Third Anglo-Maratha War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Third Anglo-Maratha War
Date November 5, 1817-1819
Location The modern state of Maharashtra and neighboring areas
Result Formal end of the Maratha empire and firm establishment of the British empire in India
Belligerents
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Maratha empire United Kingdom United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Baji Rao II

The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817 – 1818) was a final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India, which left the Company in control of most of India.

Contents

[edit] Prelude to war

While the Maratha Empire was once a powerful empire, it was weak and on the decline by the time of the third Anglo-Maratha war[1] and even when it was strong at the time of it's foundation, there was a lack of foresight. Rabindranath Tagore criticizes Shivaji by saying "Shivaji aimed at preserving the rents; he wished to save from Mughal attack a Hindu society of which ceremonial distinctions and isolation of castes are the very breath of life. He wanted to make this heterogeneous society triumphant over all India! He wove ropes of sand, he attempted the impossible. It is beyond the power of any man, it is opposed to the divine law of the universe, to establish the swaraj of such a caste-ridden, isolated, internally-torn sect over a vast continent like India."[2] Tagore also writes "A temporary enthusiasm sweeps over the country and we imagine that it has been united; but the rent and holes in our body social do their work secretly; we cannot retain any noble idea long."[3]

The Maratha Empire had failed to upgrade it's guerrilla warfare tactics as their Empire grew.[4] Efforts to Westernize the armies were so half-hearted and undisciplined that newer techniques could not be absorbed by the soldiers while the older methods and experience were lost. The Maratha Empire lacked an efficient spy-system and they made no attempts to learn their own local geography. Armies operated by guesswork, for example, the armies lost battles and got slaughtered when a they encountered a river, unable to discover fjords or locate boats.[4]

On the other hand, the British had traveled thousands of miles to arrive in India. After arriving in India, every single act on their part was very well planned and systematic. Before acting, they studied Indian geography and mastered local languages to deal with the Indians in a perfect manner. Added to these qualities, they were technologically advanced with superior equipment. Chhabra hypothesizes that even if the British technical superiority were discounted, they would have won the war simply on the basis of the discipline and organization in their ranks.[5]

At the time of the war, the power of the British Empire was on the rise whereas that of the Maratha Empire was on the decline.[6] The British had been victorious in the first two Anglo-Maratha wars. The Peshwa of the Maratha Empire at this time was Baji Rao II. Several Maratha chiefs who had formerly sided with the Peshwa had now switched sides and were under British protection to prevent the Peshwa from collecting revenue from them. One of the chiefs, Gaekwad sent an envoy to Pune to negotiate a dispute with the Peshwa in regard to revenue collection. The envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, was under British protection and he was murdered; Fingers were pointed toward the Peshwas minister Trimbak Dengle. The British seized the opportunity and forced Baji Rao in to a treaty.[7] Key terms of the treaty of Pune, signed on June 13, 1817 were:[8]

  1. The Peshwa admit Dengle's guilt
  2. Renounce all claims on Gaekwad
  3. Surrender significant swaths of territory to the British
  4. That the Peshwa not communicate with any other power in India
  5. That the Peshwa cede his most important strongholds, parts of Deccan, sea-board of Konkan, and all places north of the Narmada
  6. That the Peshwa never to claim suzerainty over the Maratha confederacy

The British Resident Mountstuart Elphinstone also asked the Peshwa to disband his cavalry.

[edit] Maratha planning

The Peshwa did as Elphinstone asked and disbanded the cavalry but asked the cavalry to lie low for a while and offered them a seven month advance pay. Baji Rao entrusted Bapu Gokhale in the preparation for the war.[9] In August of 1817, several forts like Sinhagad, Raigadh, Purandar were restored by the Peshwa.[10] Gokhale conducted recruiting for the impending war secretly but remarkably.[10] Many Bhils and Ramoshis were hired.[10] Efforts were made to unify Bhonsale, Shinde, Holkar and even the Pindaris.[10] The Peshwa identified unhappy Indians in the service of the British Resident Elphinstone and secretly recruited them in the forthcoming war. One such person was Jaswant Rao Ghorpade. Efforts were made to secretly recruit European members as well.[11] Some Indians such as Balaji Pant Natu stood firmly and steadfastly with the British[11] Several of the Indian sepoys rejected the Peshwas handsome offers, others presenting to acquiesce reported the matter to their officers.[11] On October 19th, 1817, Baji Rao II celebrated Dassera in Pune with troops being assembled in large numbers.[12] During the celebrations of Dassera, the Marathas deliberately displayed slight towards Elphinstone.[13] A large flank of the Maratha cavalry pretended as if they were charging towards the British sepoys but wheeled off at the last minute. This was a scare tactic intended to aid the defection and eventual recruitment of the British sepoys by the Peshwa.[13] Many of the sepoys behaved with steadfast fidelity towards the British.[14] The Peshwa made plan to murder Elphinstone despite opposition from Gokhale. Elphinstone was fully aware of all developments, thanks to the spying of Balaji Pant Natu and Ghorpade.[12] Burton provides an estimate of the strength of various Maratha powers in or around 1817 as:[15]

Maratha chief Horse/Cavalry Infantry Guns
Shinde 15,000 16,000 140
Holkar 20,000 8,000 107
Peshwa 28,000 14,000 37
Bhonsale 16,000 18,000 85
Amir Khan (Pathan) 12,000 10,000 200
Pindari 15,000 1500 20

[edit] Commencement of war

Main article: Battle of Khadki

The Maratha forces attacked the British at 1600 hours on November 5, 1817 with the Maratha left attacking the British right. The Maratha forces comprised 20,000 cavalry, 8000 infantry and 20 guns[12] whereas the British had 2000 cavalry, 1000 infantry and 8 guns.[16] On the Maratha side, an additional 5000 horse and 1000 infantry were guarding the Peshwa at Parvati hill. These British numbers included Captain Ford's unit which was en route from Dapodi to Khadki.[16] The British had also asked General Smith to arrive at Khadki for the battle but they did not anticipate him to arrive in time. The battle ground was flat and undulating. The river Mula was shallow and narrow and could be crossed at several locations.[12] A few canals or nallas in Marathi joined the river and though these weren't obstacles, some of them were hidden due to bushes in the area. Three hills in the region were the Parvati hill, the Chaturshingi hill and the Khadki hill. The Peshwa watched the battle from the Parvati hill whereas the British troops were based on the Khadki hill.[12] The two hills are separated by a distance of four kilometers.

The Maratha army was a mix of Rohillas, Rajputs and Marathas and a small force of Portuguese under their officer de Pinto. The left flank of the Maratha army, commanded by Moro Dixit and Raste, was stationed on the flat ground that on which the University of Pune stands today.[12] The center was commanded by Bapu Gokhale whereas the right was under Vinchurkar. British troop movements began on November 1st when Colonel Burr moved his forces towards what is Bund Garden via the Holkar Bridge.[16] The Maratha were successful initially in creating and exploiting a gap in the British left and center. These successes were nullified by the Maratha horses being thrown in to a disarray because of an invisible nallah and the temporary loss of command from Gokhale whose horse was shot. The Marathas were rendered leaderless when Moro Dixit on the right was shot dead. The British infantry then advanced steadily firing volley after volley causing the cream of the Maratha cavalry to retreat in a matter of four hours. The British soon claimed victory. The British lost 86 and the Maratha 500.[17]

[edit] Flight of the Peshwa

General Smith arrived in Yerwada on November 13th at the site of the present Deccan College.[16] Smith and his troops crossed the river on the 15th and took up position at Ghorpadi. On the morning of the 16th, the Marathas were engaged in a gun duel with the British. While the Maratha generals such as Purandare, Raste and Bapu Gokhale were ready to advance on to the British forces, they were demoralized after learning of the news of the Peshwa and his brother fleeing to Purandar. A force of 5000 additional Marathas was located at the Sangam under the leadership of Vinchurkar but they remained idle. After this, Bapu Gokhale retreated to guard the Peshwa in flight. The next morning, General Smith advanced towards the city of Pune and found that the Peshwa had fled towards the city of Satara.[18] During the day the city was surrendered and the greatest care was taken on the occasion by General Smith for the protection of the peaceful part of the community order and tranquility was soon re-established.[18]

Main article: Battle of Koregaon

The Peshwa now fled to Koregaon. The battle of Koregaon took place on January 1, 1818, at the bank of river Bhima in Koregaon which is located north-west of Pune. General Stauton arrived near Koregaon on the 1st of January 1818 along with 500 infantry, two six pounder guns and 200 irregular horsemen. Only 24 in the infantry composed Europeans from the Madras Artillery, the rest being Indians.[16] The village of Koregaon was on the north bank of the river which was shallow and narrow at this time of the year. The village was small an had within in a fortified enclosure in standard Maratha fashion. Stauton moved to the village and occupied it but not the fortified enclosure which was occupied by the Marathas. The British were cut off from the river which was their only source of water. A fierce battle ensued the entire day and every inch of the village territory was contested for. Streets and guns were captured and recaptured, changing hands several times.[19] The small British force fought valiantly despite the lack of water and the agony caused due to that. The Peshwa was watching the battle from atop a nearby hill about two miles away. The Marathas evacuated the village and retreated during the night. The British lost 175 men and about a third of the irregular horse with more than half of the European officers were wounded whereas the Marathas lost 500 to 600 men.[20] When the British found the village evacuated in the morning, Staunton took his battered but unvanquished troops towards Shirur but pretending to march on to Pune at first. The gallant defense by such a small and disciplined British force against an overwhelmingly large Maratha force is recorded in the annals of the British East India Company's forces as the most glorious example of valor and fortitude. The Raja of Satara was with the Peshwa.[20] The British forces were in pursuit of the Peshwa after the battle of Koregaon who fled southwards towards Karnataka. He was pursued by the British general Pritzler.[20] The Peshwa continuted his flight southward until January 1, 1818.[21] Not receiving support from the Raja of Mysore, the Peshwa suddenly made a U-turn and passed General Pritzlier to head towards Solhapur.[22] Until January 29, 1818 the pursuit of the Peshwa had been productive of nothing important excepting the political effect of holding him up as a fugitive. Whenever Bajee Rao was pressed Gokhale with all the light troops hovered round the pursuing divisions firing long shots with their matchlocks throwing rockets in favorable situations and cutting off cattle and baggage Some skirmishes took place in consequence and the Mahrattas frequently suffered from the shrapnel shells of the horse artillery but these affairs were attended with no advantageous result to either party.[23] On February 7, General Smith entered Satara and captured the royal palace of the Marathas raising the British flag in a symbolic move.[23] But on the next day, the Bhagwa Zenda or the flag of Shivaji and the Marathas was raised in it’s place again.[23] The British declared that they would not interfere with the tenets of any religious sects and that all Watans, Inams, pensions and annual allowances would be continued provided that the recipients withdrew from the service of Baji Rao.[23] During this time Baji Rao remained in the vicinity of Solhapur.[24] On February 19, General Smith got word that the Peshwa was headed for Pandharpur from Solhapur. General Smith's troops attacked the Peshwa en route to Pandharpur. Gokhale died valiantly defending the Peshwa from the British. He fought bravely, dying as he had pledged to himself, with a sword in his hand.[24] The Raja of Satara along with his brother and mother was captured by the British but in reality this was an occasion of joy for the Raja to be free from the servitude of the Konkanastha Brahmins and Baji Rao.[25] The death of Gokhale and the skirmish between Solhapur and Pandharpur hastened the end of the war.[26] Soon after this Baji Rao was deserted by the Patwardhans.[27] On June 3rd, 1818, Baji Rao surrendered to the British negotiating a sum of Rs. 8 lakhs as the annual maintenance.[28] Baji Rao obtained promises from the British in favor of the Jahagirdars, his family, the Brahmins and religious institutions.[28] The Peshwas was sent off to Bithur near Kanpur.[29] By April 10, 1818, General Smith's forces had taken the forts of Sinhagadh and Purandar.[30] Mountstuart Elphinstone mentions the capture of Sinhagadh in his diary for February 13, 1818 - "The garrison contained no Marathas, but consisted of a hundred Arabs, six hundred Gosains, and four hundred Konkani. The Killadar was a boy of eleven; the real Governor, Appajee Punt Sewra, a mean-looking Carcoon. The garrison was treated with great liberality ; and, though there was much property and money in the place, the Killadar was allowed to have whatever he claimed as his own."[30] While the downfall and banishment of the Peshwa was mourned all over Maharashtra as the consummation of national downfall, the Peshwa himself was unaffected, he blithely contracted more marriages, and spent his long and disgraceful life dividing his hours between religious performances and dissipation.[31]

[edit] Events in Nagpur

Sitabuldi fort today
See also: Sitabuldi Fort

In Nagpur, Madhoji Bhonsale had consolidated power under him after entering in to a treaty with the British on May 27, 1816 and after the murder of his cousin, the imbecile ruler Parsoji Bhonsale.[32] Madhoji, also known as Appa Saheb, ignored the British Resident, Jenkins who had asked him to refrain from contact with Baji Rao II. Jenkins also asked Appa Saheb to disband his growing concentration of troops and come to the residency which Appa Saheb refused. He then openly declared support for the Peshwa who was already fighting the British near Pune. It was now clear that a battle was in the offing. Jenkinks had already asked for reinforcements from nearby British troops and he already had about 1500 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Hopentoun Scott.[33] Jenkins also sent word for Colonel Adams to march to Nagpur.[32] Like other Maratha Chiefs, Appa Shaeb had employed Arabs in his army.[34] They were typically involved in holding fortresses. While they were known to be the bravest troops amongst the local Indians, they were not amenable to discipline and order. The total strength of the Marathas was about 18,000.[35]

The Residency was to the west of the Sitabuldi hill, a 300 yard hillock running north-south. The British troops had occupied the north end of the hillock.[36] The Marathas fighting together with the Arabs made good initial gains by charging up the hill and forcing the British to retreat to the southern end of the hill. British reinforcements started arriving - Lt. Col Rahan on the 29th, Major Pittman on the 5ht, Col. Doveton on the 12th of December. The British counterattack was severe and Appa Saheb was forced to surrender. The British lost 300 of which 24 were Europeans, the Marathas lost an equal number. A treaty was signed on January 9, 1818. Appa Saheb was allowed to rule over nominal territories with several restrictions. Most of the territory was now controlled by the British. All forts were given up to the British and the fort of Sitabuldi was fortified.

A few days later Appa Saheb was arrested and was being escorted to Allahabad when escaped to Punjab to seek refuge from the Sikhs. They turned him down and he was captured by the British near Jodhpur. Raja Mansingh stood surety for him and he remained in Jodhpur until his early death on July 15, 1849 in Jodhpur at 44 years of age.

[edit] The Pindaris

After the second Anglo-Maratha war, Shinde and Holkar lost their territories to the Brish. They encouraged the Pindaries to raid the British territories. These Pindaries who were mostly cavalry came to be known as the Shindeshahi and the Holkarshahi named after the patronage they received from he respective defeated Maratha chiefs.[37] The Pindari leaders were Setu, Karim Khan, Dost Mohammad, Tulsi, Imam Baksh, Sahib Khan, Kadir Baksh, Nathu and Bapu. Setu, Karim Khan, Dost Mohammad belonged to Shindeshahi and the rest to Holkarshahi.[38] The total strength of the Pindaris in 1814 was 33,000.[39]

The Pindaris[37]
Allied With Leader Strength
Shindeshahi Setu 10,000
Karim Khan 6000
Dost Mohammad 4000
Holkarshahi Tulsi 2000
Imam Baksh 2000
Sahib Khan 1000
Kadir Baksh 2150
Nathu 750
Bapu 150


The war began with an invasion of Maratha territory by the British Governor General, Lord Hastings, supported by a force under Sir Thomas Hislop, in the course of operations against Pindari robber bands. The Peshwa of Pune's forces (see Battle of Khadki), followed by those of the Bhonsle of Nagpur and Holkar of Indore (see Battle of Mahidpur ), rose against the British, but British diplomacy convinced the Sindhia of Gwalior to remain neutral, although he lost control of Rajasthan. British victory was swift, resulting in the breakup of the Maratha Empire and the loss of Maratha independence to the British. The Battle of Koregaon gave decisive victory to the British; the Peshwa was pensioned off and most of his territory was annexed to the Bombay Presidency, although the Maharaja of Satara was restored as ruler of a princely state until its annexation to Bombay state in 1848. The northern portion of the Nagpur Bhonsle dominions, together with the Peshwa's territories in Bundelkhand, were annexed to British India as the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories. The Maratha kingdoms of Indore, Gwalior, Nagpur, and Jhansi became princely states, acknowledging British control.

[edit] Political effects of the war

The Third Anglo-Maratha War left the British in control of virtually all of present-day India south of the Sutlej River. In addition, the famed Nassak Diamond was acquired by the East India Company as part of the spoils of the war.[40]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 36.
  2. ^ Sarkar 1919, pp. 430-431.
  3. ^ Sarkar 1919, pp. 430.
  4. ^ a b Chhabra 2005, p. 39.
  5. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 40.
  6. ^ Naravane 2006, p. 79.
  7. ^ Naravane 2006, pp. 79-80.
  8. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 17.
  9. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 468-469.
  10. ^ a b c d Duff 1921, pp. 468.
  11. ^ a b c Duff 1921, pp. 470.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Naravane 2006, pp. 80.
  13. ^ a b Duff 1921, pp. 471.
  14. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 474.
  15. ^ Burton 1908, p. 153.
  16. ^ a b c d e Naravane 2006, p. 81.
  17. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 19.
  18. ^ a b Duff 1921, pp. 482.
  19. ^ Naravane 2006, p. 84.
  20. ^ a b c Duff 1921, pp. 487.
  21. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 483.
  22. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 488.
  23. ^ a b c d Duff 1921, pp. 489.
  24. ^ a b Duff 1921, pp. 491.
  25. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 492.
  26. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 493.
  27. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 494.
  28. ^ a b Duff 1921, pp. 513.
  29. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 513-514.
  30. ^ a b Duff 1921, pp. 517.
  31. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 21.
  32. ^ a b Naravane 2006, p. 82.
  33. ^ Burton 1908, p. 159.
  34. ^ Burton 1908, p. 53.
  35. ^ Burton 1908, p. 160.
  36. ^ Naravane 2006, p. 83.
  37. ^ a b Naravane 2006, pp. 86-87.
  38. ^ Naravane 2006, p. 87.
  39. ^ Naravane 2006, p. 86.
  40. ^ United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals 1930, p. 121.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by:
Second Anglo-Maratha War		 Anglo-Maratha Wars Succeeded by:
—
v • d • e
Maratha Empire
Rulers
Shivaji
Battles
Maratha Confederacy
Adversaries
Forts
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Maratha_War"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages