Young, Professor James (University of Sydney Australia)

Galloping Guns: the Experiences of an Officer of the Bengal Horse Artillery During the Second Maratha War 1804-1805 Young, Professor James (University of Sydney Australia)

The 'Red Men' of the Bengal Horse Artillery on Campaign

James Young was a young officer in the early days of the corps d'elite that was The Bengal Horse Artillery. In the first years of the nineteenth century the British Empire was expanding its influence over the sub-continent and the armies of the Honourable East India Company supported by British regular troops fought under the leadership of Generals such as Lake and Wellesley-the future Duke of Wellington-to suppress the great martial powers of India such as the Marathas, Sikhs and Mogul forces. Young's war was the Second Maratha Campaign fought in Central India principally against the forces of Holkar-the great Maratha chief. Young's account of the campaign make riveting reading as he describes life on the march and the actions of his battery of horse artillery on the battlefield. The sieges at Deig and Bharatpore are described in graphic detail. Young's text is complemented by a short history of the campaign to give his account context.