The lesson is one to be borne in mind by those to whose lot it may fall to rally troops thrown into disorder under fire.
In order to cover the formation, some guns were brought into action on each side of the village, and, as each battalion came into position, it was made to lie down, which further helped to steady the troops. The infantry were formed into a single line, with Stevenson’s division on the left, while the six cavalry regiments of the two divisions, under command of Lieutenant Colonel the Honble. Arthur St Leger, were formed in two lines in rear of the right. The British left was covered by the native auxiliary horse. The Mahratta line was about five miles in length, the infantry and guns in the centre, with cavalry on both flanks.
It was half past four in the afternoon before the British line advanced. On the signal being given, the British cavalry moved rapidly forward, and brought their galloper guns into action against a great body of the enemy’s cavalry and rocket men. Meanwhile, the infantry advanced steadily against the Mahratta centre. When almost within musket shot, a body of the enemy’s infantry, nearly a thousand strong, composed of Arabs or Pathans, dashed forward against the 74th and 78th, and perished almost to a man under the Highland musket and bayonet. Almost at the same moment, a body of Scindia’s cavalry charged the British left, and were repulsed with loss, while the 19th and the five native regiments on the right charged the cavalry in front of them. The Mahrattas did not stand the shock, but broke and fled, and at once the whole of the enemy’s force was dissolved in flight. The cavalry pursued for many miles, killing great numbers, and capturing many elephants and camels, and much baggage. Thirty-eight guns and many standards fell into the hands of the victors. The British loss amounted to 46 killed, 308 wounded and 7 missing. As at Assaye, the principal loss fell on the 74th and 78th, who, between them, lost 13 killed, and 84 wounded. The 19th Light Dragoons had 6 men wounded. The battle of Argaum was fought on a perfectly level plain intersected by small water courses, without any buildings or other natural obstacles between the two lines, after they had been formed, and was carried out exactly like a field day as then practised. The pursuit of the enemy by the British cavalry was maintained for six miles, and was then taken up and continued by the allied Mysore and Nizam’s horse for another twenty miles. The loss of the enemy, in the battle and subsequent pursuit, was estimated at five thousand men. At Assaye, the principal Mahratta loss fell on Scindia’s troops; at Argaum the loss fell chiefly on the Berar forces.
The victory at Argaum effected a complete separation of the Mahratta confederate chiefs. Scindia still had a considerable force in the field, but it had ceased to be formidable after Assaye. The Berar Rajah’s field army had disappeared, and his territories lay open to the invading British force. Scindia’s capital was far off, and he might yet give trouble, so Wellesley determined to finish once for all with the Berar Rajah, in order that he might be able to devote undivided attention to Scindia afterwards.
The day following the battle, Stevenson marched in pursuit of the enemy: Wellesley followed a day later, and the two divisions were re-united at Ellichpore on the 5th December. Thence they marched on Gawilghur, a fortress of great strength, regarded as the key of the Deccan, in which the defeated infantry from Argaum had taken refuge. The place was taken by assault on the 15th, with the loss of 13 killed, no wounded, and three missing. Fifty-two guns, together with a great quantity of small arms and military stores, fell into the hands of the victors. Nagpore, the Berar Rajah’s capital, now lay open to the British troops, and the Rajah hastened to sue for peace. The negotiation was conducted with the decision that characterized all Wellesley’s actions, and peace was concluded at Deogam, on the 17th, two days after the fall of Gawilghur. His hands being now free on this side, Wellesley gave notice to Scindia, that, on the 27th, he should regard the agreement for suspension of hostilities at an end, unless that Chief came to definite terms. Left without an ally, with his armies defeated both in the North-West and in the Deccan, Scindia had no hope of continuing the struggle with success, and peace was signed in Wellesley’s camp on the 30th December, at Surjee Anjengaum.
Thus triumphantly ended a war which for boldness of conception of campaign, rapidity of execution, the great extent over which it was waged, and the hard fighting that characterized it both in the North and South, stands in marked contrast to any war we had previously waged in India.
“The seat of war, extending over the continent of India exhibited in the short space of four months as many general battles, eight regular sieges and storming of fortresses, without including that of Gwalior, which was not captured till the beginning of the next year; in all of which British valour prevailed over accumulated obstacles, the combination of formidable powers, and every advantage arising from local position, military means and numerical strength.... Their (the Mahratta) numerous armies, amounting on an average to two hundred and fifty thousand men, were defeated in every engagement; while the corps organized by their French auxiliaries, consisting at the least of forty thousand more, and upon whom the fullest reliance was placed, were completely destroyed; in all which reverses the confederates left in the hands of the victors upwards of one thousand pieces of cannon, with ammunition, treasure and stores in proportion.”[54]
But the most valuable result to England was that she learned from the Assaye campaign that she had in her army a General who was fit to cope with the best Generals of Europe.