Parlement

Best.-Nr. elala6164 — London: 1804. The second Anglo-Maratha War 1803-05 saw the British gain significant territories and influence including regions around Delhi and in present-day Gujarat falling into direct Company rule. The two rulers who fought the EIC were Daulat Rao Sindhia 1779-1827 and Raghuji Bhonsle II d. 1816. General Gerard Lake and General Arthur Wellesley commanded the EIC army. Included here are the texts of government dispatches government correspondence with the secret committee of the EIC agents ministers and military officers commanding in the field and correspondence and proceedings with the Maratha Princes of States. The plates include two maps of India by A.Arrowsmith and six plans showing General Lake’s encampment at Secundra Aug. 26 1803 the battle of Assye Sept. 23 1803 the attack on Perron's Camp before Allyghur Aug. 29 1803 the entrance into the fort on Sept. 4 the Battle of Delhi Sept. 11 1803 and the Battle of Laswaree November 1 1803. “At the Battle of Assaye on 23 September 1803 General Sir Arthur Wellesley 1769-1852 the future Duke of Wellington masterminded victory for the EIC over the Maratha army of Daulat Rao Sindhia head of the Gwalior state. The cause was greatly helped by Wellesley first steadily building up supplies and then bribing British and Anglo-Indian mercenary officers in the Marathas' employ not to fight. When the Marathas heard of this subterfuge they promptly dismissed all their European officers believing them all of suspect loyalty. The unfortunate consequence for the Marathas was that their army now had no command structure and was routed but not before their artillery had caused tremendous damage to the British. The costs for the EIC victory in this bloody battle were high with around one-third of its army killed or wounded. 6000 Maratha soldiers were killed at Assaye. The experienced British officers were all in agreement that the Maratha artillery was as well organized and deadly as that of any European army they had ever faced. There was some consolation for the human losses in the capture of 98 Maratha cannons. Wellesley then won another battle at Argaum aka Argaon in November 1803 but at the end of his career and even after defeating Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo in June 1815 Wellesley declared that his greatest ever military challenge had been at Assaye. On 1 November 1803 the EIC won another decisive victory at the Battle of Laswari this time with a force of 10000 men under the able command of General Gerard Lake 1744-1808 a veteran of the American War of Independence. Again the costs of victory were high with around 838 EIC troops killed or wounded. The EIC then took over Delhi and its surrounding territory. There were a few minor Maratha successes such as the defence of Bhurtpore aka Bharatpur against multiple British attacks in early 1805 but with the large losses in central India to Wellesley and in northern India to Lake the Maratha Confederacy was now but a shadow of its former self. The Hindu princes were largely obliged to follow EIC policies and put up with a permanent resident backed by sepoys EIC Indian troops. However there would be one more conflict to come in a doomed effort to regain the Marathas' lost independence.” Mark Cartwright The World History Encyc. folio. pp. xix 1 587. 2 folding hand-coloured maps & 6 folding partly hand-coloured plans. modern half calf a few minor marks on spine. elala6164 [London]: 1804 unknown