Volume 28: Balaji Baijrao's carnatic campaigns
No.99 - 21 April 1753
Shamrao Yadav writes about a battle between Abdul Wahabkhan, brother of the Nawab of Arcot Muh. Ali, and Ghulam Murtaza Khan at Kupam. The English were also participants.
On Chaitra 4, Saturday Ch. 16 Jakhar, Abdul Wahab Khan, brother of Md. Ali Khan sent a force of 500 cavalry, 50 Europeans, 1000 to 1500 gardis, 2 cannons, 1 gunpowder cart, along with rockets and jezails to Kupam, a small village near Vellore. Vellore is 6 kos from Arcot. It is 3 kos further. To capture the fort there, the army marched and posted itself ahead of the village. Ghulam Murtuza Khan got news of this. He sent a relief force. With 4 ghatikas left in the day, the battle began. Abdul Wahab Khan had sent 3 to 4 sardars. It was a pitched battle. By evening, Arcot's force was defeated. Artillery fire continued. Melee fighting followed. Abdul Wahab Khan's army was defeated. He lost 2 cannons, and 150-200 guns, camels, baggage and standards. An English artilleryman who manned the cannons was also captured. Along with him, 15-16 Englishmen were found, 5-7 died of injuries. Some 70-80 gardis were killed and a few hundred injured. By now, it was nightfall, and it became hard to tell friend from foe. The defeated army disintegrated and fled in all directions. Their enemies pursued them. If it was daylight, they would have been utterly destroyed. Sujayat Khan has arrived for negotiations. He has hurried ahead. If he insists on meeting, he should be ordered that the meetings will happen after I arrive. If the meeting happens before, I will lose my influence on them. On this matter, the Swami knows best. Consider this my request.
No.146 - 10 October 1757
Visaji Krishna to Mahipatrao Panse about the battle of Kadappa. Nawab Abdul Majid Khan was killed.
I am writing from the vicinity of Kadappa, on 25 Moharam Ashwin 12 Trayodashi. From the camp at Katkol(?), Rajashri Balwantraoji and my letters must have kept you informed of events. Rajashri Shamrao Bhivrao was sent to Kadappa for negotiations. Instead of writing here, he negotiated a tribute of 1 lakh. He wrote to Balwantrao that 1 lakh was agreed by us. On hearing this, Rajashri Balwantrao and all the sardars here were angry. We gathered our forces and marched to Kadappa. Salim Khan and other Pathans installed Ghanim Miya Abdul Majid Khan's cousin brother. Abdul Majid Khan had already fled due to the disturbances at Shibandi. Right in the first march, we got news that finding Kadappa empty, he occupied it and installed Ghanim. There was enmity among the brothers. If either proved useful, it was sufficient. On the second day of marching, we got news that our army's movement has been reported to him. To defend it, the Pathans gathered in force at night and went to Kadappa. There was heavy rain at night. So he waited outside the village. We had set up some outposts. We did not know of his location. We were also caught in the rain. We reached the fort by daylight. We heard that it has a garrison of 2000 infantry and 500 cavalry. Hari Gopal was sent ahead. We readied for battle. Hari Gopal's forces made contact with Abdul Majid Khan's forces. The fighting pushed the lines further and then back, as the Pathans fought hard, for 1.5 prahars. Finally, Abdul Majid Khan was hit by a bullet and died instantly. We captured 9 elephants and 500 horses.
He lost some 400 men dead, 200 horses dead, and about 1000 injured. The Shrimant has won a great victory. Abdul Majid Khan's body was retrieved. He had held sway among many polygars in the Carnatic. Many of our sardars fought bravely. Sambhaji Baji Ghorpade, an important sardar, fell on our side. Bajipant was also hit by a bullet and died. I have already written to Rajashri Balwantrao. Bajipant had vowed to use his sword twice, and he did. Unfortunately, a bullet found its mark. He was here one day, gone on the next. I have a minor injury on my left thigh, but it will heal. We took the fort of Kadappa on the same night as the battle. 300-400 new horses were captured, along with some stores. Some of it was retained on the government's books, some was awarded to sardars. About 40-50 men died, along with 150 horses, while 400-500 men are injured. Several sardars are also injured. We have demanded half the province and 10 lakhs as tribute. Negotiations are on.
No.248 - August 1758
Mukund Shripat to Mahipatrao Chitnis describing the Battle of Bengaluru with Hyder.
The entire province of Bengaluru is with us. Only one fort is holding out. Rajashri Balwantrao has departed from here to return to Pune. Shrinivasrao Venkatesh from Bengaluru brought some forces from Pattan, betrayed us and seized one fort. Several men were killed. Because of this behavior, 3 small outposts were abandoned by our men, and they fled. The locals are cowards. What can we do? His forces were sizeable. 800 gardis, 1000 cavalry, 4000 infantry, 4 cannons, along with jezails, rockets. I had 200 cavalry, 500 infantry, as Baloji Shinde had taken the paga soldiers with him. I was able to assemble 450 cavalry, 300 gardis, 700 infantry, 3 cannons, some jezails and rockets. The enemy's forces marched to Devanhalli and attempted to capture it. When we heard this, we left our artillery behind and marched there swiftly. We broke their line with cavalry, and purused their retreating forces, heading to Bagital. They lost only 15 dead, 30 injured, 4 horses dead. We lost 4 dead, 15-20 injured, 13 horses dead and injured. My horse was also shot. They outnumbered us, but we were better fighters. (Rest of the letter is other matters).