IV. 1800. Yepulpurry and Bunnoo. Colonel Wellesley had CHAP. early intelligence of his situation; but the night was so bad, and his horses were so fatigued, that he could not move. After passing an anxious night, he marched in the morning, and fell in with Dhoondiah's army, consisting of about five thousand horse, at the village of Conahgull, moving westward, with the intention of passing between the Mahratta and Mogul cavalry, and Colonel Wellesley's force. Dhoondiah drew up, however, in a very strong position, as soon as he perceived his enemy approaching, and stood with apparent firmness. Wellesley, who had but one method of dealing with Indian armies, namely, to "dash at them," whenever an opportunity offered, put himself at the head of his small but gallant force, consisting of the 19th and 25th British, and 1st and 2d regiments of native cavalry, and in a single impetuous charge, broke and dispersed Dhoondiah's formidable band with considerable slaughter; their leader being amongst the slain. After pursuing its scattered remains for a brief space, he returned to attack the camp; and got possession of the elephants, camels, baggage, &c. The Mogul and Mahratta cavalry soon arrived, and were despatched to destroy the fugitives. It appeared that Dhoondiah had been misled by intelligence he received from the killadar of Chinnoor, who had written to say that Colonel Wellesley was to be at Nowly on the 8th, and at Chinnoor on the 9th; thus was he entirely ignorant of his indefatigable pursuer being so near. The freebooter's body having been recognized among the dead, was fastened on a gun attached to the 19th dragoons, and brought into camp. G СНАР. On the following day, Colonel Stevenson came up with the remainder of the enemy's baggage near Deodroog, and captured their only two remaining Gurwood. guns, together with a number of camels, bullocks, &c. Sep.13.4 brinjarries, &c. Their object had been to pass the Kistna, and go to Soorapoor. Despatches, In his official report of Stevenson's proceedings, Colonel Wellesley does ample justice to the merits and exertions of that officer; generously attributing the opportunity afforded him of destroying the enemy's army to his judicious movements. "Among the baggage was found Salabuth Khan, a son of Dhoondiah, an infant of about four years old. He was taken to Colonel Wellesley's tent, and afterwards most kindly and liberally taken care of by him. Sir Arthur, on his departure from India, left some hundred pounds for the use of the boy in the hands of Colonel Symmonds, the judge and collector at Seringapatam. When Colonel Symmonds retired from service, the Hon. Arthur Cole, the resident at the court of Mysore, took charge of him, and had him placed in the rajah's service. He was a fine, handsome, intelligent youth. Salabuth Khan died of cholera in 1822." - Gurwood. The publication of a new edition of volumes 1 2, and 3 of the "Despatches" with an altered arrangement, has induced the authors of the present work to give the date of the letter or other document referred to in Colonel Gurwood's compilation, instead of the volume and page. CHAPTER V. OBSERVATIONS. COLONEL WELLESLEY DIRECTED TO REMAIN IN THE destruction of a mere marauding adventurer may, without due consideration, appear a trifling affair to have been dwelt upon with such minuteness; but besides that the harassing operations described in the preceding chapter were the first that Colonel Wellesley directed in person, the warfare was one upon the result of which most important consequences depended; for, had Dhoondiah's aggression been attended with any degree of success, the embers of that latent hostility to British influence which were scattered over the whole Mahratta empire would have been raked together, and have sent forth a flame which might have involved the whole Indian peninsula in one vast conflagration: - Scindiah, Holkar, with other ambitious and powerful native princes, were anxiously awaiting the effect of Dhoondiah's enterprise to determine the course they should pursue; he was, in fact, pushed forward, like the first pawn in a game of chess, to open the conflict, and prepare for the advance, at the right time, of more important pieces. On the CHAP. 1800. V. CHAP. impression he might be able to make, and on the vigour with which he should be opposed, depended 1800. altogether their plans for continuing the warfare, either by affording him direct support, or by devising fresh projects of attack in another quarter. Colonel Wellesley saw, from the first, that the only way of quieting the country, and of keeping the native princes professing friendly feelings towards the British East India Company, firm in their alliance, was by displaying the utmost decision and vigour in pursuing unremittingly the daring insurgent until he had effected his destruction. It was not Dhoondiah alone that he was determined to put down, but a system of exaction and spoliation, which by keeping the entire country in a constant state of agitation and alarm, tended to bring British protection into disrepute. In the course of the miniature war that followed, Colonel Wellesley's prompt and judicious measures, seconded by his surprising activity, enterprise, and perseverance, merited the high encomiums which were passed upon his conduct both by the supreme government and that of Madras, and inspired a wholesome dread of British power, which had its effect on the turbulent and disaffected Mahratta princes. His task accomplished, Colonel Wellesley was preparing to return into the Mysore territory, when he received orders from government to remain for the present in the Mahratta country; the proceedings of Scindiah at the court of Poonah being such as to give just cause for suspicion that a blow was meditated against the independence of the Peshwah, and it was feared the withdrawal of the British troops from the Savanore country would be V. the signal for that restless and ambitious leader to CHAP. seize upon the provinces recently detached from the kingdom of Mysore, and which had been offered to that prince. By referring back to Colonel Wellesley's letter to Major Munro, of the 20th August, it will be observed that he foresaw the difficulties likely to arise in the settlement of those frontier provinces, and felt that the extension of the Company's "territory and influence exceeded its means." He was even then fully aware of the obstacles that would present themselves to the establishment of a "strong frontier," and the danger to be apprehended from Scindiah. The object contemplated by keeping a British force within the Mahratta frontier was, that it might be at hand to defeat the projects of Scindiah, who not only had made himself master of the power and resources of the Peshwah, but, as was rumoured, had gone so far as to impose restraint upon the person of his highness. This Prince was represented as being desirous of freeing himself from his humiliating state of dependence, and Colonel Wellesley was therefore furnished with authority to march to his assistance, should application be made for the Company's intervention. But, as it was considered possible, considering the complete control exercised by Scindiah over the Peshwah, that it might not even be in his power to make this appeal, Colonel Wellesley's private instructions authorized him to act without waiting for a call, should either of two events occur, namely, the actual imprisonment of the Peshwah, or his flight from Poonah. The English commander, in contemplation of an 1800. |