The golundaz company raised for this service was most probably formed from the remnants of the old golundaz battalions, reduced in the preceding year; so soon had the inexpediency of that measure forced itself into notice.
Much delay occurred in preparing camp equipage, and it was not until the middle of January, 1781, that Colonel Pearse joined the detachment at Midnapoor.
Before starting, he complained of the inadequacy of his artillery (twelve 6–pounders, two 12–pounders, and two howitzers), and indented for six more 6–pounders; but whether these were furnished is not known.
Soon after the detachment started, we find Colonel Pearse complaining of the absurdity of the Board of Ordnance expecting regular and minute returns of all articles expended in a train while on service with the same punctuality as within a settled cantonment; and pointing out that all stores issued to a train on service should be struck off the Board’s books, and an account rendered when the service was over.
The detachment reached Ganjam in March, where it suffered severely from cholera, then a new disease, and which gave an impression that the water had been poisoned.
In April they had reached Vizianagram, Ellore on 20th May, Pulicat on 1st August, and joined Sir E. Coote’s army at St. Thomas’s Mount on the 3rd August, 1781.
Immediately after their arrival, the Bengal division was broken up and divided among the other brigades; an ill-judged and rash measure, causing much desertion, which resulted from ill-feeling on the part of Sir Eyre Coote towards Colonel Pearse, partly, perhaps, on account of the correspondence regarding the golundaz, but chiefly, no doubt, from Colonel Pearses being a friend of Warren Hastings, against whom he expressed himself very strongly in a letter to the Supreme Government in March, 1781, objecting to Colonel Pearses detachment accounts being kept separate, as likely to cause expense and unnecessary staff appointments; to his being entrusted with permanent authority in any shape, as unjust to himself, and assuming a privilege (on the Governor-General’s part) in military details, which cannot be vindicated; and complaining that the instructions given Colonel Pearse were a direct indignity offered to his authority. He concludes by observing, “that he sees the newspapers are replete with promotions and arrangements in the military department in Bengal, without any reference to him as commander-in-chief: he protests against the whole as irregular, unmilitary, and entailing enormous unnecessary expense, and has the satisfaction of committing to record in this place, that he ascribes these encroachments on the authority of the commander-in-chief to the Governor-General, who now unites in his person the whole powers of Government.”
The officers and companies of the regiment employed in this service were as follows, as well as can be gleaned from the records. Unfortunately, from July, 1780, to April, 1781, the returns are left blank, and these companies are not included in the returns until their rejoining in 1785.
| No. 2. | |
|---|---|
| 4th Company 2nd Battalion. | |
| Captain | Elliott, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Woodburn, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Wilkinson, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Holland, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Groat, rejoined April, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | Turton, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | Dunn, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | McDonald, rejoined May, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | Neish, rejoined May, 1784. |
| No. 5. | |
| 5th Company 1st Battalion. | |
| Captain | Hussey, rejoined April, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Carnegie, rejoined April, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Maud, died August, 1783. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | Douglas, rejoined June, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | Exshaw, rejoined June, 1784. |
| Lieutenant Fireworker | J. Green, rejoined June, 1784. |
| Lieutenant | Robinson, rejoined June, 1784. |
The above sailed with Sir Eyre Coote’s detachment.