The First Major Skirmish: Maratha Victory and Mounting Desperation (November 22-27, 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The November 22 Skirmish: A Tactical Victory

The First Significant Engagement

The Date:

• November 22, 1760
• First skirmish of major intensity
• Described 5 days later in letter (November 27)
• Both armies seeking to test each other
• High stakes testing engagement

The Participants:

• Afghan Najib Khan's forces attacked from right flank
• Maratha Shinde and Holkar defending right flank
• Suja Uddaula intervened to save Najib
• Limited engagement, not full-scale battle
• Deliberate testing by both sides

The Battle Details

The Afghan Attack:

• Najib Khan led assault on right flank
• Targeted Shinde and Holkar positions
• Meant to test Maratha defenses
• Probe for weaknesses
• Find gaps in formation

The Maratha Response:

• Held their position
• Repelled Afghan attack
• Inflicted heavy casualties
• Impressive defensive performance
• Limited time/darkness ended battle

The Casualties

Afghan Losses:

• 300-400 men killed
• 500-700 wounded
• Over 100 horses captured
• Significant losses for probe attack
• Worse than expected

Maratha Losses:

• Less than 40 men killed
• Dramatically lower casualty rate
• Far better ratio than Afghans
• Impressive defensive success
• Confidence boosting

The Letter Assessment

The Maratha Confidence:

• "The Afghans were broken and beaten"
• "There cannot be another leader like Bhau"
• "We will soon defeat Abdali"
• "Satwari" (very soon will destroy Afghan army)
• High morale after engagement

The Reality:

• Impressive tactical victory
• Limited scope engagement
• Not reflective of full battle potential
• Skirmish ≠ army-wide battle
• But still morale-boosting

The Suja Intervention: The Hidden Player

Why Suja Saved Najib

The Situation:

• Najib getting beaten badly
• Maratha pressure too much
• Would have been wiped out
• Army in collapse
• Needed rescue

The Intervention:

• Suja Uddaula's forces arrived
• Stopped the beating
• Saved Najib's remaining army
• Prevented complete destruction
• Critical lifeline

The Alliance Dynamics:

• Suja protecting Najib Khan
• Najib is close to Abdali
• Najib = Abdali's agent in India
• Suja saving Abdali's key ally
• Coalition holding together (barely)

The Darkness Factor

Why Battle Stopped:

• Darkness falling made fighting impossible
• Can't distinguish enemy from friend
• Risk of friendly fire
• Confusion in darkness
• Forced both sides to withdraw

The Maratha Belief:

• Without darkness: would have won decisively
• Would have destroyed Najib's force
• Would have broken the coalition
• Could have shifted momentum
• Bad timing saved Afghans

The Death of Krishnaji Joshi: War's Random Toll

Who Was Krishnaji Joshi?

His Background:

• Courtier in Peshwa court in Sanwarwada (Pune)
• Political functionary, not warrior
• Traveled with Bhau's entourage north
• Part of camp administrative staff
• Non-combatant but engaged

His Role:

• Written important assessment letters
• November 5: optimistic letter about victory
• Participated in camp decision-making
• Observed situation firsthand
• Provided intelligence to Pune

The Death

The Incident:

• November 28, 1760
• Sitting in his tent
• Stray bullet hit him in head
• Sudden, random death
• No military engagement at moment

The Symbolism:

• Not soldier, not warrior
• Just administrative official
• Still killed by war
• Random nature of conflict
• Danger everywhere

The Professional Class

Types in Camp:

• Warriors: fighters
• Administrative: courtiers, officials
• Logistics: supply managers
• Financial: accountants (like Bhau)
• Support: servants, merchants

The Qualification:

• Even non-warriors expected to fight if needed
• Bhau: financial analyst + battle commander
• Joshi: court official who could participate
• Flexible roles in Indian courts
• Multiple competencies expected

The Communication Problem: The One-Month Delay

The Courier System Challenge

The Distance Problem:

• One month for letters Panipat → Pune
• Panipat to Pune: ~1,000+ miles
• Horseback courier relay
• Mountain passes, river crossings
• Slow, dangerous journey

The Strategic Consequence:

• Real-time tactical decisions impossible
• Peshwa in Pune months behind actual events
• By time letter arrives: situation changed
• Can't respond to current crisis
• Decisions made in information vacuum

The Authority Structure

The Delegation:

• Peshwa ceded authority to Bhau
• Bhau making tactical decisions
• Peshwa not directing in real-time
• Bhau has autonomy in north
• Communication too slow for coordination

The Problem:

• Peshwa didn't understand gravity
• Couldn't see actual conditions
• Didn't know how dire situation was
• Letters don't convey full reality
• Only facts, not emotional weight

The Missed Opportunity: The Peshwa's Potential Support

What Could Have Been Done

Nana Sahib's Option:

• Send 20,000-30,000 troops from Pune
• Attack Abdali's rear flank
• Create pincer movement
• Put Abdali between two armies
• Similar to Bundele plan but with resources

The Timeline:

• Take 1-2 months to reach Panipat
• Battle delayed anyway (not urgent)
• Would arrive in time for main engagement
• Would fundamentally change odds
• Would trap Abdali between forces

Why It Didn't Happen:

• Peshwa didn't understand need
• Didn't see gravity of situation
• Didn't have the will
• Was sick with TB himself
• Wasn't warrior-spirited

Peshwa's Personality

The Comparison:

• Father (Bajirao I): outstanding warrior
• Son (Nana Sahib): not specialized in warfare
• Administrative competence but not military
• More suited to court than battlefield
• Lacked aggressive instinct

The Health Factor:

• Fighting TB at time
• Losing weight rapidly
• Weakening condition
• No confidence for bold action
• Physical health mirroring strategic weakness

The Persistent Bundele Problem

The Repeated Demands

The Continuous Plea:

• Written several times to Govind Pant
• "Take 5,000-7,000 troops"
• "Go into Doab"
• "Stop supplies to Abdali"
• Still not done after months

Why It Mattered:

• Abdali's 100,000+ total personnel
• 100,000+ support staff
• Massive supply requirements
• All coming from Doab region
• Cutting supplies = crippling force

The Fundamental Problem:

• Bundele not a trained fighter
• Revenue officer, not military commander
• Age 60, not vigorous youth
• Lacked fighting spirit
• Couldn't execute military operations

The Desperation

What Remained:

• Still hoping he'd do it
• Still expecting miracle
• Still sending letters pleading
• Know he won't but hoping anyway
• Grasping at straws

The Financial Crisis: Gold Melted for Payroll

The Desperation Measures

The Reality:

• "Shortage of money is a problem"
• Melted down gold and silver
• Converted to coins for payment
• Last resort funding
• No other options left

The Priority:

• Ibrahim Khan must be paid first
• 10,000 troops under him
• Monthly payroll commitment
• His condition from day one
• Can't default or lose him

Ibrahim Khan's Leverage

His Insistence:

• "My troops must be paid"
• Even with money shortage
• Even if Marathas starving
• My soldiers first
• Non-negotiable condition

The Reality:

• Without him: no artillery advantage
• With him: can compete with Afghans
• His 200 cannons = game-changing
• 10,000 trained soldiers = core force
• Can't afford to lose him

The Afghan Awareness

The Knowledge:

• Afghans impressed by Ibrahim's artillery
• Know the threat it poses
• Keep distance (1.5-2 km minimum)
• Within that range: burned by cannons
• Can't match his firepower

The Stalemate Status: Cold War

The Actual Situation

The Reality:

• Bundele hasn't cut supplies (as hoped)
• Abdali not attacking (as feared)
• Both sides at standstill
• Minor skirmishes only
• No resolution emerging

The Strategic Bind:

• Marathas: want Abdali to attack into artillery range
• Afghans: won't attack into artillery range
• Both: waiting for other to make mistake
• Both: running out of resources
• Both: trying not to blink first

The Desperation

Maratha Perspective:

• Won the skirmish impressively
• But can't sustain indefinitely
• Money running short
• Supplies running short
• Need decision soon

Key Themes

1. Tactical Victory vs. Strategic Stalemate - Won skirmish but can't break impasse
2. The Communication Handicap - One-month delays eliminate real-time coordination
3. The Bundele Failure - Persistent expectation that never materializes
4. The Financial Hemorrhage - Melting gold/silver to pay commitments
5. The Ibrahim Khan Dependency - Everything depends on keeping him paid
6. The Peshwa Weakness - Leadership absence at critical moment
7. The Bitter Irony - Won battle, losing war through logistics

Where This Leads: The Marathas win an impressive skirmish on November 22, but it doesn't change the fundamental situation. Bundele still can't cut supplies. Peshwa still won't send reinforcements. The money crisis deepens. They're melting gold to pay mercenaries. Abdali won't attack. They can't force him. The momentum from victory fades as the financial crisis deepens and the stalemate continues. They had the Afghan army on the ropes in that skirmish. The darkness saved Abdali. And the fundamental weaknesses of the Maratha position remain unchanged.

They beat the Afghans that day. November 22. Crushed them when Najib attacked. Would have destroyed his entire force if the darkness hadn't fallen. Suja had to save him. The Marathas were glowing with confidence—"No leader like Bhau," "Soon we will defeat Abdali." But five days later, Krishnaji Joshi sat in his tent and a stray bullet found him. Random. Meaningless. He wasn't even fighting. Just writing letters. And the fundamental problem remained: Abdali wouldn't attack into their artillery. Bundele wouldn't cut his supplies. Peshwa wouldn't send help. And the money was running out.