The Memoirs of Bābur 2.3.4

2.3.4

After every part of it was in order and ready, I called together all the amirs, and men of any experience and knowledge, and held a general council. It was settled that as Panipat was a considerable city, it would cover one of our flanks by its buildings and houses, while we might fortify our front by tûras, or covered defences and cannon, and that the matchlockmen and infantry should be placed in the rear of the guns and tûras. With this resolution we moved, and in two marches, on Thursday, the 30th of the last Jumada, reached Panipat. On our right were the town and suburbs. In my front I placed the guns and tiirds which had been prepared. On the left, and in different other points, we drew ditches and made defences of the boughs of trees. At the distance of every bowshot, a space was left large enough for 100 or 150 men to issue forth. Many of the troops were in great tremor and alarm. Trepidation and fear are always unbecoming. Whatsoever Almighty God has decreed from all eternity cannot be reversed ; though, at the same time, I cannot greatly blame them ; they had some reason ; for they had come two or three months' journey from their own country ; we had to engage in arms a strange nation, whose language we did not understand, and who did not understand ours. The army of the enemy opposed to us was estimated at 100,000 men ; the elephants of the Emperor and his officers were said to amount to nearly 1000.