War Preparation by Hastings -2

Anglo Nepalese War with   Reference to Gurkha Rule over Uttarakhand & Himachal -16

History of Gorkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) -137   

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -658

                          By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student) 

                   Deputing European Officers at Strategic Places

                Besides, Hastings appointing additional companies of soldiers, he recruited or deputed European Officers in Nepal Border. Indian soldiers were influenced by the courageous and strategic actions of European Officers.

            There was need of more solders for Hill areas. Many soldiers unaware of reality of Hills were also afraid from folklores or stories heard about hills. Such soldiers heard about powers of local deities in Hills. In plains, chariot army was effective for assisting artilleries but in hills horse riding was difficult. Therefore, Hastings sent additional battalion to each battalion led by Marley, Wood, and Gillespie respectively. Brigadier Ochterlony (alias Akhtar Loni) did not need additional force as Gillespie’s battalion was supposed to meet Ochterlony (alias Akhtar Loni) battalion.

                   Heavy Storing Guns and Gun Powders

            Hastings dispatched Guns and gun powder in sufficient quantity for Hill attack operation. Hastings ordered his officers to use gun with vigor. Hastings asked officers not to worry for quantity.

 Hastings manufactured new types of Gun cart for carrying smaller guns (toaps) (Premle).

                       East India Company Army Dress

            On that time, Company army had a red color dress with full sleeve coat and a Half pant. The soldiers used to put a Big Cap on their head. Soldiers used to put Pump shoes. Soldier used to have a gun in hand. In Hill region, the half pant and coat was not sufficient for protection from cold. Hastings arranged cotton Waistcoat and Full Trouser for soldiers. Special types of shoes were also provided to soldiers (Premble).

                         Food Supply Management

              It was not expected that Hill citizens would provide food to Company soldiers. Therefore, Hastings arranged food stock at border places. In food each store, there was food supply for six months. Food was available at low cost. Four Stores were there in each army station.  Horses, Mules, Elephant, Camels, and Bulls were made available for food and other material supply. However, for difficult terrain, the Collies were appointed. In past, sixteen European officers used to stay in an army camp.  Now, forty officers were asked to stay in one army camp.  Indian soldiers were not given any facilities for camp.  Small canned food – beef, wine cans were provided for easy transportation (Premble).

                       Loan from Nabab

             East India Company did not have such huge war preparation in past. Company required huge money for preparation. Hastings crookedly, forcibly got One Crore rupees (25 Lakh Starlings) as gift and one Crore rupees as Loan from Awadh Nabab in a special conference on 18^th October 1814. Nabab Wazir of Oudh was handed over Forest of Khairagrh.

** Most of references and details were taken from Dr Dabral

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com6/7/2015

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -659

*** History of Gorkha/Gurkha /Nepal Rule over Kumaun, Garhwal and Himachal (1790-1815) to be continued in next chapter 

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

XX

                    Reference

Atkinson E.T., 1884, 1886, Gazetteer of Himalayan Districts …

Hamilton F.B. 1819, An Account of Kingdom of Nepal and the territories

Colnol Kirkpatrik 1811, An Account of Kingdom of Nepal

Dr S.P Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas part 5, Veer Gatha Press, Dogadda

Bandana Rai, 2009 Gorkhas,: The Warrior Race

Krishna Rai Aryal, 1975, Monarchy in Making Nepal, Shanti Sadan, Giridhara, Nepal

I.R.Aryan and T.P. Dhungyal, 1975, A New History of Nepal , Voice of Nepal

L.K Pradhan, Thapa Politics:

Gorkhavansavali, Kashi, Bikram Samvat 2021 

Derek J. Waller, The Pundits: British Exploration of Tibet and Central Asia page 172-173

B. D. Pande, Kumaon ka Itihas

Balchandra Sharma, Nepal ko Aitihasik Rup Rekha

Chaudhari , Anglo  –Nepalese Relations

Pande, Vasudha , Compares Histriographical Traditions of Gorkha Rule in Nepal and Kumaon

Pradhan , Kumar, 1991, The Gorkha Conquests , Oxford University  Press

Minyan Govrdhan Singh , History of Himachal Pradesh

A.P Coleman, 1999, A Special Corps

Captain Thomas Smith, 1852,Narrative of a Five Years Residence at Nepal Vol.1

Maula Ram/Mola Ram  , Ranbahadurchandrika and Garhrajvanshkavya

J B Fraser , Asiatic Research

Shyam Ganguli, Doon Rediscovered

Minyan Prem Singh, Guldast Tabarikh Koh Tihri Garhwal

Patiram Garhwal , Ancient and Modern

Tara Datt Gairola, Parvtiy Sanskriti

John Premble, Invasion of Nepal

Chitranjan Nepali, Bhimsen Thapa aur Tatkalin Nepal

Sanwal, Nepal and East India Company

Nagendra kr Singh, Refugee to Ruler

History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Sirmour Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Kangara Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Baghat Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Tehri Garhwal, Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Punar Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Uttarkashi Garhwal, Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Nahan Himachal; History Gurkha /Gorkha Rule over Dehradun Garhwal, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History Himachal; 

Nepal Itihas, Garhwal Itihas, Kumaon Itihas, Himachal Itihas; Gurkha/Gorkha ka Kumaon par  Adhikar Itihas , Gurkha/Gorkha Garhwal par Shasan Itihas;  Gurkha/Gorkha Rule in Kumaon, Garhwal Uttarakhand; History Gurkha/Gorkha  Rule in Himachal,