CHAP. XXVI.] CAVALRY FROM 1815 TO 1854. 423 



with some horse artillery, and the " galloper" guns 

 attached to the regiments, and one brigade of native 

 infantry, which was carefully selected for its marching 

 powers. The baggage was reduced to the lowest possible 

 point, and every precaution taken to insure rapid 

 movement. 



With this force the chase began, and was continued 

 day after day from the 31st October till the 16th 

 November, Holkar keeping always twenty-five to thirty 

 miles in advance. On the 16th November, "when liOrd 

 Lake halted for the day, Holkar was thirty-six miles 

 ahead, and the English commander concluded to surprise 

 him by a night march. The surprise was complete, the 

 English horsemen reaching the camp at daybreak. The 

 Mahratta horses were fastened head and heels by ropes, 

 the men sleeping wrapped up in blankets, when the 

 artillery opened upon them, and the British light dragoons 

 dashed through the camp with a rush, cutting the fugi- 

 tives down in every direction. The plain was soon 

 covered with dead bodies. Holkar escaped with 

 difficulty.^ 



The pursuit was maintained over ten miles, making 

 altogether including the march of the day before, and 

 the night march, a distance of seventy miles passed over 

 in twenty-four hours ; an unparalleled effort when it is 

 considered that it was done after the force had made a 

 long and harassing march of 350 miles in about fifteen 

 days. 



Lord Lake's loss was only two dragoons killed and 

 about twenty wounded, with seventy-five horses. The 

 loss of the enemy was 3,000 killed on the field. This 

 was a marvellous success of 3,500 men over 60,000, and 

 may be attributed to a great ertent to the skilful 

 combination of speed with effective fire. 



Another operation of like character was the pursuit 

 of Ameer Khan by General Smith with the same force 

 of cavalry which Lord Lake had placed under his orders. 

 This time the cavalry marched over 700 miles in forty- 

 three days, and only succeeded in bringing Ameer Khan 



' Havelock, 135. 



