There was an attack made on Vijaydurg, 1st attack in its history, by British Empire.
Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre Sakpal was elsewhere at the time.
On 17 June 1718 British Bombay Council declared they were at war.
& On 18 June 1718 British fleet returned to Bombay!
So what happened?
Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre Sakpal was elsewhere at the time.
On 17 June 1718 British Bombay Council declared they were at war.
& On 18 June 1718 British fleet returned to Bombay!
So what happened?
Basically,
Vijaydurg had a fake "decoy" walling which boisterously presented itself.
It was made so that its visibility used to provoke anyone who saw it to bombard it with glee.
By the time one realized it was a useless wall, not even part of perimeter, ammunition was wasted.
Vijaydurg had a fake "decoy" walling which boisterously presented itself.
It was made so that its visibility used to provoke anyone who saw it to bombard it with glee.
By the time one realized it was a useless wall, not even part of perimeter, ammunition was wasted.
So after 2 days of swagger & shelling, Britshits realized that all their shots had been wasted on that wall!
They expected langot-clad militia to walk out of fort in awe of Gora Saheb guns, waving white flags.
Instead, 2 full days worth of ammunition had been wasted!
Now what?
They expected langot-clad militia to walk out of fort in awe of Gora Saheb guns, waving white flags.
Instead, 2 full days worth of ammunition had been wasted!
Now what?
They decided a commando strike.
Saboteurs would go ashore and sneak upto the parking of Maratha ships in a Cove and set fire to them.
And so it was done. The Britshits managed to sneak towards the Cove, in clear range of Vijaydurg's ramparts, but surprisingly unopposed.
Saboteurs would go ashore and sneak upto the parking of Maratha ships in a Cove and set fire to them.
And so it was done. The Britshits managed to sneak towards the Cove, in clear range of Vijaydurg's ramparts, but surprisingly unopposed.
Upon reaching the Cove, British realised terrain over there was not actually solid land but a swamp, a bog!
So all efforts so far had been wasted!
As they were walking back along Vijaydurg, only then Marathas fired on them and the rats were sent scurrying back to their boats.
So all efforts so far had been wasted!
As they were walking back along Vijaydurg, only then Marathas fired on them and the rats were sent scurrying back to their boats.
And thus the illegal campaign was withdrawn. This neech campaign which was undertaken without a formal declaration of war against the Marathas, saw the heaviest artillery bombardment inflicted in history of Konkan (or maybe Maharashtra? or maybe India?) against a bunch of rocks.
The British Colonialists used to go on offensive against other powers, but delay official announcements for weeks, to retain public favour and legitimacy, and fool the British civilians about the justness of their fraud government.
They provoked crassly, and harassed needlessly.
They provoked crassly, and harassed needlessly.
The campaign against Maratha Navy Grand Admiral Sarkhel Angre Sakpal family had already begun 1 week before official Public announcement by Bombay British Council on 17th June 1718 CE, and their boats had already been forced to return by 18 June 1718 CE!
What an embarassment.
What an embarassment.
In days of Mughals and others, the British, the Portuguese could freely loot, set up ports, even violate Royal Mughal family womenfolk without suffering any real consequences.
Now the Marathas had come against them with men & infrastructure, and they could only seethe and rave.
Now the Marathas had come against them with men & infrastructure, and they could only seethe and rave.
But why did the Marathas not do anything all this while?
Why did they not gun down British saboteurs as they snuck towards the bog? Especially when the British were stuck between the Bog and the Fort walls?
Why were there no sallies against the British ships? What was going on?
Why did they not gun down British saboteurs as they snuck towards the bog? Especially when the British were stuck between the Bog and the Fort walls?
Why were there no sallies against the British ships? What was going on?
The answer.
Read it.
Yes.
British had fully equipped war fleet, ready drilled soldiers, & were attacking a fort with less than *100 men* garrisoned & Maratha Admiral was himself asleep unaware far away in some other fort.
And British still lost men and defeated themselves!
Read it.
Yes.
British had fully equipped war fleet, ready drilled soldiers, & were attacking a fort with less than *100 men* garrisoned & Maratha Admiral was himself asleep unaware far away in some other fort.
And British still lost men and defeated themselves!
The British had treacherously waged war and lost embarrassingly.
Such embarassing events must not be forgotten.
In the aftermath, one can say Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre started dealing with British Colonialists as they deserved.
But history is complex and rocky. This was rocky.
Such embarassing events must not be forgotten.
In the aftermath, one can say Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre started dealing with British Colonialists as they deserved.
But history is complex and rocky. This was rocky.
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