Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 19.22
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 19.22
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- English
19.22.1
During all these movements, two Marhatta Commanders of character, namely, Shy8-bahat and Bab8-djan, with the Radja of Bishen-p8r, came to join the Emperor, to whom they paid their respects. This junction of so much light cavalry, put Cam-car-qhan upon exerting himself. It happened that Mir-cassem-qhan, son-in-law to the Navvab, and who had been sent for with his troops from his Fodjdary of Rangp8r, was encamped on the river Dam8der. Cam-car-qhan, who had received intelligence of it, marched sixteen cosses in one day, to fall upon him by surprise; but the other having betimes found out his danger, retired to the grand army, and only some of his people were intercepted by the Marhattas, who just shewed themselves, and overtook his rear. The Navvab after that junction with his son, put himself at the head of that numerous army, and trusting to his numbers, and to the prevalence of his English, he presented battle to Cam-car-qhan, who had been encamped on the other side of the Dam8der; the latter not thinking himself a match for such numerous forces, resolved to deceive them, and to go back towards Azim-abad. He tarried only that night in that post, and at day-break, he beat his nagara, and took to the road of Azim-abad. Mir-djaafer-qhan finding that the enemy avoided an engagement, crossed the Damoder with intention to pursue;
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and this being perceived by the enemy, Cam-car-qhan and Shyabahad detached themselves from their main, and kept the enemy in play for some hours together with repeated skirmishes, until their baggage and main had advanced on their journey by four or five cosses; after which they left the enemy and rejoined their main. This retreat having set at ease Mir-djaafer-qhan's mind, who was already elated by his son's victory, he resolved to get rid in his own way of a man on whose account he harboured some suspicions, as he was accused of some correspondence with the Emperor. This was no other than Sheh-abdol-vehhab-canbo, a Commander of character, who had served with distinction under Seradj-ed-doula. On this single surmise, the old Navvab got him seized and blown at a gun; this being his second performance in that style. Meanwhile Cam-car-qhan finding himself so much outnumbered, had thought proper to go back to Azim-abad; and on the other hand, Mir-djaafer-qhan and the English troops, who are all infantry, had become tired of such laborious marches, and of such a desultory kind of war. Both nations were to a man desirous of some repose. They, therefore, made choice of a proper spot near Bardevan, where they rested for some days, waiting to see what might be Cam-car-qhan's operations with his Marhatta auxiliaries, and in what part of the country he would emerge again; for the Emperor had invited Mösher Lass, the Frenchman, to join him again;
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and the latter had quitted his residence of Chitur-pur, and was arrived in the neighbourhood of Azim-abad, whilst he that had invited him over, was yet in the Bardevan. On his approach, a general consternation seized the whole city, as there were not in the place any troops, either Hindostany or English. Ram-narain himself stood amazed; nor were Mr. Amyatt and the other gentlemen of the English factory without many apprehensions on their own account; for far from being elated by the victory which their friends had gained, they did not think themselves on a state of defence against Mösher Lass; and on the other hand Ram-narain, as well as Mustapha-culi-qhan and the other Grandees of the city, were all out of their minds; nevertheless, they sent a gentleman of distinction to compliment Mösher Lass. It was one Mir-djaafer, who had got acquainted with that Commander, when the latter had some years ago hired his house for lodging his people; his orders were to sound the Frenchman upon his intentions. The envoy soon returned, and brought intelligence that at present he had not so much as a thought about mastering the city; and there was a good reason for it; for as he had come from afar, and by continual marches, he had no information at all about the state in which the place could be; nor did he know whether it contained any troops, and in what number.
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Had he been informed how destitute it was of every thing that might be called soldiers, he would have not failed to lay hold of so fair and so easy an opportunity. There were no troops in the city; and all the force in the English factory did not amount to more than one company of Talingas, and a few gentlemen; for I reckon for nothing those that had escaped from the engagement with Ram-narain. These were too much disheartened by their wounds and by their shameful defeat, to stand the brunt of an escalade, or an assault. The envoy having satisfied himself with the Frenchman's intentions, strove to render others easy; but this proved a difficult task; and the consternation remained until the Frenchman having decamped and marched by the outskirts of the city, and the suburbs of Tulsy-monduvi, went round and advanced two or three cosses, where he encamped on the road to Bahar; then only did the inhabitants of Azim-abad think themselves safe; and then only did they commence to breathe freely, as if they had come to life a second time. Mir-djaafer reported, that Mûsher Lass had asked about his friends in the city, such as Mustapha-cûli-qhan, Mir-abdollah, and Mir-afzul, and some others; and he added, that on his asking in the name of those friends of his, how matters went with him? The Frenchman had contented himself with answering those questions by these two verses of the poets:— "Turn your eyes from us, for we are afflicted.
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"We are sitting upon a consuming fire, and nearly reduced to ashes." On his arrival at Bahar, he spent his time in manufacturing gunpowder, and making every preparation which his circumstances could afford; but they had so good intelligence at Azim-abad, that his preparations were known day by day. It was at this very time that Cam-car-qhan returned with the Emperor from his expedition of Bardevan; but hardly were they arrived, when they heard several good news at one and the same time; for it was about this time that Qhadem-hassen-qhan, Governor of Pûraniah, wrote word, "That he was attached to the Imperial service, and would soon come up with his forces to the Emperor's assistance;" and meanwhile sums of money in small parcels came to the Imperial treasury from Radja Dûllûb-ram, by the channel of the Sanyassee Fakyrs, who also brought letters which assured the Emperor of his attachment and devotion to his Imperial service. Nor was that silent manner of transacting business unknown to Mir-afzul, the Cashmirian merchant, a man of eminence, who assisted the Emperor both with money and information. Unluckily for that Prince, Qhadem-hassen-qhan was faulty in delaying his departure so much; for had he come at that time, it is certain that he would have mastered the city of Azim-abad with ease, and that such a conquest would have added a great deal of renown and influence to the Imperial name.
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And indeed, although the Emperor and Cam-car-qhan had thought proper, on their arrival at Bahar, to give their forces some repose, nevertheless all was confusion in Azim-abad, as there were not in that city any troops that could be trusted; and the Governor, as well as the inhabitants, trembled for their own safety, even at the very time he did every thing in his power to encourage his people, and to put his towers and ramparts in repair. At last he found himself at the head of some thing that looked like a force; and his city was put in a state of defence. Meanwhile letter after letter was going to Mûrshûd-abad to represent the state of impotence, to which the departure of his brother, Dirdj-narain, with all the forces of the province, had reduced him. These efforts were seconded by Mr. Amyatt, who was preparing for his own defence, and had assembled in the factory about three companies of Talingas, who had been hitherto dispersed in several outposts. But hardly were those preparatives finished, when the Emperor made his appearance with his General, and at last besieged the city. Immediately the garrison was distributed everywhere, and every thing prepared for a vigorous resistance. But amongst those proposed to the defence of the walls, none cut so conspicuous a figure as Râo-shitab-ray, who although but one of the many that had been in the battle lost by Ram-narâin, seemed to be the most humbled by that disgrace, and the most active in endeavouring to retrieve his honour.
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He passed every night on the ramparts without sleeping, whilst his corps, that did not amount to more than two or three hundred men, was so much encouraged by his example and by his liberalities, that his soldiers proved at all times the boldest and most active of the whole garrison. The Emperor and his General were encamped at the Eastern gate, near the citadel; and an assault had already been given to it. The fifth or sixth day of the siege, Mûsher Lass having spied in the southern part of the wall a spot proper for his design, applied a ladder, upon which some of his men mounted directly. Luckily for the besieged that Doctor Fullerton, with some officers and a few Talingas, immediately ran to that part, where one of the officers finding a rocket under his hand, set fire to it, and threw it against the Frenchman, whom it overthrew in the ditch whether dead or alive. The report having brought Shitab-ray to the spot, he ordered his men to go round out of the gate, and to take the assaulters in flank; which being bravely executed by those people, whilst the Talingas fired upon them from the wall, the French were repulsed and obliged to desist. Two days after, at about four o'clock in the morning, Mûsher Lass commenced another attack on the western side of the city; and he played his cannon and mortars with so good effect, that a general terror seized the inhabitants.
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At the same time another attack was formed on the eastern side by Zin-el-abedin-qhan, of whose valour and high character we have made mention in our account of Mahmed-cûli-qhan's retreat. Part of the wall, which was of masonry, had been thrown down by the French artillery, and Zin-el-abedin-qhan having ordered his standard-bearer to precede, planted some ladders, and mounted immediately, himself the foremost. Being arrived upon the top of the wall, he planted his standard with his own hand, and was soon joined by a few men that were emulous of his bravery; and these commenced firing upon the garrison, which stood below, and killed so many men, that the others thought proper to seek their safety by flight. Nevertheless that brave officer was not within the place as yet. The wall was lofty, and it became necessary to draw up the ladders, and to let them down again; a manoeuvre that took up some time, and put it in the power of Pür-dil-qhan-balloch, the Djonpûrian, to come up with his corps, and to support the garrison. A warm firing ensued, which soon brought Doctor Fullerton with a few Talingas thither; and matters became doubtful, when some musket-ball hit Zin-el-abedin-qhan in the leg, and shattered the bone into shivers. He was supported by his men, who took him up in their arms, and were at the pains of letting him down the wall in that condition, and thither they all followed him, no one daring to stand his ground without their brave Commander.