Tempo:
— CHAP. V
LORD LAKE'S CAMPAIGNS
115
The victory of Laswari was won within two I803-5. months, and the Maratha power seemed to be annihi- ^Tjind and lated in Northern India. The old blind emperor Shah Kaithai. Alam was again flattered with the semblance of kingly shah Aiam power, his pride was soothed by the demeanour of the ^eed from conqueror, and, as the Mughal name was still imposing, Maratha the feelings of the free but loyal soldier were doubtless t^^^i^Q'"gratified by the bestowal of a title which declared an English nobleman to be 'the sword of the state' of the great Tamerlane.^ nesar.*
The enterprising Jaswant Rao Holkar had by this "^^^ ^"S" time determined on the invasion of Upper India, and Ji^jfh^'^i the retreat of Col. Monson ^ buoyed him up with hopes ^ar. i804-5. of victory and dominion. Delhi was invested, and the Doab was filled with troops; but the successful defence of the capital by Sir David Ochterlony, and the reverse of Dig, drove the great marauder back into Rajputana. During these operations a British detachment, under Col. Burn, was hard pressed at Shamli, near Saharan- The sikhs pur, and the opportune assistance of Lai Singh of "mostly side Kaithai and Bhag Singh of Jind contributed to its ulti- !^"^. !f^ mate relief.* The same Sikh chiefs deserved and and render received the thanks of Lord Lake for attacking and good serkilling one Ika Rao, a Maratha commander who had vice, taken up a position between Delhi and Panipat; but others were disposed to adhere to their sometime allies, and Sher Singh of Buriya fell in action with Col. Burn, and the conduct of Gurdit Singh of Ladwa induced the British general to deprive him of his villages in the Doab, and of the town of Karnal."' In 1805 Holkar and Amir Khan again moved north- Hoikar ward, and proclaimed that they would be joined by the ^^l^^^^ ^^^ Sikhs, and even by the Afghans; but the rapid move- sutiej, i8o\ ments of Lord Lake converted their advance into a retreat or a flight. They delayed some time at Patiala, Delays at and they did not fail to make a pecuniary profit out of P^tiaia. 1 Manuscript memoranda of personal inquiries. -
Mill, History of Britisyi India, Wilson's ed., vi. 510.
[He had made a rash advance into Holkar's territory in to unite with another English force under Col. Murray. Lack supplies caused him to retreat, and he only reached Agra at the end of August, after losing the major part of his army. However, he took his revenge at Dig, as that victory was mainly his work. Ed.] * Manuscript memoranda. Both this aid in 1804, and the opposition of the Sikhs at Delhi, in 1803. seem to have escaped the notice of English observers, or to have been thought undeserving of record by English historians. (Mill, History, vi. •"'
July 1804,
M
503, 592, ed. 1840.) •"
Manuscript memoranda
personal inquiries.
of
written
documents and of
LORD LAKE'S CAMPAIGNS
115
The victory of Laswari was won within two I803-5. months, and the Maratha power seemed to be annihi- ^Tjind and lated in Northern India. The old blind emperor Shah Kaithai. Alam was again flattered with the semblance of kingly shah Aiam power, his pride was soothed by the demeanour of the ^eed from conqueror, and, as the Mughal name was still imposing, Maratha the feelings of the free but loyal soldier were doubtless t^^^i^Q'"gratified by the bestowal of a title which declared an English nobleman to be 'the sword of the state' of the great Tamerlane.^ nesar.*
The enterprising Jaswant Rao Holkar had by this "^^^ ^"S" time determined on the invasion of Upper India, and Ji^jfh^'^i the retreat of Col. Monson ^ buoyed him up with hopes ^ar. i804-5. of victory and dominion. Delhi was invested, and the Doab was filled with troops; but the successful defence of the capital by Sir David Ochterlony, and the reverse of Dig, drove the great marauder back into Rajputana. During these operations a British detachment, under Col. Burn, was hard pressed at Shamli, near Saharan- The sikhs pur, and the opportune assistance of Lai Singh of "mostly side Kaithai and Bhag Singh of Jind contributed to its ulti- !^"^. !f^ mate relief.* The same Sikh chiefs deserved and and render received the thanks of Lord Lake for attacking and good serkilling one Ika Rao, a Maratha commander who had vice, taken up a position between Delhi and Panipat; but others were disposed to adhere to their sometime allies, and Sher Singh of Buriya fell in action with Col. Burn, and the conduct of Gurdit Singh of Ladwa induced the British general to deprive him of his villages in the Doab, and of the town of Karnal."' In 1805 Holkar and Amir Khan again moved north- Hoikar ward, and proclaimed that they would be joined by the ^^l^^^^ ^^^ Sikhs, and even by the Afghans; but the rapid move- sutiej, i8o\ ments of Lord Lake converted their advance into a retreat or a flight. They delayed some time at Patiala, Delays at and they did not fail to make a pecuniary profit out of P^tiaia. 1 Manuscript memoranda of personal inquiries. -
Mill, History of Britisyi India, Wilson's ed., vi. 510.
[He had made a rash advance into Holkar's territory in to unite with another English force under Col. Murray. Lack supplies caused him to retreat, and he only reached Agra at the end of August, after losing the major part of his army. However, he took his revenge at Dig, as that victory was mainly his work. Ed.] * Manuscript memoranda. Both this aid in 1804, and the opposition of the Sikhs at Delhi, in 1803. seem to have escaped the notice of English observers, or to have been thought undeserving of record by English historians. (Mill, History, vi. •"'
July 1804,
M
503, 592, ed. 1840.) •"
Manuscript memoranda
personal inquiries.
of
written
documents and of
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