placed here
Impression on the coin.
↩Afghans.
↩The author of another life of Hydur, states that Hydur bullied Busálut Jung into the surrender of the fort and stores.
↩Chuckmak is the name given by our Sipahees to the flint and steel of the musket.— Turkish.— Busálut Jung knew well to whom Hydur owed his fame although he himself had not the candour to acknowledge it.
↩I should think this speech more than doubtful.
↩Hydur although raised to the dignity of Nawaub was never considered a gentleman by the polished part of the population of northern India.
↩
Tribes of Afghans well known in India.
↩
The following is called Insha Tirazi,
One copy says Bednore.
↩Meaning Hydur.
↩ Some punning verses on the word
All this rigmarole is intended to prove that Hydur Alí had a right to dispossess the unfortunate Rani of her territory and wealth, and perhaps to take her life.
↩A Lakh is 100,000.
↩This person is said by a French author (an officer in Hydur’s service) to have been the son of the late Raja or Rana of Bednore.
↩The Rani is always spoken of disrespectfully by this author.
↩Keenness— temper.
↩About three and half rupees each.
↩This tree is like a date tree, perhaps Betel nut.
↩ Toorki
One-tenth of the tribute?
I have been compelled to change the form of the narrative here, as the account of Alí Bahadúr in the original is a long parenthesis.
↩It is to be recollected that it is a Muhammadan who writes this work.
↩
Alluding to a Hindu custom.
↩In speaking of Madhoo Rao, the author generally calls him the Chief Mahratta, or the Ghuneem, or Plunderer.
↩Footmen, apparently.
↩A volunteer.
↩The nose of the army.
↩A pun on the word Beenee.
↩All this is addressed to Madhoo Rao, but, I do not believe Hydur ever sent such a message.
↩The name of Hydur’s daughter married on this occasion was Paupa Bibi, according to Mr. Marriott.
↩Troop of horse.
↩Native captain.
↩Any one who has seen the Mahratta cavalry about to charge, will understand this description.
↩A hollow square.
↩A queer simile.
↩The Sillahdár is a trooper hired with his horse and arms at a certain rate of pay for all.
↩The historian feelingly describes the plunder of the Nawaub’s territory, but makes very slight mention of the territories of other states ravaged and desolated by him.
↩
The Mapillas are the descendents of Arabs, by Teer or Nair women; they follow the religion of their fathers, although their name signifies that they are the sons of their mothers.
↩Taking possession of the Poligar’s country, under written assurances of life and property.
↩Cochin, on the Malabar coast.
↩Called Cuddapah, by Wilks.
↩Nearly sixteen miles. A Kose is one mile and a half; a Fursung, four miles and three quarters.
↩
Being in the service of a Kafir.
↩This hill is called Karighat by Mr. Thornton and others.
↩A strictly literal translation of this book would be an absurd<ity.— I have therefore in some places deviated from the original, but not more than I could help.
↩Alluding perhaps to the position assumed by the Brahmans when asking alms.
↩Karighat.
↩The Chittikars are so called, I believe, from their clothing. Perhaps the tiger-striped cotton.
↩The Koorg people.
↩A tribe of Afghans.
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A kind of litter in which sick men are carried.
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Letter carriers.
↩A Krore is ten millions.
↩The terms used here are ambiguous.
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