The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
THE SHORTEST WAR.
British Campaign Begun and Ended In
One Day.

S" So"PaixH DeSuu ana En0e0
One Day.
A campaign, involving the emplo,
ment of many thousands of men an
the f1ghting of two sanguinary pitche
battles, was once begun and ended O
the same day. The glory of this un
que achievement belongs to the BIRTHS
arms. In 1S43 things bore a threaten
ing aspect in the Central Indian stat
OF Gwalior, inhabited by the Mahrat
tas, considered the most formidabl
warriors we had up to then encount
cred in our Indian wars.
Intelligence reached the British au
thorities that the magnificent Mahratt:
army of 10000 infantry, 10000 cavalr,
and 200 guns contemplated not only
military depotism, but an active al
lance with their neighbors of the Pun
1ab, in the event of which British in
huence might be threatened by a com
bined Sikh and Mahratta army, com
posed Of 10000 men with 500 guns
Accordingly, as precautionary meas
ure, Lord Peterborough ordered the
assembly of an army Of exercise on the
Gwalior frontier. This force was divid-
ed into two portions; on the northern
boundary Sir Hugh Cough command
ed 12,GOO men and forty field pieces;
on the eastern was stationed General
Grey with 1000 infantry and a few
batteries of horse artillery.
The concentration took place in No
yember, 1913, and it had the effect of
bringing the native authorities to their
senses, but while they sulkily &C.
guessed in the orders emanating from
British diplomatists, the internal dis
orders went on increasing. Finally, 1t
was decided that nothing short of
British occupation of the capital,
GwaliOr, could put stop to the I'M
state of affairs prevailing,
so on December II both Coughs and
Grey's forces crossed the frontier for
this purpose. No one suspected that
there would be any fighting, the native
government was known to be peace
fully inclined and the contingency of
he Mahratta army revolving. to oppose
he British advance on It's own account.
vas quite overlooked. But no sooner
lad the two British columns COM
nenced their march than the Mahrattas
declared their rulers traitors, and has
ened to take up defensive positions. |
Tough appears to have entirely dis |
redited the warnings that reached him,
or he left his seige train behind Agra |
nd allowed his wife, and the wives |
f many other officers, to accompany
he column, riding on elephants at it's |
cad.
At daybreak on December &c his
roops commenced the passage of the
>ohari River in leisurely fashion. A
alt was called for breakfast, and i'm
lediately on the resumption Of the
larch everybody was startled by hear
lg heavy gun fired from the woods
ringing little village, named Ma
arajpore, and following the report a
Dent cannon ball rolled between the
gs of Lady Coughs elephant. Within
mother few minutes the woods be-
,me lined with flame from the mouths
1Io pieces, as they discharged with
rrible accuracy storm of shot and
lell into the British ranks The sur I
rise was completed. The ladies' were
1rried to the rear, and a council of
ar was summoned. The battle, {
hich ensued ragged for three hours,
Id the fighting was of most desper-
e character. BY midday, however, the
Glory was ours, the Mahrattas fleeing
ON the field and leaving behind them
300 killed and wounded and 156 guns.
By curious coincidence, at the very
me hour this sanguinary and unex-
cted conflict terminated, the second
'itish force, under General. Grey, =.
hich was operated many miles away
ON Coughs line of advance, was at :,
cked by the second Mahratta army,
900 strong. Maharajpore had been a =
ldiers' battle, but this, the battle of =
was to be decided by good @
The little British army, o
a series of mastery maneuvers, o
ove the enemy from all points of his r,
sition, capturing his artillery, and in
ting loss of 5000 men. This COM
ted the days work, and, in fact, c,
1ed the war, which may be said to a
We begun at 8 o'clock that morning a,
tn the firing of the cannon ball at
dy Coughs elephant.-London Mail. 9