In order to support this treaty, which included the re storation of the Paishwah to his throne at Poonah, the army of Fort St. George, under the command of General Stewart, advanced to the bank of the Toombuddra. and General in was detached in front ; the latter ad vancing n co-operation with the subsidiary force in the Decan, commanded by Colonel Stevenson, through the southern parts of the Paishwah's territory, reached Poonah on the tiOth of April. The troops of Holkar fled at his approach ; and the Paishwah, who had left Bassein, when he learnt that the British forces were coming to his aid, entered Poonah, and was reseated on his Musnud, on the 13th of May. This measure was effected without any op position ; and all the principal Mahratta chieftains, who are the more immediate feudatories of the Paishwah, join ed their troops to those of General Wellesley, and ad vanced with him to Poonah, where they paid their obei sance to the Paishwah.
As Holkar had fled on the advance of General Welles ley, it was hoped that the Paishwah would be allowed to sit quiet on his Musnud. These hopes, however, were soon disappointed ; for Scindiah, after remonstrating against the advance of the British troops to Poonah, and finding his remonstrances disregarded, marched towards the lrontiers of the Nizam. Lord Wellesley at first endea voured to negociate with Scindiah, but not succeeding, he vested the officers in command of the armies in Hindostan and the Decan with the fullest civil, military, and political powers. General Wellesley was authorised to negociate treaties with Scindiah, Holkar, or the Rajah of Berar ; and Lord Lake, who was at the head of the Hindostan ar my, was directed, in the first place, to reduce the formida ble and independent French authority which had been established there ; and then to occupy the whole country forming the Dooab, between the Jumnah and the Ganges, to the mountains of Cumaoun, and also to take possession of Delhi, Agra, and a chain of posts on the right banks of the Jumnah, from the mountains of Cumaoun to the pro vince of Bundelcund.
The first operation of the war was the reduction of the fortress of Ahmednagur, on the 8th of August, by Gene ral Wellesley ; this success was followed up. both by him and by Lord Lake, by the most splendid and decisive vic tories, especially those of Assaye and Arghaum by the former, and those of Delhi and Laswaree by the latter. The battle of Assaye was fought near that town, which is situated in the province of Berar, on the 23d of Septem ber. General Wellesley's army consisted of 4500 men, of which number 2500 were Europeans : the armies of Scindiah and the Rajah of Nagpoor amounted to 30,000 men. The battle was obstinate, but at length the allied troops gave way, and fled in great confusion : 1200 of them were killed on the field ; 98 pieces of cannon, seven standards, their camp equipage, a large quantity of ammu nition, fax. were taken. General Wellesley immediately followed up his success ; and on the 28th .of November was fought the battle of Arghaum, equally splendid and decisive in its results with the battle of Assaye. These
defeats led both Scindiah and the Rajah to solicit peace ; and the latter, immediately after his principal fortress, Gawclghur, was reduced, made peace with General Wel lesley. In the treaty he was compelled to submit to very unfavourable terms : the province of Cuttack, and that part of the provinces of Berar to the west of the Wur dab, which belonged to him, were ceded to the British ; lie also promised not to permit, for the future, any person belonging to a European or American state, at war with Britain, to be in his service.
Scindiah, thus beaten and deserted by his ally, sued for peace, which was granted him in December, 1803. Ile gave up to the British all his territories in Hindostan, which lay to the southward of those possessed by the Ra jahs of Jypore. Joudpoor, and the Rajah of Gohud : he also ceded the lands to the south of Adjuntee, and the fort and territory of Baroach ; and he resigned all claims which he had on the British and their allies.
During this war, Holkar had remained quiet and inac tive, though he had engaged to assist the allies against the British. As Lord Wellesley was informed of this circum stance, he deemed it indispensably necessary to obtain from this chief an early and satisfactory explanation of his views and plans. This, however, Holkar at first evaded, and af terwards made such proposals for a treaty with the British as Lord Wellesley could not accept. These proposals be ing rejected, Holkar openly prepared for hostilities : he en deavoured to persuade Scindiah to assist him in an attack on the British territories ; and at the same time invaded and plundered the country of the Rajah of Jypore. Lord Lake immediately advanced against him, but he retreated from the position which lie occupied. The war with Hol kar was distinguished by the suddenness and rapidity of the movements, by which he for a long time contrived to elude the attacks of the British, though his territories were inva ded by them in every direction ; and by the reverses which attended the British arms. Two corps under the com mand of Colonel Monson, and Colonel Murray, had been sent against the capital of Holkar's dominions : the latter arrived at it, and succeeded in reducing it; but the former having been led astray by his guides, was attacked by 11°1 kar with such a decided superiority of force, that he was compelled to retreat towards Agra : at first the retreat was conducted with a good deal of order ; but afterwards, in consequence of several conflicts in which the British suf fered severely, and the loss of most of their artillery, am munition, Sze. they retreated in the utmost confusion. As the country was nearly impassable from the rains, Colonel Monson did not reach Agra till after the space of seven. weeks ; and then only a very few of his troops entered it, the rest having been either killed by the enemy, or having perished through fatigue.