ABSTRACT
The united cavalry of Jeswunt Rao Holkar, Amir Khan, and the Bharatpur Raja now appeared, and the besiegers became themselves besieged, although by an inept enemy, who always gave way before attacks. The besieged, aware that this fourth resistance, if successful, would save them, flung on the stormers masses of timber, flaming oil-drenched cotton bales, and homemade devastating bombs. The besiegers were reduced to great straits, and flour was sold at sixteen rupees a seer. Bharatpur held a large and desperate garrison, who when the British in their opening assault displayed incompetence overcame their own fears, and thereafter showed unusual enterprise. Bharatpur could have been easily taken in the first assault, if the British commander had thought it worthwhile to study the confused terrain before launching his troops on what proved to be difficult exploration work rather than fighting.
