Battle of Malpura

Background

Lakhwas Dada's second term of viceroyalty which began in November 1799, gave some months of peace and order to Scindhia's north Indian dominions. Mahadji's widows had been pacified by mutual friends and were now living at peace in Tuljapur. Jaswant Rao Holkar's mischievous activity had been arrested for a time by his loss of supporters. With the appointment of Baloba Tatya as the Diwan of Scindhia, Lakhwa Dada's position was tsrengthened and he ruled over Hindustan with vigour, putting down disturbances and restoring peace by settling private quarrels.

During the first four months of 1800, Lakhwa carried on a most successful campaign in Rajputana. With the help of Pohlmann's brigade of De Boigne's army, he besieged and reduced the strong fortress of Jahazpur belonging to the baron of Shahpura in Mewar; his loss was two European officers and five hundred sepoys killed and wounded. The Maharana paid him five lakhs out of the contribution due. Lakhwa then entered Jaipur territory to extort the arrears of tribute. Raja Pratap Singh of Jaipur had taken advantage of the widow's war and the departure of De Boigne to stop the payment of his dues and to make preparations for expelling the Marathas. He persistently demanded the return of Tonk-Rampura, which had been ceded long ago to the Holkar family. About 13 March, Lakhwa took this fort from its Sikh collector Kripal Singh and handed it over to Chevalier Dudrenec, the agent of Kahi Rao Holkar. At this stage, Daulat Rao Scindhia fearing that the death of Nana Phadnis (at Poona on 12 March 1800) would involve him in serious disputes with the Peshwa's new ministers, wrote to his officers in north India to refrain from all aggression against his tributaries there. But they did not mind his letters; Ambaji renewed hostilities against the Raja of Datia and Lakhwa struck a decisive blow at the Jaipur army.

The Battle

On 15 March, the Jaipur Raja had entered his tents at Sanganer, while twelve days earlier the Jodhpur Raja had proclaimed war against the Marathas and sent a cavalry corps to the assistance of Jaipur. General Perron, who was jealous of Lakhwa's authority, set out from Aligarh to interpose in the quarrel with Pratap Singh, ostensibly as a mutual friend. Lakhwa's decision was quick. Hearing of the war preparations and advance of the Jaipur Raja from his capital, he assembled his own troops and took post four miles south of Malpura, a town about fifty-five miles south-west of Jaipur. His army consisted of De Boigne's second brigade (of six battalions commanded by Pohlmann, a Hanoverian), Chevalier Dudrenec's brigade (of six battalions, supplied by Holkar), two battalions of Lakhwa's own contingent, a battalion furnished by the Kota regent Zalim Singh, and a body of inefficient irregular light horse, a total of about 16,000 men. The Jaipur army was formed by eighteen battalions of musketeers, 1000 Rohillas, 2000 Naga Gosains, and upwards of 15,000 Rajput cavalry (including 5000 Rathore horsemen from Jodhpur led by Sawai Singh) – a total of 27,000 men – besides fifty-four pieces of artillery, ranging from twenty-four pounders to six pounders. The Raja of Jaipur commanded in person.

One arm of the Sohadra river (a feeder of the Banas) after flowing southwards by the walls of the city of Malpura for three miles meets, almost at right angles, another arm which runs due west to east in a naroow but deep channel. South of this channel the Maratha army lay encamped near the village of Hindoli, their front to the river. The Jaipur army came up and encamped north of this channel, with the town of Malpura on their left rear.

Planning to surprise the Jaipur army, Lakhwa Dada set his troops in motion at four o'clock early in the morning of 16 April. His army was drawn up in two lines, the first being formed by the Pohlmann's brigade (right) and Dudrenec's (left), while the second was composed of the Maratha cavalry (under Bapu Scindhia), these pushing forward some squadrons to the two sides of the first line to guard their flanks. The light field pieces of each brigade moved before it. The Rajput right was composed of Rathores and left of Kacchwa troops.

The attempt at surprise failed, as the Jaipur troops got the alarm, through the recklessness of the advanced cavalry patrols of the Marathas before the infantry had forded the river. A heavy cannonade was opened from all their line. On this, the second brigade to advance with its guns, but to reserve its fire till it was close to the enemy. These orders were punctually obeyed and his artillery did great execution. Sweeping over the five hundred yards of open space from the river bank to the line of Jaipur guns, the Maratha infantry took forty of the pieces, though at some sacrifice of their own men.

But the toughest part of the battle now began. During this close engagement on the right, Dudrenec's brigade (the left of their front line) was charged by the Rathore cavalry. The Maratha guns showered grape upon their dense mass, cutting down hundreds at each discharge killing over 1500 Rathores; but still the enemy cavalry reached the Maratha guns and overwhelmed the gunners. The result was that the left wing of the Marathas was crumpled up, 320 men being slain or wounded out of a total strength of about 2400. the victorious Rathors never looking behind them or thinking of their kachawaha comrades, swept onward in the exitement of success, and crossed over to the second line in a twinkle. Here the Maratha Cavaliers did not wait to meet the shock but "ran away like sheep", the Rathors pursued them for two miles.

The Result

The Rathore cavalry continued with their reckless charge and this had a disastrous effect on their side. The Marathas, after defeating the van of the Jaipur army, were surprised to see their own left totally uncovered by the destruction of Dudrenec's wing and its rear exposed. This was the crisis of the battle. Marathas formed their infantry of six battalions into a square, the bristling line of bayonets and file-firing from the four faces of which prevented the enemy's cavalry from breaking in, though the Kachhwas made onset after onset after them. The Rajputs had now come into the firing line, with the Raja on a huge ambari elephant, at the head of 5000 horsemen.

Marathas by their incessant and well-directed fire of the artiller, finally succeeded in coming to close action with the enemy, of whom great numbers immediately gave away. Swai Pratap Singh retired to Jaipur with his army but all his camp and baggage and guns were captured. And thus, Lakhwa Dada had gained for Mahadji Scindhia a victory rivalling that of Merta ten years earlier. Due to this defeat Jaipur was forced to sign a treaty with the British in 1818.