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 364 BUSSY TO 1754. c hap. have placed the man who knew thus how to avail him- _ ^ self of their weaknesses. 1751. The day following this exploit, November 23, 1751, Bussy advanced towards Puna, the Marathas content- ing themselves with hovering about his flanks, and endeavouring, though unsuccessfully, to impede his advance. On the 24th he attacked and destroyed the town of Taligaon. Two days later, Balaji made another desperate effort to recover his lost prestige. Some of the most famous Maratha chieftains — amongst them the sons of Ranuji Sindhia and Kunir Trimbak Yekbuti — were chosen to lead a renewed attack on the allied camp. On November 27 this attack was made, the enemy charging the native troops of Salabat Jang, dashing through every obstacle and completely over- whelming them. It seemed for an instant as though it would be impossible to restore the day. The little band of Frenchmen all this time, however, maintained their position, threatened but not assailed. At last, noting the slaughter of his allies, Bussy changed his front and brought his guns to bear upon the masses of hostile cavalry with such effect, that they retreated from the field they had almost gained, and gave time to the troops of the Subaclar to rally from their disorder. The next day the town of Korigaon on the Bhima was occupied by Bussy, who thus found himself within twenty miles of the capital of the Peshwa. It formed no essential part of the plan of Salabat Jang, however, to make any conquests from the Marathas. His interests pointed rather to breaking up the confederacy between that people and Ghazi-ud-dm, even, if possible, to forming an alliance with those who had been the allies of his rival. Swayed by the wise counsels of Bussy he had, in the presence of two armies, each superior to his own, succeeded not only in pre- venting a junction which would have overwhelmed him, but in forcing the one army to meet him on the ground