234 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



staTiding the eager remonstrances 

 and protestations of Scindiah's am- 

 bassador, (still in the British camp,) 

 to attack the enemy with all possi- 

 ble celerity. General Wellesley, 

 immediately moved forward to Par- 

 terly, where he was joined by col. 

 Stevenson's division, and whence the 

 conlederates had retired, although 

 their rear was still discernible from a 

 lofty tower near the spot. The 

 extreme heat of the day, and the 

 fatigue of the troops, disiurlined ge- 

 neral Wellesley from a further pur- 

 suit of the enemy until the evening. 

 Bwt the British troops were not 

 long halted, before large bodies of 

 horse were observed in front ; and 

 upon advancing the picquets in con- 

 sequence, tliewholcarmy of the con- 

 federated Mahrattachicfs wasdistinft 

 ly perceived, formed in a long line of 

 infantry, cavalry, and artillery, ex- 

 tending in front, nearly five miles 

 on the plains of Argaum. General 

 "Wellesley, finding that the enemy 

 was thus prepared for a general ac- 

 tion, lost not a moment in advanc- 

 ing with the whole of his army in 

 cue column ; — the British cavalry 

 leading, in a direction nearly paral- 

 lel to that of the enemy's line. On 

 a nearer approach to the confederat- 

 ed force, the British army was form- 

 ed in two lines, the first of which was 

 composed of the infantry, the se- 

 cond of the horse: the right wing 

 was advanced, in order to press 

 upon the left of the enemy: the Brit- 

 ish left was supported by the Mj-sore 

 cavalry. On arriving verj'^ close to 

 the enemy's line, the 74th and 78th 

 regiments were attacked by a large 

 body of Persians, which, after a 

 desperate conllit^t, those gallant 

 corps succeeded in totally destroy- 

 ing j uid Scindiah's cavalry, being at 

 ti,. .^arnc time repulsed with great 

 loss by the 1st battalion of the 6th 



regiment, the M-hole line of the ene- 

 my gave way, and retreated with 

 the utmost precipitation and confu- 

 sion, leaving in the possession of the 

 vi6lors 38 pieces of cannon and all 

 their ammunition. T!-- British ca- 

 valry immediately pursued, destroy- 

 ed many of the fugitives, and captur- 

 ed the whole of their elephants and 

 baggage. The loas on the part of the 

 British forces was very inconside- 

 rable. 



After this adtion, which, if not so 

 brilliant, Avas certainly not less de- 

 cisive than that of Assye, general 

 Wellesley immediately moved to- 

 wards Gawil Gliur in Berar, for the 

 purpose of investing that fortress, 

 considered to be one of the strong- 

 ~est in India, and hitherto deemed 

 by the natives to be impregnable. 

 For this purpose, he arrived at 

 Elichpoor on the 6th of December, 

 and halted on the Cth, in order to 

 settle the plan of the proposed 

 siege with colonel Stevenson, and ■ 

 likewise to establish an hospital 

 for the wounded in the battle of 

 Argaum. 



The fort of Gawil Ghur is si- 

 tuated in a range of mountains, be- 

 tween the sources of theTaptee and 

 Foonah rivers. It stands on a lofty 

 mountain in this range, and consists 

 of one complete inner fort, which 

 fronts to the south where the rock is 

 most steep ; and an outer fort, which 

 covers the approach to it from the 

 north, bj' the village of Labada ; all 

 these wails arc strongly built and 

 fortified by ramparts and towers. 

 The communications with the fort 

 are through three gates ; one to the 

 south, with the inner fort ; one to 

 the north-west, with the outer fort; 

 and one to the third, with thd north 

 wall. The ascent to the first, is 

 very steep, and is pradticable only 

 for men; that to the secondj is by 



a road 



