Battle of Malpura

The Battle of Malpura was a battle in 1800 between two Indian states, Jaipur (ruled by the Kacchwaha Rajputs) and Gwalior (ruled by the Scindia Marathas). It was the result of a crisis between the governments of the two states.

Background
In the year 1800, a crisis developed between the relationship of Jaipur and Gwalior Scindia`s Government. The burden of monetary contribution became a great pressure on all Rajput States and a new hope arose with the news of the civil war between Sindhia and Holkar in Pune, during the commotion of Daulat Rao Scindia`s management, his persecution of even his able servants and his quarrel with the widows of Mahadji. The resulting feud was known as the Bhais` war (Brother's War). This dispute created commotion in the Scindia ranks in North India with officers being dragged into rival defenses and being engaged in fighting one another.

Sawai Pratap Singh made an attempt to profit from these internal dissensions of his Scindia rivals prior the Battle of Malpura. In March 1800, he openly rejected the money clauses of the treaty of 1791 and started to prepare for war paving the way for the Battle of Malpura.

Preparation
Hearing of the preparations made by the Maharaja of Jaipur for the war in his camp at Sanganer, Lakhwa Dada gathered his own troops and took their position 4 mi south of Malpura, which is a town about 55 mi south-west of Jaipur. His army consisted of De Boigne`s second brigade or the six battalions commanded by Anthony Pohlmann, a Hanoverian soldier. Chevalier Dudrence`s brigade comprised six battalions, supplied by Holkar, two battalions of Lakhwa`s own contingent and a battalion furnished by the Kota regent and a body of Maratha Light Horse Cavalry - a total of about 16,000 men.

The Jaipur army was made by 18 battalions of musketeers, 2000 Naga Gosains, 1000 Ruhelas and more than 15,000 Rajput cavalry, including 5000 Rathore horsemen from Jodhpur that was led by Sawai Singh and a total of 27,000 men, besides 54 pieces or artillery, ranging from 24 pounders to six pounders.

South of the Sohadra River channel the Maratha army lay encamped near the village of Hindoli. The Jaipur army came and settled north of this channel, with the town of Malpura on their left side.

Battle
Lakhwa Dada surprised the Jaipur army by setting his troops in action at 4:00 am in the morning of 16 April. His army was gathered in two lines, the first being formed by Pohlman`s brigade (right) and Dudrence`s (left), while the second was marching a thousand paces behind the first line was made up of the Maratha cavalry, these pushing forward some meters of land to the two sides of the first line to guard their edges. The light field pieces of each brigade moved before it. The Rajput right was composed of the Rathors and the left of the Kachhwa troops.

Lakhwa Dada`s surprised attempt however failed, as the Jaipur troops got the alert signal and through the recklessness of the cavalry patrols of the Marathas before the infantry had forded the river. A heavy barrage was established all along their line. On this, Major Anthony Pohlmann ordered the second crew to move forward with its guns but reserve its fire until they were close to the enemy. These orders were accordingly obeyed and his artillery also performed well. Sweeping across the 500 yd of open space from the riverbank to the line of Jaipur guns, Pohlman`s infantry took 40 of them and sacrificed some of their own men.

The toughest part of the Battle of Malpura began, when the Rathor cavalry charged the Dudrence`s brigade (the left of their front line), during the close engagement on the right. The Rathors were seen approached from a distance; The well-served guns of the brigade showered upon their dense mass, thus cutting down hundreds at every discharge. Holkar`s infantry was a new brigade and was not sufficiently trained. As a result, the left wing of the Scindia army was furrowed up in one short onset, 320 men being slain or wounded out of a total strength of about 2400 men.

Result
The victorious Rathors did not look for their Kachhwa comrades, swept onward after the grand success, and covered the thousand paces up to the second line. Here the Maratha cavaliers did not wait to meet the shock, but deserted or retreated en masse.

Sawai Pratap Singh retired to Jaipur, with his army, but all his camp and baggage and guns were captured. Pohlman`s brigade had 75 casualties and Dudrence`s 320, but these were only the first rough estimates (Asiatic Annual Register for 1800). Peace was made soon afterwards.