224 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



pregnable to any native power. On 

 the 7th of September, M. Perron 

 applied to the commander in chief 

 lor permission to proceed, with his 

 family and property, to Lucknow, 

 under F3ritish prote6tion ; he added, 

 that he had resigned his command in 

 Scindiah's army. This measure was 

 probably in part owing to the sur- 

 render of Ally Ghur, but M. Perron 

 himself assigned, as his motive, that 

 he was about to be superseded by 

 Scindiah, and that the defefture, 

 treachery, and ingratitude of his 

 European officers, had convinced 

 him, that further resistance to the 

 British arms was useless and ineffec- 

 tual. General Lake complied with 

 M. Perron's request, and he was 

 conducted (escorted by the general's 

 own body-guard) to Lucknow, 

 where, and upon his route, he was 

 treated with every mark of respeft 

 and honour. 



On the following day, the army 

 advanced to Koorjah, a fort of some 

 strength, about 30 miles from Ally 

 Ghur, and which had been evacu- 

 ated by its gai-rison, on intelligence 

 being received of the fall of that 

 fortress. It was here that the com- 

 mander in chief received advice of 

 the surrender of lieutenant-colonel 

 Conyngham, with five companies of 

 Sepoys, and one gun, to a nume- 

 rous body of the enemy's cavalry, 

 commanded by M. Fleury, (a 

 Frenchman) at Shekoabad. This 

 little force had only capitulated, af- 

 ter repeated attacks from a body far 

 more numerous, and after having 

 expended its ammunition. Tocoun- 

 teradl the impression which this un- 

 pleasant atlair, (slight as the loss was 

 in reality,) might mrke upon the 

 mind of the enemy, the commander 

 in chief immediately detached a 

 strong body of cavalry, and a bri- 



gade of infantry, to beat up RL 

 Fleury's quarters ; but before these 

 detachments could effedl a junction 

 with colonel Vandeleur, (with whom 

 they were to have co-operated,) at 

 Futty Ghur, the enemy had re- 

 crossed the Jumna, and afterwards 

 dispersed. 



The main army, under general 

 Lake, reached Secundra on the 9 th 

 of September ; on the morning of 

 the 10th, it made a short march to 

 the westward, and on that of the 

 11th, reached its ground of encamp- 

 ment near the Jehna Nullah, about 

 six miles from the city of Delhi. On 

 the march, intelligence was received 

 that Scindiah's force, under M. Louis 

 Bourquien, (who had succeeded M. 

 Perron) to the number of lo,000 

 regular infantry, 6,000 horse, and 

 a considerable train of ordnance, 

 had crossed the Jumna in the night, 

 for the purpose of attacking the 

 British army. 



The troops, much fatigued with 

 a march of eighteen miles, had 

 scarcely time to pitch their tents, 

 when the enemy appeared in such 

 strength, in front, as obliged the 

 commander in chief to order the 

 grand guard and advanced picquets 

 to turn out, M'hile he proceeded in 

 person to reconnoitre with the whole 

 of the cavalry, (three regiments) 

 and found the enemy drawn up in 

 order of battle, and in full force. 

 Their position was taken very judi- 

 ciously on rijjng ground, each Hank 

 covered by a swamp, beyoiKl which 

 their cavalry was posted ; their nu- 

 merous artillery covered the front, 

 which was further protected by a 

 line of intrcnchments, nor could i 

 they be attacked in any other direc- 

 tion. As the BritLsh cavalry ad- 

 vanced, the enemy began a most 

 heavy and dcstitictive cannonade. 



At 



