FURTHER OPERATIONS AGAINST THE MAHRATTAS.

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in the morning, proved that the instructions of its French officers had not been given in vain. The casualties in the British force on this occasion were 428 killed, 1138 wounded, and 18 missing. The enemy left 2000 dead upon the field, and had at least 6000 wounded. Several standards, and nearly the whole of their artillery, fell into the hands of the conquerors; and when they halted twelve miles from the scene of their defeat, they had no cannon, and scarcely any ammunition; the tumbrils having been deserted or blown up. On the first intelligence that Colonel Stevenson (who reached the field of battle next morning) was advancing in force, the routed divisions fled precipitately down the Ghauts, and easily evaded a pursuit which the feebleness of the victors, and their own immense superiority in cavalry, would have rendered unavailing.

The victory of Assye was followed up by General Wellesley with his customary activity. Colonel Stevenson was detached to harass the ruins of Scindiah's army, and afterwards reduce the fortresses of Burhampoor and Asseerghur. The General himself was prevented moving from the neighbourhood of his victory, as the greatest difficulty was experienced in obtaining means of transport for his wounded; and no consideration could induce him to "leave his brave fellows exposed in an open town." While, to use his own phrase, "tied by the heels," from being obliged to send all his doolies to the fort of Adjuntee with the wounded, every day brought intelligence which proved how decisive the defeat at Assye had been. In his official letters, dated from the camp, he makes frequent allusions to the extent of Scindiah's losses.

While General Wellesley was defeating the Mahrattas in the south, General Lake gained a complete victory at Allyghur, in the plains of Hindostan, over another part of their force under M. Perron, which had occupied Delhi. The Mahratta power was now broken, and after several marches and countermarches, and desultory negotiations, Scindiah asked and obtained a truce at the beginning of November; but the Rajah of Berar still kept the field, and General Wellesley, coming up with him in the plains of Argaum, on the 29th, found Scindiah's cavalry, together with the Rajah's forces, drawn up in battle array. Taking advantage

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of this shameful violation of the truce, General Wellesley effected a junction with Colonel Stevenson's force; and, having halted his jaded troops for a few hours, determined to bring on a general engagement. On proceeding to reconnoitre the enemy, he found that the confederates had anticipated his intention, and were quite prepared to give him battle. Scindiah's force formed one heavy mass upon the right; upon their left were the Berar infantry and guns, flanked by their own cavalry; whilst on Scindiah's extreme right hovered a vast cloud of Pindarries and light troops. The united forces occupied a front of five miles, having the village of Argaum, with its gardens and enclosures, in their rear, and a plain intersected by water-courses in their front. Scindiah and Munoo Bapoo commanded this force in person. MajorGeneral Wellesley advanced upon them in one compact column, and rapidly formed his lines of attack. The Mogul and Mysore horse covered his left and protected his rear. As the British line moved down, a large body of Persian soldiers of the Berar rushed on the 74th and 80th Regiments, but was soon cut up. The cavalry of Scindiah next made an attack on the British infantry, but were repulsed with great loss. The British line now pressed forward, and the enemy gave way in every direction, leaving thirty-eight pieces of artillery on the field. The troops underwent great fatigue on this occasion, having been under arms from six in the morning until twelve at night. The British loss did not amount to more than 46 killed and 300 wounded; that of the enemy exceeded 3000. The next operation was against Gawilghur, a strong fort belonging to the Rajah of Berar, which was assaulted from Ellichpoor on the 15th of December, and carried by escalade. The loss to the British was only one officer and thirteen men killed, and sixty wounded. After this blow, the Rajah of Berar again sent an ambassador to treat for peace. The negotiations were concluded on the 17th of December. The British General, however, determined not to be trifled with again, communicated to Scindiah that unless the treaty was completed, and full security given for its due maintenance in the interim, he should consider the truce at an end on the 27th of December, and act accordingly; and it was not until a body of 10,000 Pindarries had been dispersed by General Campbell at Moodianoor, that the

Scindiah's vakeels brought the matter to an issue, and the treaty was fully ratified and signed.

General Wellesley had for some time expressed an anxious wish to retire from his command in the Mysore. While the war with Holkar was being carried on, by a skilful distribution of the army of the Deccan, the Mahratta chiefs, whose loyalty was very questionable, were completely overawed; and with every inclination to be troublesome, they were necessitated to remain pacific. General Wellesley had many causes of complaint-he was disliked by the Peshwah -his measures were sometimes rendered inoperative by restrictions of the government-and occasional notices in his despatches show that he felt these annoyances.

When it was officially announced that General Wellesley had determined to return to England, addresses to him were voted by numerous public bodies, and testimonials of various kinds were presented to him. On the 6th of March a grand entertainment was given to him by the civil and military officers of the Presidency of Madras, and on the 10th he embarked for England on board the "Trident" man-of-war, having notified, in a general order to the troops, his resignation of the command in the Deccan, and his immediate departure from India.

A monument, in commemoration of the battle of Assye, was erected at Calcutta. The inhabitants of that city presented General Wellesley with a sword of the value of a thousand guineas; and his own officers testified their attachment and admiration, by the gift of a service of plate. In England, the thanks of Parliament were voted to him, and he was made a Knight Companion of the Bath. Of all the honours paid him, however, none gratified him more than the parting address of the people of Seringapatam, who fully appreciated the blessings of his government.

Thus terminated this splendid campaign. By the final treaty with Scindiah, the British gained those fertile provinces comprising the Dooab, or country between the Jumna and the Ganges, together with extensive districts beyond the last-mentioned river, including Agra and Delhi. The person of the Great Mogul, who had long been in Scindiah's power, was transferred to the East India Company, along