The Rectangle Plan Finalized: Artillery, Discipline & The Escape Route

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

Recap: Bhau's Core Strategy

The Formation:

• Rectangle shape
• Non-combatants in center
• Army surrounding them
• Slow movement toward Yamuna River

The Movement:

• Go southeast first (8-10 miles) to reach Yamuna
• Place river at back (east)
• Continue south along river toward Delhi
• Keep Afghan army on right flank

The Distance:

• Current location to Yamuna: ~8-10 miles southeast
• Yamuna to Delhi: ~10-15 miles south
• Total journey: ~18-25 miles
• Expected duration: 2-3 days of continuous movement

The Discipline Question

Why It's Critical:

"The most important thing was extremely strict discipline. Because nobody can break the ranks. If you break the rank, then it is all out war."

The Dynamic:

• Rectangles strength: ONLY in formation
• Once broken: becomes regular battle
• Regular battle = Bhau's plan fails
• Regular battle = all-out war (exactly what he wanted to avoid)

The Problem:

• Marathas are NOT a formation-based military culture
• They're cavalry, warriors, individual fighters
• This plan requires standing in line, holding position, not breaking
• It's asking them to behave opposite to their tradition

How The Rectangle Breaks Through

Step 1: Artillery Creates Chaos

• Ibrahim Gardi's artillery targets Afghan right flank
• Massive bombardment and destruction
• Creates "vacuum"—spaces, deaths, disorganized soldiers
• Afghan right flank temporarily incapacitated

Step 2: Strong Right Flank Advances

• Maratha rectangle's right side is strong (elite warriors)
• Moves through the vacuum created by artillery
• Encounters minimal organized resistance
• Pushes through the gap

Step 3: Holkar's Rearguard

• Holkar positioned at rectangle's back (rear guard)
• Faces approaching Afghan army
• Holding action while rectangle escapes
• Gets "ire of the Afghan army" (heavy combat)
• Gardi's artillery provides covering fire from back

Step 4: Continuous Movement

• Don't pause, don't consolidate
• Keep moving southeast toward Yamuna
• Artillery keeps firing to intimidate/damage Afghans
• Rectangle never stops—perpetual motion escape

Holkar's Concern (Proven Right)

His Objection:

• Can't retreat and fight simultaneously
• Rearguard position forces him into prolonged combat
• While moving/retreating = no good fighting position
• Forces can't be effective in both roles at once

Why He Was Right:

• Rearguard is historically highest casualty position
• Fighting while moving = disorganized fight
• Afghanistan superior in open field combat
• Holkar's forces would bear the brunt

Why Bhau's Plan Needed Him Anyway:

• Someone has to hold off Afghans
• Only Holkar strong enough to do it effectively
• Necessary sacrifice for rectangle to escape
• Accepted because alternative (staying) was death anyway

The Confidence in Afghan Restraint

Maratha Assumption:

"Afghan Marathas were confident that the Afghan army would not stop the Maratha army from going towards Delhi, along the Yamuna bank."

The Theory:

• If Marathas don't specifically seek all-out battle
• Afghans won't force one either
• All-out war = catastrophic losses both sides
• Better to let them go than lose armies in total destruction
• May give "symbolic resistance" but not all-out attack

Why This Made Sense:

• Abdali had already achieved major military goals
• Afghan soldiers want to go home (long deployment)
• Supplying huge army is expensive/difficult
• No reason to pursue total annihilation if Marathas leave

Why This Was Wrong:

• Underestimated Abdali's commitment to total destruction
• Didn't account for Najib Khan's influence (want total Maratha elimination)
• Didn't account for religious Jihad argument (Kazi Idris)
• Misread the situation: Afghans WANTED total destruction

The Yamuna Advantage

Geographic Position:

• Yamuna on left/east side of rectangle
• Acts as natural barrier/wall
• Prevents flanking from that direction
• Forces Afghans to attack from right side only

The Tactical Benefit:

• Rectangle only has to defend 3 sides (right, front, back)
• River does 4th side defense
• Reduces perimeter, concentrates forces
• Defensive advantage in moving formation

The Escape Route:

• Yamuna leads to Delhi
• Delhi is destination anyway
• River provides natural corridor to safety
• Geographic logic: follow Yamuna = reach Delhi

The Artillery-Centric Approach

Why Artillery Matters:

• Long range (can hit Afghans from distance)
• Can create chaos before close combat
• Keeps armies separated (no hand-to-hand)
• Rectangle can move while artillery covers

The Problem:

• Requires discipline from soldiers (not breaking ranks to pursue wounded Afghans)
• Requires constant supplies (ammunition)
• Requires gunners to stay focused/professional
• Revolutionary for Indian warfare (Maratha forces weren't used to this)

The Assumption:

• Artillery superiority will keep Afghans at distance
• Limited close combat (hand-to-hand)
• Mostly artillery duel + movement
• If discipline maintained: casualties minimized

Potential for Surprise Flank Attack

The Risk Identified:

"Remember, if the Maratha army was able to reach the Afghans, then there would have been a threat of falling into the hands of Abdali."

What This Means:

• If rectangle reaches far enough south
• Could potentially get BEHIND Afghan army
• Could attack Afghan right flank from unexpected angle
• This would be ideal for Marathas (surprise attack)

Why Afghans Would Fear This:

• Rectangle is moving toward Yamuna/Delhi
• If it reaches too far, could swing around
• Could hammer Afghan flank from side/back
• Would force Afghans to engage all-out (losing advantage of supplies/position)

The Strategic Implication:

• Both sides fear the other will use movement to gain advantage
• Neither side trusts the "no all-out battle" assumption
• Each watching for moment to strike decisively
• Confidence in restraint is fragile

Timeline (Final Hours Before March)

Key Insights

The False Confidence: Marathas convinced themselves Afghans wouldn't force all-out battle. This wasn't based on communication or agreement—just assumption. Afghans never agreed to let them leave.

The Rectangle as Psychological Tool: Beyond military function, the rectangle symbolized: "We're leaving in order, not fleeing in panic." Psychological message to army (we're organized), to Afghans (we're prepared), to Marathas themselves (discipline matters now).

The Holkar Sacrifice: By accepting rearguard role despite objections, Holkar was accepting he'd bear heavy casualties. This was real strategic sacrifice—not heroic, just brutal necessity.

The Yamuna as Goal: Everything in the plan depends on reaching Yamuna. Once there, half the work is done (river provides defense). If Afghans prevent reaching Yamuna, plan fails completely.

The Discipline Requirement as Weakness: Bhau knew this. This is why he emphasized it so heavily. He was asking warriors to do something unnatural to them. Their success depended on soldiers overcoming their own nature.

Where We Left Off: Preparations complete. Forces organized. March about to begin (January 14 morning). Everything depends on: (1) maintaining rectangle discipline, (2) artillery effectiveness, (3) reaching Yamuna safely, (4) Afghan willingness to let them leave. Only one of these assumptions will hold. The next reading will likely describe what actually happens when movement begins.

Bhau had a plan. It was clever. It required discipline, courage, and luck. It also required trusting that Afghans would honor an unspoken truce. On the morning of January 14, the rectangle formed. Soldiers took positions. Artillery moved to front. Non-combatants settled in center. Holkar took the back. And Bhau gave the signal to move southeast. What happened next would determine if it was brilliant escape or catastrophic last stand.