III.
Amongst the French officers mentioned in the section is Colonel Pedrons. He must have joined de Boigne early, as he raised and commanded the third brigade in 1795. The next mention I find of him is of so late a date as 1800. In that year, when Perron was engaged in besieging the fort of Agra, Pedrons, then a major, was despatched with eight battalions to attack and annihilate Lakhwá Dádá in Bandalkhand. In this enterprise he was assisted by Ambají Inglia with some irregular infantry and 5000 horse. He found, however, Lakhwá Dádá so strongly posted, that though the latter had only 6000 horse, 3000 Rohillas, and 200 drilled sepoys[1] under his command, Pedrons was afraid to attack him. He spent two months in fruitless reconnoitering. At the end of that time Perron himself came down and crushed Lakhwá Dádá with one blow (3rd May, 1800). We next hear of Pedrons as relieving
- ↑ The 200 sepoys were drilled and commanded by Major Tone, "an unfortunate gentleman." says Major Smith, "whose abilities and integrity were as great as his misfortunes were severe." Major Tone was subsequently shot through the head, whilst serving under Holkar, at an action near Choli Máhásúr, in 1802. He wrote a valuable work called "Letters on the Maráthá People." (Ferdinand Smith.)
