Little mention of these guns is anywhere made during the ensuing campaign, though their efficiency on subsequent occasions is frequently mentioned. Thorn, the historian of the Mahratta War, writing four years later of the formation of the army under the Commander in Chief, says:-- “Among the different military improvements practised on these occasions, the use of the galloper guns was one of the most important, as afterwards appeared in the terror which they produced on the Mahratta horse. Two of these guns, of six pounders, were attached to each regiment; and nothing could exceed the celerity and exactness of the manœuvres made with them at full speed by this large body of cavalry &c. &c.”[36] In spite of the good service done by the galloper guns on many occasions, difficulties as to their control in the field frequently arose, after the formation of a corps of artillery drawn by horses, in 1805, owing to their not having formed an integral part of the Regiment they were attached to. At first the guns closely attended their regiment, in action, seconding its efforts with their fire when possible. In line of battle they were placed in pairs, in the intervals between different corps. After a time this system was discontinued, and the guns were brigaded together under command of a Cavalry officer, or they were brigaded with Artillery guns, in which case difficulties arose as to their command. In 1815, it was ordered that, whenever galloper guns were brigaded, they should be commanded by an Artillery officer. But complaints were made that the want of uniform training rendered them unfit to be brigaded with Horse Artillery guns, and they were finally abolished in May 1819. The 19th Light Dragoons, taking their galloper guns with them, as well as those for the 25th Light Dragoons and the 1st Native Cavalry, marched from Madras on 23rd January, to join the army under General Harris, which was assembled at Vellore to the number of nearly 21,000 men. On the 14th February, the whole force moved forward. The Cavalry under Major General Floyd comprised the 19th, 430 strong, the 25th Dragoons, and four Regiments of Native Cavalry: 2635 sabres in all, divided into two Brigades. On the 20th, the army was joined by 16,000 men from Hyderabad, about 10,000 of which were the contingent furnished by the Nizam, who, throughout the campaign, co-operated most heartily with the British Commander. The command of the Nizam’s Contingent was given to Colonel the Honourable Arthur Wellesley,[37] who had with him also his own regiment, the 33rd Foot. Simultaneously, the force from Bombay consisting of 6400 men under Lieutenant General Stuart,[38] advanced from Cannanore, and, on 2nd March, encamped on the Mysore frontier, near Periapatam.