Maratha warrior Daulatrao Scindia made British general who defeated Napoleon say "Assaye bigger than Waterloo"

Maratha gunners re-man their cannons (illustration by Alfred Pearse) 

The early English settlers – a part of the British East India Company - had to fight the martial race of Marathas if they wanted to become a formidable force and gain control of the Indian subcontinent. 23 September 1803 will remain a landmark date in the history of India, Britain, and the world. Aside from shaping the reputation of Arthur Wellesley who later went on to be twice the prime minister of Britain, the battle of Assaye also paved the way for British domination of central India, and eventually the entire subcontinent.

74th Highlanders (later amalgamated to become The Highland Light Infantry) and The 78th Highlanders (later The Seaforth Highlanders) were awarded the Assaye Colour by the East India Company after the British army gave a tough fight to the army of Daulatrao Scindia (Shinde) to win under Arthur Wellesley who also happened to be the younger brother of Lord Mornington, the ambitious Governor-General of British India.

This battle was so fierce that though Wellesley went on to defeat and exile Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo later in his life and career, he would insist that the battle of Assaye – where the 34-year-old Wellesley commanded an army against the Maratha Empire – was the one that he considered to be his finest achievement, and one of the most closely fought.

We interviewed Aneesh Gokhale, Navigation Officer in the Merchant Navy and author of three books. He has an avid interest in Maratha history, and his current book “Battles of the Maratha Empire” is all set to have a sequel to cover the battles not covered in the earlier part.

(Book cover of "Battles of the Maratha Empire" by Aneesh Gokhale)

Here are excerpts from our talk with author Aneesh Gokhale on why the British regiment 74^th Highlanders and their successor regiments still wear the Assaye Colours and observe 23 September as Assaye Day.

Times Now: Why is it that a battle fought at Assaye - a village in Maharashtra - in 1803 is remembered and celebrated in the UK to date?

Aneesh Gokhale: The 74th and 78th Highlanders Regiments took part in this battle. The British lost a number of men and officers, including Colonel Maxwell. The Assaye victory paved the way for a comprehensive win in the Second Anglo Maratha War for the East India Company.

(Antique Engraving Print, “Colonel Maxwell’s last charge at Assaye”, engraving by Jonathan H. Engleheart after Abraham Cooper 1820; associated with the Battle of Assaye, 2nd Maratha War (1803-1805), 23 Sep 1803)

Times Now: Arthur Wellesley went on to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo, but still insisted that throughout his long career the battle of Assaye – where the 34-year-old Wellesley commanded an army against the Maratha Empire – was the one that he considered to be his finest achievement, and one of the most closely fought. Why?

Aneesh Gokhale: Before we get to Waterloo, let us look at the interesting case of how Napoleon and other French soldiers drove the EIC to risk this war! The Marathas had raised French officers to considerable rank. In turn, the French had developed modern infantry-artillery heavy armies for the Marathas. They had established factories with the gun and ordinance manufacturing after the latest French technology. Amid all this, Napoleon captured Egypt and the Suez, effectively choking England's route from India. It was believed that the next halt would be India itself. Nelson's victories stopped those plans but the EIC was mighty spooked. The Second Anglo Maratha War was about curbing French influence in India.

Coming to the question, well there could be several reasons for him to say so. For one, Assaye was his first big challenge, when he was as you mentioned 34 years old. He was in supreme command for the first time. By the time of Waterloo, he was 46 and had many successes under his belt by then. The Allied army outnumbered Napoleon whereas, at Assaye, Wellesley had been outnumbered. Also, while at Waterloo he and the Prussians held certain advantages, not so at Assaye. He, in fact, started off with a few disadvantages but managed to pull off a win.

Times Now: As far as the British rule over India was concerned, why was Assaye a turning point in history?

Aneesh Gokhale: Gov Gen Richard Wellesley (Arthur's brother) had opened the conflict against Scindia by deputing Maj Gen Arthur Wellesley against his possessions in the Deccan and Gen Gerard Lake against his territories in the north. This was August 1803. The cream of Scindia's army was in the Deccan to face Wellesley. Victory at Assaye would have meant that that the Gov General's plans would face a setback. Who knows, then, perhaps the successes of Gerard Lake in the north could have been rolled back (Read: Marathas defending Delhi: Gen Lake tells East India Co Guv-Gen "We defeated Scindia, Mughals welcomed us")

Where exactly is Assaye? What was its strategic importance in terms of location and situation?

Aneesh Gokhale: The village of Assaye is located in northern Maharashtra, close to Jalna. It is located just south of the Ajanta hills range. The Marathas had coalesced here. From this location, the territories of the Nizam of Hyderabad (by then ally of the EIC), as well as the Malwa, were in close proximity. Scindia actually aimed to invade the Nizam's territory and was holding onto a fordable crossing of the Kaitnah river. There was another crossing at Assaye, however, which it was believed Wellesley had no knowledge about and would therefore be forced to face the Marathas elsewhere.

Times Now: Who fought whom in Assaye? Please describe the battle for our benefit.

Aneesh Gokhale: The East India Company, led by Maj Gen Arthur Wellesley fought the combined forces of Daulatrao Scindia and Raghuji Bhosale III of Berar. Wellesley had been outnumbered.

Having taken Ahmednagar, Wellesley moved north to counter the Maratha forces which he had information were gathered near the village of Bokerdun (Bhokardan) but were, in fact, spread from Bhokardan to Assaye. This was an intelligence failure on Wellesley's part, yet he decided to go ahead with the attack plan. It was in attacking the Marathas at the village of Assaye that the 74th lost a lot of men. Although the Marathas had a large cavalry arm, it was their French-trained infantry and artillery that was the mainstay of the Marathas and subjected Wellesley to a very strong cannonade.

Arthur Wellesley wrote to Major John Malcolm from his Camp on 28 September 1803 - about the Scindia's and Bhonsle’s army - "Their (the Marathas') infantry is the best I have ever seen in India, excepting our own; and their equipment far surpasses Tippoo's. I swear you that their fire was so heavy that I much doubted at one time whether I should be able to prevail upon our troops to advance, and all agree that the battle was the fiercest that has ever been seen in India... These circumstances, and the vast loss which I sustained, make it clear that we ought not to attack them again unless we have something nearer equality in numbers." (Compiled in "The Dispatches of Field Marshal The Duke of Wellington During His Various Campaigns in India from 1799 to 1805")

Times Now: Many Indian regiments that took part on the British side also won battle honours, though these were stripped from them after independence. Can you please explain what are repugnant battle honours?

Aneesh Gokhale: The Indian Army has traditions going back to the 18th century. Many of today's regiments were raised by the EIC to fight against Indian powers - such as Tipu Sultan or the Marathas. After India became Independent, it was realised that there were Army Regiments wearing honours of battles fought against Indian powers! These were declared Repugnant to National Sentiment. A Battle Honours Committee was constituted which studied these conflicts and declared some Battle Honours Repugnant, such as those at Assaye which belonged to the Madras Regiment. Some Colours allocated to Punjab Regiment as Battle Honours before Independence were declared Repugnant.

(Battle of Assaye elephant emblem awarded to the Madras Sappers Now a Repugnant Battle Honour)

Times Now: Thank you!