We are not sure whether medals for these services can now be found; we have been able to obtain a medal, the reverse of which is illegible, which we are induced to believe was given to one of these detachments, probably Colonel Goddard’s, and the fort in the distance, representing Ahmedabad: a drawing of it is annexed. We have also been informed by an old native officer, that the medal was of the same pattern for both detachments.

The 1st golundaz company, which marched with Colonel Leslie’s detachment, was raised in 1777; the 2nd, which marched with Colonel Pearse, in 1780; and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th were raised in 1782, at the Presidency, Chunar, and Dinapore. But the same feeling, before spoken of, prevented their retention, and accordingly, in August, 1784, the 3rd and 4th golundaz companies were reduced, with the option to the men of the former of entering the lascars, and the latter, the 9th or 14th regiments, which were at the same station. In March, 1785, the 5th company followed, the native officers being allowed the option of half-pay at Chunar, or three months’ gratuity and discharge, and the men, after completing the 2nd company, of enlisting in the infantry.

In 1779, the necessity of a train of draught-bullocks for the artillery was pressed on the Government by Sir Eyre Coote, and 4,000 were directed to be kept at certain stations for this purpose: they were to be from four to six years old, of fifty inches high, and to be condemned at twelve years old, and able to draw ordnance, as in annexed statement.^[25] The commanding officers of artillery and of trains were to be inspectors of all bullocks received into the service, and responsible that none but proper cattle were admitted, and they were to be marked in the presence of an artillery officer. They were reduced to 600 at Caunpoor, 400 at Futteygurh, and 250 at Chunar, by Mem. of Council, 14th February, 1785, and the contract given to Sir Charles Blunt.

A gun-foundry existed at this time, for, in 1781, we find that “two 12–pounders and ten 6–pounders were ordered to be cast (if none available) for the use of the ship ‘Betsey,’ Captain Giddes, going with opium to China.” It was probably under the commissary of stores.

Powder-works also existed on the banks of the river, near Cossipoor. The gun-carriages were all constructed by the commissary of stores at Fort William.

On the reduction of the artillery brigade, Captain C. R. Deare, the major of brigade, was appointed regimental adjutant, but the brigade-majorship was restored in April, 1781, to be again, however, reduced to a regimental adjutant in 1785. Captain G. Deare resigned it in October, 1784, and Captain C. R. Deare was appointed.

In July, 1784, the adjutancy to the train in the field was abolished, but each company in the field appears to have had an adjutant and quarter-master attached to it.

In March, 1785, at the recommendation of Colonel Ironside, commanding at Caunpoor, tatties were first allowed to the European troops at Caunpoor.

Colonel Pearse at this time resumed command of the corps, Colonel Duff having temporarily held it while he was employed with the army on the coast; and earned the acknowledgments of the Council and General Orders, for the state of discipline it was in.

In this year many reductions were made in the army, by abolishing staff appointments, fixing the rate of pay and allowances to all classes, and laying the foundation of a code of regulations to guide all.

The commissaries of ordnance were reduced from five to two, and the deputies from eight to four; the brigade-majorship of artillery was altered to an adjutancy; the general command of artillery in the field was given to Lieutenant-Colonel Duff; his station was not fixed, but he was to move as his judgment prompted, was to inspect the field magazines and report on their state, but in these tours he was to exercise no command (though entitled by seniority) in the stations which he visited.

The following was the rate of pay allowed to all classes of the regiment:—

The scale of pay differs but little from the present day; but the subject will more properly be touched on when the effect of placing the army in certain stations on half batta in 1828 comes to be noticed.

In conjunction with the reductions above noticed, on the 30th January, 1786, it was resolved in Council to incorporate the two battalions of artillery into one, of ten companies; but that the establishment of commissioned and non-commissioned officers attached to them should remain as at present until vacancies and casualties reduced them to the necessary establishment; but afterwards (March), all in excess to the latter were permitted to reside wherever they pleased within the Company’s territories, drawing the pay and half batta of their ranks, and, such as were entitled to them, the gratuity and additional allowance.

In making these arrangements, the original numbering was restored to companies. Lascars were to be attached to each company; in the field, 1 serang, 6 tindals, 6 cossibs, and 156 lascars; and in the provinces, 1 serang and half the number of tindals and lascars. The battalions of lascars were broken up. Two six-pounders were attached to each infantry regiment, with 5 European artillerymen, and 24 lascars to point and work them. The remainder of the lascars were paid up and discharged, and grants of waste land in the Rhotas district given to all who would settle on them.

A slight alteration was made in two months, viz. substituting golundaz, 1 havildar or naik, and 6 golundaz in lieu of the European artillerymen, who were in the first instance furnished by reducing the 1st and 2nd golundaz companies, the companies which marched with Goddard and Pearse, and the sole remnants of the golundaz battalions; the men were divided among the regiments, and in April directed to be enrolled as privates; the commissioned officers were retained in the service, and stationed, 1 soobodar at Caunpoor, and 1 jemadar at Futteygurh, Chunar, Dinapoor, Berhampoor, and Barrackpoor, to be employed at the discretion of the commanding officer.

As, however, in the case of the organization in 1779, the Home authorities appear to have entered upon the same subject at the same time as the Indian, and in consequence, the above arrangement was hardly completed when the order of the Court of Directors (sess. 85) was received, and published in Minutes of Council, 2nd June, 1786, re-forming the whole military establishment, and directing the artillery to be formed into three battalions of five companies each; each company to consist of 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 2 lieutenant-fireworkers; 4 serjeants, 4 corporals, 8 gunners, 56 matrosses, 2 drummers, 2 puckalies. The lascars to consist of 30 companies, each having 1 serang, 2 first tindals, 2 second tindals, 56 lascars, 1 puckalie.

Each infantry regiment, when in the field, to be equipped with 1 European non-commissioned officer, and 8 privates, for pointing the guns, and 2 tindals and 28 lascars, to work them, while with each brigade there were to be, in addition to the battalion guns, 4 guns attached to the grenadiers, making a total of 16 guns, exclusive of the field train, and one company of European artillery and four of lascars.

An additional company of artillery was raised for service at Fort Marlborough, but not brought on the establishment.

Colonel Pearse, although a colonel and the officer next in seniority in the Company’s service to the commander-in-chief, was declared available to command a battalion, thus lowering him from the command of a brigade, which the artillery had hitherto been, to that of a battalion, a command below what his rank entitled him to. This indignity was not, however, long continued, for in August he was appointed to the general command of the artillery stationed at the Presidency, and allowed an aide-de-camp.

The lascars lately broken up and dispersed among the regiments were withdrawn, to reform the companies, the first 6 of which were stationed at Caunpoor, the next 4 at Futteygurh, next 4 at Dinapoor, next 4 at Berhampoor, 6 with first battalion, and 6 with third battalion, at the Presidency; the tindals lately discharged were re-entertained; all lascars in excess of the establishment were discharged, and none in future were to be entertained, except such as were seamen or boatmen by profession; and in March, 1787, 5 feet 6 inches was the standard fixed for them.

The artillery companies were stationed, 10 at the Presidency, 1 at Berhampoor, 1 at Dinapoor, 2 at Caunpoor, and 1 at Futteygurh, and the companies were enrolled in the battalions according to the seniority of their captains at first; this, however, was shortly altered, by making the first and second battalions change numbers.

The regiment now stood, according to this arrangement—

The right hand line is actual strength, taken from the returns of the regiment for August, 1786.