Hello Lists: I am researching Capt James Stewart/. Stuart who died on 04 Jan 1779 at Karla near Talegaon. Maharashtra, India. Below I am appending the information I have been gathering over sometime now from various sources. References are scanty and hard to come by. * * *Capt James Stewart / Stuart was ADC to the Governor of Bombay, William Hornby who was in Bombay from 1771 - 1784. * He was assigned the task of leading an Advance Force against the Maharatta Confederacy in the First Anglo-Maharatta War [1773 - 1782]. He left Bombay on 22 Nov. 1778 with 6 companies of Native Grenadiers and a small detail of light cannons. He followed the following route from Bombay-to Panvel- landing at Apte, taking possession of the Bhore Ghats, on to Khopoli and then Khandalla. The Maharatta army became aware of his presence and then ensued a constant state of sniping and shelling. The main force led by Col. Egerton joined up with him and the collective army of 3900 moved on to Karla [Karlee] . The Maharattas were commanded by Shinde an astute General who used the principles of Security, Mobility and Surprise and never come into direct head-on conflict with the British. The British decided to doggedly pursue their objective of going and taking over Poona and to this end went on to Karla [Karlee] en-route to Talegaon. They reached Karlee in the afternoon at about 2 pm when a stray cannon ball hit Capt. Stewart on the left shoulder injuring him seriously. He died 2 hours later on 4 Jan 1779. He was buried at Vadegaon, Mavel . He was an officer who was respected not only by his soldiers but also by his enemy. I visited Vadegaon ,Mavel on 10 March 2010 and on inquiry at the local Police Station was told that a "samadhi" [ grave] was placed behind the Police station itself . I went behind the station and was told of a grave that was to be seen after passing in front of the cells . I did and in a 10' x 8 ' space in which was placed on the flat ground a large white grave cloth with a red embroidered border design with a red cross at the foot end . There were also one large 6 " candle placed at each corner of grave cloth. On coming outside I was shown an undated memorial stone embedded in the wall which read: *"To honor the memory of Capt James Stewart [Ishtur Phakra] our first commanding officer who died fighting at Karla two hundred and fifty years ago on 4 Jan 1779 2nd battalion of the Brigade of the Guards [Ist Grenadiers] Indian Army" "Ishtur Phakra" means "Gallant Fighter" . * * * I have been in touch with the Web Master of the Indian Army, who directed me to the Historical Division of the Ministry of Defense, Govt of India who in turn directed me to the Director General of the National Archives of India. From the latter, I have yet to receive an answer. Basically, I have been trying to find out who Capt James Stewart was; 1:Where he came from; did he belong to the King’s regiments or was he a mercenary who joined the East India Company forces? 2:Was his original Regiment;a European Regiment or one of the Indian Native Regiments 3: He does seem to belong to the Artillery regiment - but I do not have any reference point for this assumption. 4:What made this officer so loved by both his own soldiers and his enemies. that even 250 years on, his grave is revered with someone lighting candles and taking care of it. I have two references from the London Gazette of Aug 22, 1758 which states that *a* Capt James Stewart belonging to the 42nd Lord John Murray's Regiment was wounded at the Toconderoga on July 8 , 1758 and again in the London Gazette Aug4, 1759 marked Whitehall stated Aug 7, 1759 that *a *James Stewart had been made first lieutenant in the Regiment of Light Infantry or Royal Volunteers commanded by Col. “Craufurd”. The commonality of names causes much confusion. Both these do not fit this person. May I have some help in this matter? I have been trying everywhere in both India and the UK with few positive results. John Prof. Dr. John A.Thomas