History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c40.33.7

v2.c40.33.7

A body of troops sent to 'Alīwardī by Saif Khān of Purnia was attacked by the Marathas at Sultanganj near Bhagalpur and detained until assistance was sent to them. Mīr Ḥabīb attacked the rear of 'Alīwardī's army in the Bhagalpur district and plundered the baggage.² Both Jānujī and Mīr Ḥabīb arrived in the neighbourhood of Patna and sent notice of their arrival to Shamsher Khān and Sardār Khān. The Afghans now joined the Marathas and considered themselves to be in the service of Jānujī. They visited the Maratha camp and were honoured with *khila'ats*. When Mīr Ḥabīb came to their camp, they committed the blunder of detaining him. Mīr Ḥabīb was extricated from this difficult situation by his friend Mīrzā Ṣāleh. A body of Maratha troopers suddenly appeared and informed the Afghans that 'Alīwardī was attacking them. A confusion ensued during which Mīr Ḥabīb escaped to his own camp. He paid two lakhs of rupees through a banker and retired. This mistake of the Afghans was the real cause of their defeat in the battle, because 'Alīwardī's position was really very serious and if the Marathas had attacked him from the rear while he was fighting with the Afghans in the front the day would have gone very hard upon him. The Maratha army was drawn at right angles to the Afghan line and was skirmishing till the end. The death of Sardār Khan broke the rank of the Afghans and was the cause of their defeat.