Muntakhab al-tawarikh 12.7

12.7

Intelligence now arrived that the Mirza had attacked Amroha, and having crossed the Ganges at the ford of Chauhala, was marching rapidly towards Lahore. Husain Khan, convinced of the apathy of the amirs, separated himself from them immediately, and made a forced march to Garh-muktesar, in order to arrest the Mirza. Of the royal amirs, Turk Subhan Kuli and Farrukh Diwana were the only ones that accompanied him. A letter now reached him from the amirs of Panjab, urging him to come speedily and join them. The Mirza, like the rook on a cleared chess-board, now came into the heart of the country, plundering and ravaging the towns in his way. When he was at Payal, his men committed such atrocities upon Musulman people as cannot well be described. In that town twelve virgins were ravished with such violence that several of them died. Other places fared in the same way. Husain Khan followed the steps of the Mirza, and the amirs came after him, until they reached Sirhind. Here they became refractory, and would go no further. But Husain Khan was not content to remain. With the small force under his command, not exceeding 200 men in all, and with the two persons (above named), he marched rapidly from Sirhind to Ludhiyana. There he learnt that on the Mirza's approaching Lahore, the garrison had closed the gates against him. Upon this the Mirza went to Sher-garh and Jahni.