The Memoirs of Bābur 4: Year 934 (1527-8 A.D.)
Túzak-i Bábarí (extracts, from Erskine's translation) 4
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Year 934 (1527-8 A.D.)
4.1
On Sunday [29th Safar] Ustád 'Ali Kuli fired a large ball from a cannon; though the ball went far, the cannon burst in pieces, and every piece knocked down several men, of whom eight died. * * * On Monday the 14th of the first Rabi', I set out, in pursuance of a vow, on a holy war against Chanderi, and marching three kos, halted at Jalesar. * * * On Friday, the 24th [of the second Rabi'], we encamped near Kachwah. * * * Having halted one day, I sent on a number of overseers and pioneers to level the inequalities of the road, and to cut down the jungle, to admit of the guns and carriages passing without difficulty. * * * * Leaving Kachwah, the second day's march brought us within three kos of Chánderi, where we encamped, having previously crossed the river of Barhanpur. The citadel of Chánderi is situated on a hill. The outer fort and town lie in the middle of the slope of the hill. The straight road, by which cannon can be conveyed, passes right below the fort. After marching from Barhánpur, we passed a kos lower down than Chanderi, on account of our guns, and at the end of the march, on Tuesday, the 28th, encamped on the banks of Bahjat Khán's tank, on the top of the mound. Next morning I rode out and distributed the different posts around the fort to the different divisions of my army, to the centre and to the right and left wings. In placing his battery, Ustád 'Alí Kulí chose a piece of ground that had no slope.
4.2
Overseers and pioneers were appointed to construct works on which the guns were to be planted. All the men of the army were directed to prepare túrds and scaling-ladders, and to serve the túrds which are used in attacking forts. Chánderí had formerly belonged to the Sultáns of Mándú. After the death of Sultán Násiru-d dín, one of his sons, Sultán Mahmúd, who is now in Mándú, got possession of Mándú and the neighbouring countries; another of his sons, Muhammad Sháh, seized on Chánderí, and applied to Sultán Sikandar for protection. Sultán Sikandar sent several large armies and supported him in his dominions. After Sultán Sikandar's demise, in Sultán Ibráhím's reign, Muhammad Sháh died, leaving a young son of the name of Ahmad Sháh. Sultán Ibráhím carried off Ahmad Sháh, and established one of his own people in his stead. When Sanká advanced with an army against Ibráhím as far as Dhú-lpúr, that prince's amírs rose against him, and on that occasion Chánderí fell into Sanká's hands. He bestowed it on one Mediní Ráo, a Pagan of great consequence, who was now in the place with 4000 or 5000 Pagans. * * I sent to him to assure him of my favour and clemency, and offering him Shamsábád in exchange for Chánderí. Two or three considerable people about him were averse to conciliation, * * and the treaty broke off without success.
4.3
On the morning of Tuesday, the 6th of the first Jumáda, I marched from Bahjat Khán's tank, for the purpose of attempting Chánderí by force, and encamped on the banks of the middle tank, which is near the fort. The same morning, just as we reached our ground, Khalifa brought me a letter or two. The tenor of them was, that the army which had been sent to the eastward (púrab), while marching in disorder, had been attacked and defeated; that it had abandoned Lucknow, and fallen back to Kanauj, * * * The enemy had garrisoned every part of the citadel [of Chanderi] strongly, but had placed only a few men, by ones and twos, in the outer fort to defend it. This very night my troops entered the outer fort on every side. There being but few people in the place, the resistance was not obstinate. They fled, and took shelter in the citadel. Next morning, being Wednesday, the 7th of the first Jumáda, I commanded the troops to arm themselves, to repair to their posts, and prepare for an assault, directing that as soon as I raised my standard and beat my kettledrum, every man should push on to the assault. I did not intend to display my standard, nor beat the kettledrum, till we were ready to storm, but went to see Ustád 'Ali Kuli's battering-cannon play. He discharged three or four shot; but his ground having no slope, and the works being very strong, and entirely of rock, the effect produced was trifling. It has been mentioned that the citadel of Chanderi is situated on a hill;
4.4
on one side of it they have made a covered way, which runs down to the water. The walls of this covered way reach down below the hill, and this is one of the places in which the fort is assailable with most hopes of success. This spot had been assigned to the right and left of the centre, and to my own household troops, as the object of their attack. The citadel was attacked on all sides, but here with particular vigour. Though the Pagans exerted themselves to the utmost, hurling down stones from above, and throwing over flaming substances on their heads, the troops nevertheless persevered, and at length Sháham Náz Beg mounted, where the wall of the outer fort joined the wall of the projecting bastion. The troops, likewise, about the same time, scaled the walls in two or three other places. The Pagans, who were stationed in the covered way, took to flight, and that part of the works was taken. They did not defend the upper fort with so much obstinacy, and were quickly put to flight; the assailants climbed up and entered the upper fort by storm. In a short time the Pagans, in a state of complete nudity, rushed out to attack us, put numbers of my people to flight, and leaped over the ramparts. Some of our troops were attacked furiously, and put to the sword.
4.5
The reason of this desperate sally from their works was, that, on giving up the place for lost, they had put to death the whole of their wives and women, and, having resolved to perish, had stripped themselves naked, in which condition they had rushed out to the fight; and, engaging with ungovernable desperation, drove our people along the ramparts. Two or three hundred Pagans had entered Medini Rao's house, where numbers of them slew each other, in the following manner: One person took his stand with a sword in his hand, while the others, one by one, crowded in and stretched out their necks eager to die. In this way many went to hell; and by the favour of God, in the space of two or three gharis, I gained this celebrated fort, without raising my standard, or beating my kettledrum, and without using the whole strength of my arms. On the top of a hill, to the north-west of Chanderi, I erected a tower of the heads of the Pagans. * * *
4.6
Next morning, being Thursday, I marched round the fort, and encamped by the fort of Mallu Khan. When I came it was my design, after the capture of Chanderi, to fall upon Rai Sing, and Bhilsan (Bhilsa), and Sarangpur, which is a country of the Pagans that belonged to Salahu-d din, the Pagan; and I intended, after conquering them, to advance to Chitur against Sanka. On the arrival of the unfavourable news that has been alluded to, I convened the Begs and held a council, in which it was decided that it was necessary, first of all, to proceed to check the rebellion of the insurgents. I gave Chanderi to Ahmad Shah, who has been mentioned, the grandson of Sultan Nasiru-d din, and fixed a revenue of fifty lacs to be paid from it to the imperial treasury. * *
4.7
On Sunday, the 11th of the first Jumada, I set out on my expedition. * * * On Saturday, the 24th, having halted at the passage of Kinar, I ordered the troops to lose no time in crossing with all possible speed. At this time I received intelligence that the detachment which I had sent forward, after abandoning Kanauj, had fallen back to Rabri, and that a strong force had advanced and stormed the fort of Shamsabad, which had been garrisoned by the troops of Abu-l Muhammad Niza-baz. We were detained three or four days on the two banks of the river, while the army was passing. Having transported the whole army across, I proceeded, march after march, for Kanauj, and sent on a party of light troops before us, in order to gain intelligence of the enemy. We were still two or three marches from Kanauj, when they returned with information that, instantly on discovering from a distance the troops who had advanced to reconnoitre, the son of M'aruf had fled from Kanauj and abandoned it, and that Biban and Bayazid, as well as M'aruf, on hearing of my motions, had recrossed the Ganges, and occupied the east side of the river opposite to Kanauj, hoping that they would be able to prevent my passage.
4.8
On Thursday, the 6th of the latter Jumada, I passed Kanauj, and encamped on the western bank of the Ganges. My troops went out and seized a number of the enemy's boats, which they brought in. From above and from below they collected about thirty or forty boats in all, of different sizes. I sent Mir Muhammad Jalahban to throw a bridge over the river. He accordingly went and marked out a situation, about a kos below our encampment. I appointed commissaries to provide everything requisite for the bridge. Near the place pitched on, Ustad 'Ali Kuli brought a gun for the purpose of cannonading, and having pitched upon a proper spot, began his fire. * * * Having planted a swivel on an island, at a place below where the bridge was constructing, a fire was commenced from it. Higher up than the bridge a breastwork was raised, over which the matchlockmen fired with great execution. * * * For several days, while the bridge was constructing, Ustad 'Ali Kuli played his gun remarkably well. The first day he discharged it eight times; the second day sixteen times; and for three or four days he continued firing in the same way. The gun which he fired was that called Deg-ghazi (the victorious gun). It was the same which had been used in the war with Sanka, the Pagan, whence it got its name. Another gun, larger than this, had been planted, but it burst at the first fire. * * *
4.9
As soon as the bridge was nearly completed, on Wednesday, the 19th of the last Jumada, I moved and took post at the end of it. The Afghans, amazed at our attempt to throw a bridge over the Ganges, treated it with contempt. On Thursday, the bridge being completed, a few of the infantry and Lahoris crossed and had a slight action with the enemy. On Friday, part of my household troops, the right of the centre, the left of the centre, my best troops, and foot musketeers crossed over. The whole Afghans having armed themselves for battle, mounted, and advancing with their elephants attacked them. At one time they made an impression on the troops of the left, and drove them back, but the troops of the right and of the centre stood their ground, and finally drove from the field the enemy opposed to them. * * * The fight continued sharply till afternoon prayers. The whole night was employed in bringing back across the bridge such as had passed to the other side. If that same Saturday eve I had carried over the rest of my army, it is probable that most of the enemy would have fallen into our hands. But it came into my head, that last year I had set out on my march from Sikri to attack Sanka on New Year's Day, which fell on a Tuesday, and had overthrown my enemy on a Saturday. This year we had commenced our march against these enemies on New Year's Day, which fell upon a Wednesday, and that if we beat them on a Sunday it would be a remarkable coincidence.
4.10
On that account I did not march my troops. On Saturday, the enemy did not come out to action, but stood afar off, drawn up in order of battle. That day we conveyed over our artillery, and next morning the troops had orders to cross. About the beat of the morning drum, information reached us from the advanced guard, that the enemy had gone off and fled. I commanded Chin Tímúr Sultán to push on before the army, in pursuit of the enemy. * * * I also crossed over about the time of early morning prayers. * * * The detachment which had been sent on to harass the enemy, had little success. * * * On Saturday, the 29th of the latter Jumáda, I reached Lucknow; and having surveyed it, passed the river Gumti, and encamped. * * * On Saturday, the 7th Rajab, I encamped two or three kos above Oudh, at the junction of the Gogar and Sirwu. Till that day, Shaikh Báyazíd had kept his station not far from Oudh, on the other side of the Sirwu. * * * [Chin Tímúr] Sultán began to make preparations for passing the river. When Karáchah had joined Sultán, they passed the river without delay. * * * Those who had passed over first, continued till evening prayers in pursuit of Shaikh Báyazíd, who threw himself into a jungle and escaped. * * I halted some days in this station, for the purpose of settling the affairs of Oudh and the neighbouring country, and for making the necessary arrangements. [_The remaining transactions of this year are not to be found._]