It was only by the steady gallantry of the British infantry, who charged the enemy’s batteries in the face of destructive showers of grape and round shot, that their position at last was carried. Her Majesty’s 39th and 40th regiments headed the columns. Nothing could have been more gallant than the attack, more obstinate than the resistance. The enemy’s golundaz stood to be bayoneted in their batteries, and only yielded up their guns with their lives.
It is probable that, if in this engagement better use had been made of the artillery, the loss that fell upon the British army would have been much less severe. Brigadier Tennant, who commanded the foot-artillery, had brought up four 8–inch howitzers in line with H. M.’s 39th, but he was not permitted to advance. Had he been allowed, as was his expressed desire, to move up within 800 yards’ distance, where he could see the enemy’s position more distinctly, and therefore operate with greater precision, he might, it was the opinion of those present, have knocked the Mahratta batteries to pieces, and enabled the infantry columns to advance in comparative safety to the attack.
On the same morning of the 29th of December, General Gray, who, with the left wing of the army, had been advancing upon Gwalior from the Sindh river, came up with the enemy at Punniah, a village a few miles to the south of the capital. Here the Mahratta batteries were strongly posted, as at Maharajpore, on commanding ground, and in gorges flanking one another. The 3rd Buffs, who led the column sent forward to attack the enemy’s position, were supported by Captain Brind’s troop of horse-artillery, 1st troop 3rd brigade, which “opened upon the guns to the left of Mangore, whilst Major Geddes, with Captain Campbell’s troop, 3rd battalion 3rd brigade, and two guns of Captain Brind’s, opened upon the battery of seven guns in rear of Mangore; and their practice was beautiful, silencing all but one of the enemy’s guns, which was served with the greatest accuracy to the last moment. Lieutenant Olpherts, with four guns of No. 16 light field-battery, took up a position south of Mangore, and opened on the enemy as they retreated up the hills, with good effect. Lieutenant Tombs, with two guns of light field-battery attached to the rear-guard, fired with great precision several shots upon the enemy’s left.”[[93]] The Mahrattas made a gallant defence, but were driven from their guns with considerable loss; and night closed upon their total dispersion.
In these engagements on the 29th of December, the artillery lost at Maharajpore, 1 2nd lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 1 gunner, killed; and 1 serjeant, and 21 gunners, wounded; besides syces, ordnance-drivers, and a considerable number of horses. At Punniah, the loss was much smaller, only one man and one horse having been killed. The officer who fell at Maharajpore, was Lieutenant Leathes. He was posted with the rear-guard, and had ridden forward, it would seem, to watch the progress of the action, when coming too close to the Mahratta batteries, a round shot carried off his head.
For services rendered during this campaign, Colonel Gowan received the companionship of the Bath; Majors Geddes, Sanders, Alexander, and Lane, were promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel by brevet, and Captains Brown, Grant, Brind, Campbell, and Macdonald, were gazetted as brevet-majors. In the political transactions with which these military operations were connected, Lieutenant Sir Richmond Shakespear, of the artillery, took a conspicuous part. He acted as an aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, during the battle of Maharajpore, and was thanked in his Excellency’s despatch. Captain Macdonald also received the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief. On the subsequent settlement of the affairs of Gwalior, four batteries were raised for service with the new Gwalior contingent; and placed under the command of Lieutenants Eyre, Warburton, T. H. Smyth, and Hawkins; Brevet-Captain Frank Turner being appointed brigade major.
In honour of these victories, a bronze star, with “Maharajpore” or “Punniah” in the centre, was struck, and distributed to the troops engaged.
Early in the year 1844, the 4th troop 1st brigade of horse-artillery, and the 4th company 6th battalion of foot, which formed part of the relief ordered to Scinde, had their fidelity severely tried by the conduct of two native infantry regiments who refused to cross the Sutlej, on the plea that their just allowances had been withdrawn. The artillery, consisting of a native troop and a native company, who must have come under the operation of the same order, do not appear to have taken a leading part in the mutinous movement.
In the autumn of this year (1844), a reorganization of the ordnance commissariat department was ordered by the Supreme Government. Instead of a principal commissary of ordnance, resident, as heretofore, in Fort William, an inspector of magazines, with his head-quarters at Allahabad, was appointed; and the arsenal of Fort William was placed under the charge of the deputy principal commissary of ordnance.
In the beginning of the year 1845, Sir Henry Hardinge, then Governor-General, directed his attention to the state of the artillery, and, in conjunction with Sir George Pollock, the military member of council, introduced several important improvements. “The number of regular horse field-batteries had been gradually increased to five.[[94]] These were at first equipped with 89 horses, which allowed six horses each for six guns and six waggons, one spare per team, and five for the staff; the gun-teams were subsequently allowed eight horses to each. In 1845, the number of batteries was increased to nine, and the complement of horses to each fixed at 120, which gave eight horses to each gun and waggon, and allowed a team for the forge-cart, with six saddle-horses, including one spare and one spare draught-horse per team. On the frontier or on service, ten additional horses were sanctioned.[[95]]
“In July, 1845, a new organization of the whole of the Indian artillery took place, by which the corps in Bengal received a nominal increase, but a practical decrease, except in the establishment of officers. The five European battalions of five companies each, were formed into six battalions of four companies each, and the two golundaz battalions of ten companies, into three battalions of six companies each, causing a total reduction of one European, and two native companies.