HMEDABAD
is not a pleasant name to British ears. A French officer, the Chevalier
St. Lubin, acting secretly with some Mahratta chief, following up in
the Ghauts the schemes he had only two successfully adopted in Mysore,
produced the disasters attending the war of Hyder Ali with the Madras
Government. Governor-General Warren Hastings directed that a force
should be sent to assist the Government of Bombay. The Peishwa of
Poonah was an infant, and the chief authority was thrown into the hands
of Rugonath Raw.
Without
waiting for the support of the troops from Bengal, the Government of
Bombay commenced hostilities. The troops of the former Presidency moved
slowly, harrassed by the Mahrattas, and before a general action was
attempted Colonel Kay and Captain Stewart fell in a skirmish.
Colonel
Egerton was compelled to relinguish the command, and the British troops
commenced an ill-considered retreat. On the nth January, 1779, this
retreat degenerated into a rout. So little power had
