all round, and was garrisoned by a thousand men. The part selected for attack was sufficiently formidable. The scarp was about sixteen feet high; from thence to the wall was a steep ascent of about forty yards, and the wall which was to be escaladed was about thirty feet high.
At midnight, on the 3rd of August, 1780, ladders and all other auxiliaries for scaling being prepared, the party for the attack was formed. Two companies of Grenadiers and Light Infantry led the van, while Captain Popham followed with twenty Europeans and two battalions of Sepoys. A battalion, with two guns, and the cavalry, were ordered to march at two o'clock to cover the retreat of the English party, in case of premature discovery; or, in the event of success, to prevent the garrison from escaping. At break of day the van arrived at the foot of the scarped rock. The spies ascended by wooden ladders, and, having made fast ladders of ropes, the troops followed. Some resistance was offered, but the garrison were intimidated by the unexpected attack; and the assailants, with little trouble and small loss, were soon masters of the boasted stronghold of Gwalior.
In pursuance of the same system, Mr. Hastings sent Colonel Carnac to carry the war into the territories of Scindia. He penetrated without difficulty into Malwa; but the Mahratta chief, by the rapid manœuvres of his numerous cavalry, soon reduced the British to great distress; keeping up an incessant cannonade during the long period of seven days. The Colonel, however, by remaining for some time inactive, lulled the suspicions of the enemy, then suddenly burst by night into his camp, and defeated him with great loss. This success, although he was not able to follow it up, raised considerably the reputation of the English, who also succeeded, by a large sum of money, in detaching Moodajee Bhoonsla, the Rajah of Berar, from the other Mahratta leaders. After various transactions, a general peace was signed at Salbye on the 7th of May, 1781, Ragoba being pensioned off with 25,000 rupees per month; and thus closed the first
