A History of Assam c14.12

c14.12

reinforcements from Gauhāti. He then assumed the offensive and inflicted several minor defeats on the rebels. But soon afterwards, a force under the Pāni Phukan was cut up in a night attack, and another force, under the Dhekiāl Phukan, was so demoralized that it dispersed in confusion on the approach of the fugitives, whom it mistook for Moāmariās. The Burhā Gohāin with great difficulty rallied his men, but he could no longer hope to do more than prevent a further advance on the part of the rebels. With this object, he constructed a line of forts along the Nāmdāng river, from the Bar Āli to the Khari Katiā Āli, which he succeeded in holding until March 1788, when a son of Raja Rājesvar Singh, known as the Pātkuar, collected a force, and, after defeating several detachments of the insurgents, joined hands with him. Meanwhile the Moāmariās, who were suffering from want of supplies, relaxed their efforts, and the Pātkuar, deeming the time opportune for a fresh advance, moved forward and occupied Sibsāgar. His success was short-lived. Soon afterwards he was ambushed, taken prisoner and put to death.