The Center Holds (Until It Doesn't): Maratha Cavalry Breakthrough

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Critical Afternoon Development

The Setup: After 3 hours of artillery dominance (morning), battle has shifted. Afghan right flank (Rohilas, Barkhurdar Khan) devastated. But now: direct cavalry assault on Afghan CENTER.

The Combatants:

• Maratha Side: Vishwas Rao & Sudarshi Rao (leading the Huzurat—elite 11,000-strong personal army)

  • Vishwas Rao on horse named Pari
  • Sudarshi Rao on horse named Dilpak
  • These are renown, battle-hardened cavalry

• Afghan Side: Shah Wali Khan (Abdali's Wazir/Prime Minister—16,000 soldiers)

  • Most important man in Afghan command structure after Abdali
  • CENTER of formation
  • Directly opposite Maratha center

The Breakthrough Moment

What Happened:

"Maratha attack was so intense that the Afghans had to retreat and a lot of losses were incurred."

The Specific Casualty:

• Atai Khan (Shah Wali Khan's nephew)
• Who had previously killed Govindpant Bundeli
• Killed in this battle

The Afghan Center's Failure:

• Attack so quick and intense: Afghan center didn't have time to react
• Huzurat action: well-known for being "swift and fierce force"
• Afghan soldiers started FLEEING
• Central regiment: appearing to collapse

The Embarrassment Factor:

"This is unbecoming of the Afghan force because Shah Wali Khan, he is the wazir or the prime minister. This simply is not acceptable because everybody else were allies."

Shah Wali Khan represents the Afghan army PROPER (core forces loyal to Abdali). If his regiment breaks, it's catastrophic for morale/unity.

The Scale of Success

Maratha Penetration:

• 13,000 cavalry force pierced Afghan center
• Very fierce battle between both centers
• Maratha initiative and overwhelming violence
• Afghan lines devastated

The Historical Descriptions:

Historian Not-So-Kar (specialized in Orange/Marathi history):

"13,000 cavalry force was it just fell upon the Afghan center. It was just a very fierce battle."

The Poetic Description (from sources):

"As though the ground and the sky, it became one. The heaven kind of had not seen this kind of battle. Extremely intense, involved tremendous violence."

Maratha Domination (Figure of Speech):

"As though somebody should be drinking water from the river, Marathas were swallowing the Afghans."

Translation: Making quick work of them, complete dominance.

Foreign Historian's Account (British, 1912, Usually Critical of Bhau):

"Bhau just fell upon Shahwali Khan's force like a snowstorm."

Even a historian usually critical of Bhau had to admit: this was impressive cavalry work.

The Battlefield Situation by Afternoon

Afghan Position:

• Right flank: collapsing (destroyed by artillery earlier, now broken)
• Center: collapsing (penetrated by Maratha cavalry, fleeing)
• Confusion and huge slaughter on Afghan side
• Soldiers: either fleeing, dead, or injured

Maratha Position:

• Right flank: successful (broke through)
• Center: successful (cavalry breakthrough, pushing deep)
• Artillery: mixed (6 units not functioning as intended, but 3 still operating effectively)
• Momentum: swinging Maratha direction

The Neutral Observer's Assessment:

"If a neutral observer had been present and looked at the scenario on the battlefield, he would have felt that Afghan force is about to be defeated or is basically is not up to the task."

The Stunning Fact:

"Even though considering Abdali's numerical superiority and Afghan soldiers physically taller and stronger, even considering all that, it was looking as though Abdali was going to lose this fight."

Afghans had MORE soldiers, BIGGER/STRONGER soldiers, and yet: Marathas appearing to win.

Why This Was Winning (For Maratha)

Advantages Evident by Afternoon:

1. Cavalry quality: Huzurat elite and fierce
2. Artillery still working (3 units operating)
3. Momentum: enemy fleeing/broken
4. Leadership: Bhau's cavalry leadership effective
5. Morale: Marathas attacking, Afghans retreating

Critical Factor: Artillery 6 units down doesn't matter if cavalry doing breakthrough work. Infantry following breakthrough = can attack disordered enemy.

The Fundamental Problem (That Nobody Saw Yet)

What Bhau Did Right:

• Intense cavalry assault on center
• Pushed hard, broke Afghan lines
• 13,000 cavalry forward

What Bhau Did Wrong:

• Left artillery behind (by about a mile)
• Cavalry advanced too far ahead
• Lost coordination with artillery support
• No longer protected artillery
• Artillery can't follow cavalry (bulls too slow)

The Deviation from Plan: Original plan: move southeast toward Yamuna with artillery in front, non-combatants protected in rectangle.

Actual: cavalry surged ahead, broke formation, pursuing victory instead of executing plan.

Shah Wali Khan's Desperation

When Suja Sent Kashiraj (Messenger): Found Shah Wali Khan in state of despair:

• Sitting on ground
• Putting soil/dirt in mouth (figurative expression of complete hopelessness)
• Soldiers fleeing
• Nothing he could do to stop them

His Angry Plea to Soldiers:

"My friends, our country is far, far away. How far will you run? There is nothing in between. You will die or you will live. But nowhere to run."

Basically: retreat is pointless, we're surrounded, might as well fight.

His Message to Suja:

• Asked Kashiraj to reach Suja immediately
• "Send me reinforcements or I will be destroyed totally"
• Sitting on ground, helpless

But Suja Couldn't Help:

• His own contingent endangered (might become next Maratha target)
• Concerned with protecting his own position
• Adopted "wait and watch" stance
• Didn't intervene (political calculation)

The Army Composition by Afternoon

What Still Functioned (Afghan):

• Abdali's personal slave units: untouched, fresh
• Reserves: not yet engaged
• Right flank survivors: regrouping
• Some contingent support: holding

What Was Damaged (Afghan):

• Center (Shah Wali Khan): broken, fleeing
• Right flank (Rohilas): destroyed, casualties
• Morale: Afghan soldiers questioning loyalty/survival

What Was Intact (Maratha):

• Artillery: still have 3 functioning units
• Cavalry: still have 13,000+ elite
• Infantry: following breakthrough
• Leadership: Bhau in control

Timeline (Afternoon, Hour by Hour)

Key Insights

The Cavalry Success: Maratha cavalry proved devastating against structured enemy formations. Huzurat's reputation as "swift and fierce force" was completely justified. They broke the Afghan center in one assault.

The Timing Window: By afternoon, Afghans had already lost right flank (artillery), center (cavalry breakthrough), and were appearing to lose. This was the moment where Maratha victory appeared possible.

The Wazir's Position: Shah Wali Khan represents the "true" Afghan army (core loyal forces). His collapse was critical because it showed: even the core was breaking under Maratha assault. Not just allies fleeing—Afghan proper was failing.

The Unnoticed Danger: Bhau's cavalry achieved breakthrough success but got separated from artillery support. This created vulnerability, but in moment of victory, no one noticed the danger.

The Numerical Reality: Despite being outnumbered, despite Afghan soldiers being physically larger, despite Afghan numerical superiority: Marathas were winning through:

• Superior cavalry quality
• Better morale
• Effective leadership
• Willingness to press attack

Not through numbers, but through tactics and aggression.

Where We Left Off: Afghan afternoon collapse. Right flank destroyed. Center penetrated. Shah Wali Khan desperate. Maratha cavalry 1 mile ahead of artillery. Everything appearing to go Maratha direction. Afghan core appearing to break. But cavalry separated from support. Night approaching. Abdali still has fresh reserves. The battle is turning but fragile.

By mid-afternoon on January 14, Bhau had something he didn't have that morning: a real chance to win. Not through artillery domination, but through cavalry excellence. The Huzurat proved what cavalry could do when properly deployed. They broke the Afghan center. Shah Wali Khan was sitting on the ground putting dirt in his mouth—symbol of complete defeat. Suja was watching and waiting. Abdali's core was breaking. For one moment, Maratha victory looked possible. The problem: Bhau's cavalry was 1 mile ahead of the artillery that was supposed to protect them. And night was coming.