Storia do Mogor 65.22
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.22
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65.22.1
The traitors had made an agreement with Aurangzeb that when he was ready to give battle he should warn them by three discharges of cannon, and thereupon they would make dispositions for delivering Dara into his hands. Meanwhile Aurangzeb gave proof of how he understood recompensing those who helped him in his unjust undertaking. He caused his friend Champat to be sent for, who was waiting not far from his tents, in expectation of the many favours and presents promised to him. When he reached the presence, having no anticipation of what was about to happen to him, Aurangzeb instantly caused him to be bound and carried to the route along which he designed to advance next morning to give battle; there he was to be offered up a sacrificial victim, and beheaded. This command was executed. On the 2nd of June (1658) Dara received a letter from his father Shahjahan, directing his retreat to Agrah, there to entrench himself until the arrival of Sulaiman Shukoh. This could not be done, because if Dara retreated, the enemy would without fail resume his advance with still greater spirit, while our troops would lose all confidence in the valour of their prince and commander. They would imagine if he retired that he had not the courage to attack. The greater part of our army directly they saw such a movement would inevitably transfer themselves to the enemy's side.
65.22.2
So far was Dara from following the advice of his father that he had, on the contrary, made up his mind to deliver battle. In reply to his father, he wrote that he ought to take his ease and keep in good heart. He promised him that within three days he would drag Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh bound into his presence, when he might punish them as he saw fit. The truth is that he (Dara) wished to fight on the 3rd of June, a Saturday. But the traitors, taking advantage of a shower of rain which fell in our camp, said it was not a good time to attack, for already the skies wept over his defeat as soon as they heard he meant to fight. It would be much better to delay until the next day, which was known to be the first day, when God created light — a very auspicious day, on which without any doubt he would be victorious. All this they said, because if Dara had attacked the enemy on that day he would have gained a certain victory. For Aurangzeb had not then his ranks in proper order, nor had the agreed-on signal been given.
65.22.3
The presumption that I discovered in Dara afflicted me, seeing him give credit to the words of traitors. But I consoled myself a good deal, being so young, with the hope of getting some experience of war. On the whole I did not feel satisfied, finding that Dara was not making the exertions required for the good ordering of such a huge army. He had no sufficient experience in matters of war, having been brought up among the dancing-women and buffoons of his father, and gave undue credit to the words of the traitors. On the 3rd of June, at midnight, the enemy fired three pieces of artillery, the signal agreed upon with the traitors, showing them that Aurangzeb had now made his dispositions for giving battle at daybreak. We replied with other three shots. After one hour had elapsed Dara emerged from the camp through the midst of our artillery, for which it was necessary to take down my tent to allow a passage for his exit with the few cavalry in his retinue. A short time afterwards I mounted my horse and went forth out of curiosity to know what was going on, this being the first battle that I had been able to see. Trusting to my good horse, I went on, and halted on a height adjoining an uninhabited village ; thence I saw, though it was still dark, many horsemen leave our army for that of Aurangzeb, and never return.
65.22.4
Almost at daybreak there came forth from the army of Aurangzeb several camels laden with bombs, escorted by some horsemen and many men on foot, who halted in the village and distributed themselves at considerable distances. As the light grew clearer I saw that Aurangzeb was advancing very leisurely with his whole army. It was formed into five divisions of cavalry. In the first division, placed in the middle, was the strong and valiant Aurangzeb seated on a large elephant, accompanied by fifteen thousand horsemen, well armed with lances, bows and arrows, and matchlocks. At his right hand he had his son Sultan Muhammad, and Mirbaba (Mir Baba), his foster-brother, to whom on this occasion he gave the title of Badercan (Bahadur Khan), at the head of another fifteen thousand horsemen. The third division, on the right hand of Sultan Muhammad, had also fifteen thousand horse under the command of Nezebetcan (Najabat Khan) and other generals. The fourth division was composed of another fifteen thousand well-armed cavalry, with whom was Prince Murad Bakhsh, seated on a lofty elephant, which rose like a tower in the midst of his squadrons. With him sat his little son.
65.22.5
The remainder of Aurangzeb's army consisted of one division of problematical value, made up of low-class men of unwarlike habits, in addition to baggage, carts, camels, and unloaded oxen; these had their place on the left of Murad Bakhsh. Behind followed all the artillery. As this army continued its advance in tranquillity, so I in the same manner retired until I saw that they had arrived close to the deserted village. Then the artillery was ordered to the front, behind them the musketeers, behind them again some camels carrying swivel-guns (trilhoens). In their rear was the army, as I have above described. I answer for all this with confidence [188].
65.22.6
I awaited the approach of our army, in order to take my place. But seeing from afar that it did not stir, I went back close to it, where there were several scattered horsemen. There I halted to look at it, and consider our great army and its disposition. I noticed that while I had been away to look at the army of Aurangzeb, Dara had arrayed his forces in the following order: The artillery was all in one row, and each carriage bore two scarlet pennons. This row of guns served as a wall to protect the musketeers behind it, to the number of twenty-five thousand men. These were supported by five hundred camels with swivel-guns (trilhoens); to their rear stood the armour-clad elephants, and then the cavalry, twenty-eight thousand horsemen. Last of all was Dara on his magnificent elephant, followed by numerous elephants carrying drums, trumpets, and all manner of music, forming his retinue.
65.22.7
In the division to the right of Dara was Ramsing Rotella (Ram Singh, Rathor) with his fifteen thousand Rajputs, all well-armed men of war. On their right was Khalilullah Khan with thirty thousand Moguls, whose orders were to encounter the miscellaneous division of which I spoke, this being his (Khalilullah Khan's) own pretext. On the left hand of Dara was posted the valorous general Rustomcan Dacanj (Rustam Khan, Dakhini) with fifteen thousand horse in all; at his left Raja Chartersilara (Chhatarsal Rae) with fifteen thousand horsemen, the greater part of them Rajputs. All this array made a lovely sight, both by the beauty of the arms and by the number of standards and pennons of so many colours. Be it known to the reader that these two armies were not ordered in the disposition obtaining in Europe. But one division was close to another as the trees of a pinewood, in the order that I have described.
65.22.8
I remained where I was in safety, there being no firing from either side. It was already eight o'clock of the day, when there came an order from our army that all the scattered horsemen must retire, because they wanted to discharge the artillery. Thereupon everyone withdrew into the army, and a poor Mogul cavalier riding behind me, not getting back in time, fell at the first fire of our artillery. Repeated orders poured in to keep up a continuous artillery fire, although the shot did no damage. They fell short of Aurangzeb's men, who were at a great distance from us. I was much amazed at their making us work thus for nothing. During the time that we were making this deafening din with our guns, the enemy saluted us with nothing but a few bombs with tails, after the style of rockets.
65.22.9
After the first discharge Aurangzeb ordered one of his pieces of artillery to be fired in continuation of the signal to the traitors. After we had fired again several times he let off two pieces together. When we had fired ten times he replied with three pieces at once. This was the desired signal by which he was to let the traitors know that he was prepared to receive an attack where he was, without moving towards Dara. Then, leaving his division, Khalīlullah Khan came in search of Dara. On reaching his presence he greeted him as victor, speaking thus : ' May the victory be auspicious to the invincible Dara ! Without losing any of his men, solely by use of his artillery, he has destroyed the greater part of the enemy, and little effort remains to gain a complete victory. It is not desirable to continue artillery fire, but we must now advance and lay hold of the enemy.'