At this period two powerful chieftains, Dowlat Rao Scindia and Jeswunt Rao Holkar, had usurped the powers of the Peishwa, and were desolating the Mahratta states with war; and these two chiefs, with the Rajah of Berar, formed a confederacy against the British and their allies. Under these circumstances the flank companies of the regiment embarked from Fort William, and joined the field force, under Lieut.-Colonel Harcourt, assembled for the attack of the province of Cuttack. On entering that province, the troops had to overcome numerous difficulties from the nature of the country, the season of the year, and the resistance of the enemy, which they surmounted with great gallantry. On the 4th of October, the flank companies of the TWENTY-SECOND regiment highly distinguished themselves at the capture of the fort of _Barrabatta_ by storm, when they led the assault, and took several of the enemy's colours. They had one man killed; Captain Harlston and eight soldiers wounded. The colours captured by the TWENTY-SECOND, with some others taken by the Ninth and Nineteenth Native Infantry, were publicly displayed at Calcutta, and afterwards lodged at Fort William, with an inscription of the names of the corps by which taken. [Sidenote: 1804] The flank companies of the regiment remained in the field, and the splendid successes of the British arms appeared likely to bring about a speedy termination of the war; but hostilities were protracted by the defection of the Rajah of Bhurtpore. The flank companies of the TWENTY-SECOND joined the army under Lord Lake: they had two men killed and three wounded at the capture of _Deeg_, in December, and were engaged in the attempt to bring the refractory Rajah Sing to submission by the siege of the strong fortress of Bhurtpore. [Sidenote: 1805] In the meantime, the regiment had commenced its march from Fort William, for the Upper provinces, and in January, 1805, it halted and encamped at Benares; but resumed its march in February, and proceeded to Cawnpore. The siege of _Bhurtpore_ was carried on, and the flank companies were engaged in the unsuccessful attempt to capture that place by storm on the 9th of January, when they had eleven men killed and twenty-four wounded. They were also engaged in the desperate attempt to capture the place by storm, on the 21st of January, when they had Captain Menzies and four men killed; Captains Lindsay and McNight, Lieutenants Mansergh, Sweetman, and Caswell, and thirty-one non-commissioned officers and soldiers, wounded. At the third unsuccessful attack, on the 21st of February, they had two serjeants and three soldiers killed; three serjeants and four soldiers wounded. Serjeant John Ship, of the regiment, led the forlorn hope on each occasion, and his gallant conduct was rewarded with the commission of ensign in the Sixty-fifth regiment.