Later Mughals v1.c10.s12.1

v1.c10.s12.1

As soon as he reached Agra, Husain Ali Khan rode round the fort and fixed in person the sites for the batteries, the side selected for attack being the south, where is the bastion then known as the Bangala-burj, a place which was weakly defended and had no earthwork (pushta) to strengthen the wall. Heavy guns were brought to bear on the walls;* but as the wet weather had begun and the rain was heavy, ten and in some cases twenty days were occupied in dragging these cannon the distance, only a mile or two, which separated the camp from the fort. The route through the lanes and bazars being very narrow, the dwelling-houses and shops were pulled down to allow of the passage of the artillery. Within the fort there are said to have been thirteen hundred cannon, counting those of every kind. From these the garrison artillerymen (the Baksariya) kept up an incessant fire, not allowing themselves a respite even during the night. Damage was done on both sides. Even persons resorting to the river bank to draw water were fired on from the fort, and fell victims. The governor's mansion near the fort was destroyed, the mosque known as the Begam Sahib's, standing opposite to the citadel, was injured, the tower and marble steps being struck by shot, and the buildings of the Tirpoliya or triple gate, suffered equally. The besiegers returned the fire and injured the battlements on all four walls, doing also some damage to the Moti Masjid. Haidar Quli Khan, who had under his command many Europeans, whom he had brought from Surat, drove several saps towards the walls. Little effect was, however, produced on the fort; nor did the garrison show any enterprize, or try to open a way through the investing lines and join their friends outside. The attacking force had succeeded in causing the besieged to withdraw within the fort; but beyond this advantage nothing was gained, except that Ghairat Khan and Shamsher Khan, after a good deal of fighting, took the chabutra or police office at the fort gate.†