time on his march from Guzerat towards Oujein, with a considerable detachment. Unhappily, Colonel Murray, after advancing a certain distance, became suddenly alarmed, resolved to retire behind the Mahie river, and actually fell back for that purpose. This retrograde movement gave confidence to Holkar, who, after his retreat, had taken post in Malwa, with the Chumbul river between him and Colonel Monson: this post he now quitted, and recrossed the river with his whole army.
Monson was as brave as any officer in the English army – second to none in undaunted valour at storming a breach; but he wanted the rarer quality of moral intrepidity, and the power of adopting great designs on his own responsibility. On the 6th of July, Holkar was engaged in crossing the Chumbul; and though it had been the intention of Colonel Monson to attack that chief, the fortunate moment of attack, never to be recalled, was allowed to escape, and he did what ordinary officers would have done at Assaye, when it was ascertained that Stevenson's division could not come up – he determined to retire to the Mokundra pass. Had Monson promptly led his men to the charge, he might have encountered with success the large undisciplined host opposed to him; but he resolved upon retreat – a movement always disastrous before Mahratta forces, which of all others are the most rapid and vindictive pursuers.
Accordingly, at four in the morning, on the 8th of July, he sent off the whole of his baggage and stores to Soonarah, the troops remaining on the ground of encampment, in order of battle, till half-past nine. The infantry then moved off, the cavalry being left on the ground with orders to follow in half-an-hour, and to send Colonel Monson the earliest intelligence of Holkar's motions. The infantry met with no interruption; but, after marching about twelve miles, a report reached them that, at a considerable distance in their rear, Lieutenant Lucan's cavalry had been attacked by the
