128 MAHRATTA WAR. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Mahralta War, and Conquest of Central Hindustan. 



Great Power of the Mahrattas — Shao succeeds as Rajah — Able Adminis- 

 tration of Ballajee Wistiwanaili- Bajee Rao succeeds — Rise of Hol- 

 kar and Sindia — Great Power of the Peishwa— Reduction of the Pi- 

 rate Angria — Madoo Rao becomes Peishwa— His able Government— 

 Ragobu — He is expelled by the Ministers — Forms nn Alliance with 

 the Government of Bombay — Keating's Expedition — Proceedings at 

 Bombay disallowed— Treaty — War renewed -March against Poonah 

 — Shameful Capitulation — Campaign of General Goddard — Exploits 

 of Poptiam and Camac— Mahrallas allied with Britain— Increased 

 Power of Mahadajee Sindia — His Death — Death of Madoo Rao — 

 Various intriguee— Jealousies of Briiain — Dissensions of Sindia and 

 Holkar — Defeat of Sindia and the Peishwa — Subsidiary Alliance with 

 Britain— Opening of the Campaign — General Wellesley enters Poo- 

 nah— Negotiations wilh Sindia and the Rajah of Berar — Hostilities 

 commenced— Battle of Assaye — Of Argaom — Siege of Gawilghur — 

 Treaty with the Rajah of Berar— Force of the Enemy in Central Hin- 

 dostan— Battle of Coel — Capture of Alighur— Reduction of Delhi — 

 The Mogul Emperor -Final Defeat of the Enemy— Treaty with 

 Sindia — Rupture with Holkar— Retreat of Colonel Monson— Siege of 

 Delhi — Defeats sustained hy Holkar— Siege ofBhurtpore — Repulse of 

 the English— Treaty— Hostile Conductor Smdia-New System of 

 Policy in Britain — Marquis Cornwallis comes out as Governor-gene- 

 ral— Dies, and is succeeded by Sir George Barlow — Treaties wilh 

 Sindia and Holkar— Lord Minto's Administration. 



In prosecuting, without interruption, the train of British 

 conquest in Southern India, wc have lost sight of the Mah- 

 rattas, unless in respect to their relations with the govern- 

 ment of Mysore. The reader, however, will recollect the 

 steps by which that people raised themselves on the decline 

 of the Mogul empire, and became the most powerful instru- 

 ment in its overthrow. They would even have occupied its 

 place had they not encountered the more regular and for- 

 midable armies of the Afghans, from whom they sustained 

 two such mighty defeats as would have annihilated any 

 force which did not possess in itself a strong principle of 

 vitality. But they soon recruited their strength out of the 

 warlike and roving population of their mountain districts; 

 and as the Afghans did not attempt a permanent establish- 



