Sadashiv Rao Bhau's Army: Artillery, Splendor & The Udgir Aftermath (1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Maratha War Rocket

James Forbes' Description (1770s)

Who Was James Forbes:

• British visitor to India in the 1770s
• Wrote extensively about the Maratha army
• Documented their military technology

The War Rocket Design:

Physical Specifications:

• Iron tube: 8-10 inches long, nearly 2 inches in diameter
• Mounting options:
  • Iron rod
  • Straight two-edged sword
  • Strong bamboo cane (4-5 feet long) - most common
• Iron spike projecting beyond the tube

How It Worked:

• Tube filled with combustible materials
• Lighted match sets fire to the fuse
• Projected with great velocity
• If well-directed (uncertain operation) → causes confusion and dismay

Effectiveness:

"Causes much confusion and dismay among the enemy from the difficulty of avoiding its terrifying and destructive effects"

Historical Note: A replica exists in a museum in London

The Magnificent Army: Grant Duff's Account

The Most Splendid Maratha Force Ever

Source: Grant Duff, quoting an eyewitness named Abhaji Gondeo

Who Was Abhaji Gondeo:

• From Sangam Neer (a city/town)
• Employed at Satara in the 1820s
• Witnessed Sadashiv Rao Bhau's army firsthand

The Eyewitness Description

Abhaji Gondeo's Quote:

"The equipment of this army was more splendid in appearance than any Maratha force that had ever taken the field."

The Camp Equipment

What Made It Special:

• Camp equipage brought back from Hindustan by Raghunath Rao in earlier expeditions
• This was from a previous expensive campaign
• Now being reused for Bhau's northern march

The Tents:

• Lofty and spacious
• Lined with silks and broadcloths
• Surmounted by large gilded ornaments
• Conspicuous at great distance

The Enclosures:

• Immense colored walls of canvas
• Enclosed each suite of tents
• For principal officers

The Military Display

What They Had:

• Vast numbers of elephants
• Flags of all descriptions
• The finest horses - magnificently caparisoned (decorated)
• All accompaniments giving an imposing effect

The Officers:

• Dressed in cloth of gold
• All competing in profuse and gorgeous display
• "Characteristic of wealth lightly acquired"

The Style:

"An imitation of the more becoming and tasteful array of the magnificent Mughals in the zenith of their glory"

The Criticism & Defense

Why Europeans Criticized the Display

The Critique:

• Many writers called Bhau's splendid army "ostentatious"
• Seen as excessive show-off behavior
• Appeared wasteful

The Defense: It Was Free!

The Reality:

• Material used in the camp was obtained as war booty
• Therefore did not cost the Marathas anything
• Not a wasteful expense - it was all plunder from previous victories

The Misconception:

• European writers believed Marathas spent money on this
• They didn't understand it was all looted from enemies
• Free decorations from conquered territories

Timeline Context

When Was This Description From?

The European Visitors:

• Descriptions written in 1757
• About the Maratha army at that time

Continuity to 1760:

• These characteristics couldn't have changed much in the short time between 1757 and 1760
• When Bhau was heading north to Panipat
• Ibrahim Khan Gardi joined Bhau only in 1759

Conclusion: This description was largely representative of the army that went north to Panipat (1760)

The Udgir Victory & Artillery Revolution

What Happened at Udgir

The Battle:

• Fought between Nizam and Bhau-led Maratha army
• Took place at Udgir (a town)
• Marathas won decisively

The Game-Changer: Artillery

Why Udgir Mattered:

"The success at Udgir led to the artillery gaining in prominence"

What Bhau Learned:

• Artillery prominently showed its effect at Udgir
• Bhau saw the importance of artillery in winning wars
• This would become the hallmark of the Maratha army

The Problem:

• They only had ONE YEAR to incorporate artillery properly
• Not enough time to integrate it fully

The Integration Problem

Why Artillery Wasn't Fully Integrated

The Old Army:

• Rest of the army was not used to fighting with artillery
• Couldn't fight "in a disciplined manner" with it
• Old-fashioned Maratha army up until that point

What Was Missing:

• No teamwork between artillery and infantry
• No proper integration of artillery into tactics
• Army didn't understand what artillery was supposed to do
• Artillery was just "added" - not properly incorporated

The Result:

• The Maratha army was still adjusting to the new method of warfare
• This would be perfected later by Mahadji Shinde

The Future: Mahadji Shinde's Perfection

The Shinde Clan Leadership Succession

The Lineage:

1. Jayappa Shinde (elder brother, died early)
2. Dattaji Shinde (took over after Jayappa)
3. Jankoji Shinde (son of Jayappa, about 20-22 years old)
4. Mahadji Shinde (after Panipat battle)

Mahadji's Role at Panipat

He Was There:

• Present at the Third Battle of Panipat (1760)
• Got severely wounded
• Somehow made it back alive
• His leg was permanently damaged

But It Didn't Matter:

• Leg injury didn't stop him
• Went on to become the greatest Shinde commander
• Perfected the artillery-infantry integration that Bhau started

The Shinde Clan's Mission

Permanent Northern Presence

The Strategic Role:

• Shinde family force always in northern plains of India
• On behalf of the Peshwas
• Stationed in the north along with Holkar army

Why This Mattered:

• Constant Maratha presence in the north
• Ready to respond to threats
• Could protect Maratha interests
• Collect taxes and maintain order

Govindapant Bundele: The Forgotten Tax Collector

The Original Northern Administrator

Who Was Govindapant Bundele:

• Appointed by Bajirao I (the first)
• Originally Maharashtrian (not actually named "Bundele")
• Got the name "Bundele" because always based in Bundelkhand

His Routine:

• Came to Pune only once a year
• Would do one-on-one with Peshwa
• Give annual account in person
• Then return to the north

His Operation

The Setup:

• Had a small army of 1,000-2,000 people
• Collected taxes in Bundelkhand
• If taxes didn't come easily → he'd use force

His Role:

• Tax collector/enforcer
• Small skirmishes or enforcement actions
• Based permanently in northern plains

By 1760:

• Elderly gentleman, about 55 years old
• Still doing his job

Bundelkhand: The Strategic Location

Where It Is

Geographic Position:

• South of Delhi by about 100 miles
• Deep into the northern plains
• Very strategic location

The Unfulfilled Promise

Govindapant's Request:

• Kept asking Nana Saheb Peshwa for a bigger force
• Wanted 20,000 troops permanently based there
• Argued it was a strategic area needing protection
• Could send troops to Delhi or anywhere in north as needed

Peshwa's Response:

• Kept promising "Okay, okay, I will look into it"
• But never delivered
• Why? It cost a lot of money - salaries for 20,000 people
• Required great justification to incur that cost
• Kept postponing the promise

The Realization:

• When the time came (1760), Peshwa understood the importance
• But by then it was too late

Govindapant's Character

• Fairly honest personality
• Reliable administrator
• But under-resourced for the task

Sadashiv Rao Bhau: The Finance Warrior

The Rare Two-in-One Leader

What Made Bhau Special:

• As much a warrior as a finance man
• Good accountant himself
• Could manage finance as well as battle

His Financial Skills:

• In his spare time in Pune: in charge of finance department
• Well-versed in accounting
• Kept very good tabs on where money was coming from and going
• Would account for every penny
• Nobody could fool him

The Discipline:

• Highly disciplined personality
• Understood accounts payable, accounts receivable
• Very good with math and basic accounting

Comparison to Raghunath Rao

Raghunath Rao:

• Pure warrior
• Didn't handle finance or administration
• Would depend on his staff

Sadashiv Rao Bhau:

• Expert financier himself
• Plus warrior
• Two-in-one - very rare and valuable

Bhau's Personal Regimen

The Physical Discipline

Morning Routine:

• After taking bath
• All kinds of exercises for 1.5 to 2 hours
• Very well-built body
• Impressive physique

The Weakness

His Temper:

• Very hot temper
• Could be fiery
• This was his only weak point

The Revenue Crisis

The Tax Collection Problem

The Original Plan:

• Elderly Govindapant Bundele would collect taxes
• Remit half of revenues to Pune
• Hand over only half to Bhau

What Actually Happened:

"This did not quite happen as planned"

Why It Failed:

• War-ravaged conditions in the north
• Unsettled situation
• The pie had shrunk

The Math Problem

Before:

• Could collect $1,000 per month
• Half to Pune, half to Bhau = $500 each

Now:

• Could only collect $500 total
• Half to Pune, half to Bhau = $250 each
• Huge drop in revenue

The Crisis:

• Everyone gets much less
• But still have to maintain huge army
• Salaries must be paid
• Weapons must be bought
• Animals must be fed

Result: Bhau was under tremendous financial stress

The Supply Problem

Ahmadnagar Armory

The Solution:

• The forts at Ahmadnagar had armory
• Used to supply necessary ammunition
• For muskets, cannons, rockets, etc.
• At least they had weapons

The Udgir Aftermath: No Rest for the Weary

The Immediate Problem

After Udgir Battle:

• Soldiers who fought Nizam needed rest
• Should ideally have time to recuperate
• Needed to restock supplies
• Take inventory of losses
• Compensate losses in arms or horses (steed)

What Actually Happened:

"The soldiers had no respite after the Udgir campaign and little time to compensate the losses in arms or steed, and had to leave for the north immediately"

Why the Urgency?

The Wake-Up Call:

• Nana Saheb Peshwa and military leaders in Pune were almost sleeping
• Completely unaware of the situation in the north
• Underestimated the threat from Abdali
• Thought Taji Shinde could handle it

The Reality Check:

• The threat was beyond Taji
• Much bigger than he could handle alone
• The ferocity and size of Abdali's force was massive

The News That Changed Everything

Taji Shinde's Death

When They Heard:

• News came of Taji's death
• They immediately woke up
• Realized this was much bigger than imagined

The Realization:

"This cannot be continued like this. If Taji cannot handle it, then we have to send a big army and we have to send it right now."

Why Abdali Was Different

The Track Record:

• They knew from previous experience how barbaric Abdali was
• What he did in Mathura:
  • Killed hundreds and thousands of innocent people
  • Just to collect money and loot
  • To "teach a lesson to these kafirs"

His Only Goals:

1. Collect money/loot
2. Teach kafirs a lesson
3. That's it

The Fear:

• "We can't handle this again"
• This level of barbarity was unprecedented
• Required immediate response

The Strategic Miscalculation

Nana Saheb's Error

What He Thought:

• Taji Shinde is enough to handle northern threats
• No need for massive intervention
• Can manage with existing forces

The Reality:

• Never knew what kind of ferocious and huge threat it was
• Didn't understand the scale of Abdali's invasion
• "Almost sleeping at the wheel"

The Correction:

• Taji's death really woke him up
• Understood it would take a huge army
• Cannot be done by Holkar or Shinde alone
• Not enough forces

The Forced March: No Time to Prepare

The Immediate Order

What Should Have Happened:

• Rest after Udgir battle
• Refurbish weaponry and arms
• Restock supplies
• Replace horses
• Let soldiers recover

What Actually Happened:

• No respite
• No refurbishing of weapons
• No rest
• Whatever they had, they just took it
• March immediately

The Urgency:

"Now the army goes right now. There is no respite. No nothing. No refurbishing of arms or nothing. Nobody gets any rest. You just immediately get going."

Why So Rushed?

The Timing:

• Abdali was already there in the north
• Every day of delay = more destruction
• More innocent people killed
• More territory lost

The Surprise Factor:

• Taken completely by surprise
• Didn't see it coming
• Untimely death of Taji they never expected
• Had to react instantly

Key Figures

Timeline

Geographic Context

Bundelkhand:

• South of Delhi by ~100 miles
• Deep in northern plains
• Strategic location
• Where Govindapant Bundele operated

Ahmadnagar:

• Had major armory
• Supplied ammunition for the northern campaign

Udgir:

• Town where battle against Nizam took place
• Where artillery proved decisive

The Northern Plains:

• Where Abdali was operating
• Where Taji Shinde was killed
• Where Bhau would have to go

Major Themes

1. Artillery Revolution

Udgir victory showed artillery's importance, but only one year to integrate it properly before Panipat.

2. The Splendor Paradox

Most magnificent Maratha army ever assembled, but it was all free (war booty) - not wasteful spending.

3. Strategic Miscalculation

Peshwa "sleeping at the wheel" - underestimated Abdali threat until too late.

4. No Time to Prepare

Army forced to march immediately after exhausting Udgir campaign - no rest, no resupply, no preparation.

5. Financial Genius Warrior

Bhau was rare combination of financial expert and military commander - could handle both money and battles.

6. The Warning Signs Ignored

Govindapant Bundele requested 20,000 troops for years - Peshwa kept promising but never delivered. When crisis came, it was too late.

7. The Wake-Up Call

Taji Shinde's death was the moment Pune leadership realized the true scale of the threat.

Key Contrasts

Old vs. New Warfare

• Old: Traditional Maratha cavalry tactics
• New: Artillery-based warfare (just starting to learn)
• Problem: Only one year to integrate

Raghunath Rao vs. Sadashiv Rao Bhau

• Raghunath Rao: Pure warrior, depends on staff for admin
• Bhau: Warrior + finance expert = two-in-one leader

What Should Have Happened vs. What Did

• Should: Rest after Udgir, restock, prepare
• Did: Immediate forced march north with whatever they had

Perception vs. Reality (European Critiques)

• Perception: Ostentatious waste of money
• Reality: All war booty - didn't cost anything

The Irony

The Greatest Army:

• Most splendid Maratha force ever assembled
• Best equipment, finest horses, magnificent display
• But rushed into battle without proper rest or integration
• Forced march immediately after exhausting campaign

The Financial Expert:

• Bhau was the perfect person to manage this campaign
• Finance genius who could track every penny
• But faced severe revenue shortfalls
• War-ravaged north couldn't provide expected funds

The Warning:

• Govindapant Bundele warned for years about needing more troops
• Peshwa kept promising but never delivered
• When crisis came, Peshwa finally understood
• But by then it was too late

What's Coming

The Immediate Challenge:

• Exhausted army marching north
• No rest or resupply
• Facing barbaric Abdali
• Insufficient funds
• Artillery not fully integrated
• Against the clock

The Stakes:

• Abdali already in northern plains
• Massacring innocents
• Looting territory
• Must be stopped immediately
• No time for proper preparation

The most magnificent Maratha army ever assembled was being rushed into the most critical battle in Maratha history - exhausted, under-supplied, with revolutionary artillery tactics not yet fully integrated. Bhau, the rare finance-warrior genius, would have to make it work somehow. But they were out of time, out of money, and Abdali was already there.