Later Mughals v1.c6.s20: Sec. 20.—Sikh Entrenchments Stormed : Escape of Banda.
Later Mughals v1.c6.s20
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Sec. 20.—Sikh Entrenchments Stormed : Escape of Banda.
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On the 13th Shawwal, 1122 (4th December, 1710), Rustam Dil Khan, in his capacity of Mir Tuzak, or quarter-master-general, was directed to go forward with the advance-tents and select an appropriate site for the next encampment, taking care to protect the tents from any attack by the other side. Munim Khan, the Wazir, and his son, Mahabat Khan, escorted the tents with their own troops, reinforced by those of the third Prince, Rafi-ush-shan, which were commanded by his Bakhshi, or general, Afzal Khan. Next day it was ascertained that when Rustam Dil Khan had gone about two kos from camp, the enemy began to show in the jungle, commencing the attack with a shower of arrows, rockets, and musket balls. Without pausing, Rustam Dil Khan rushed upon them. The Sikhs stood their ground bravely and on their coming to close quarters, many on both sides were killed. Soon the rest of the imperial troops arrived.* About fifteen hundred Sikhs were slain, including two of their leaders, and of the imperialists, a nephew of Firuz Khan Mewati was killed, and his son wounded. Just before night-fall the Sikhs lost heart and made off into the ravines between the hills.†
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∗ Anonymous Fragment of *Farrukh-siyar-nama*, fol. 16 *a*.
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The imperialists beat their drums in honour of the victory, and, advancing another one-and-a-half kos, they set up the imperial tents. Munim Khan and his son remained to protect them, while Rustam Dil Khan, Afzal Khan and other employes proceeded half a kos farther and took up a position on the bank of the Som, in which stream there was a small quantity of running water. On the other side of the stream stretched a wilderness full of trees. All night long there was a dreadful noise, and the whole time was passed in watching and on the alert. The Emperor gave Rustam Dil Khan the credit for this first success. This was no more than his due, for when most of his followers had retreated, he stood firm with only forty or fifty horsemen, who were his own relations, and continued the fight till the rest of the division came up to reinforce him and dispersed the enemy. He received the title of Ghazi Khan, Rustam Jang, and his rank was raised to 4,000 zat, 3,000 horse. Valuable gifts were sent off to him by the hand of Haiyat Khan, and trays of food from the imperial kitchen were forwarded to the Wazir and his son.‡
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∗ Kamwar Khan himself was present with Rafi-ush-shan's troops. † Kamwar Khan, 78. ‡ Ibid, 79.
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On the 18th Shawwal 1122 (9th December, 1710), Bahadur Shah reached his camp on the banks of the Som, where Munim Khan and his son Mahabat Khan were received in audience. The Emperor expressed his intention of inspecting the next day the entrenchments prepared by the Sikhs at the foot of the hills, and Prince Rafi-ush-shan received orders to provide for His Majesty's protection during the reconnaissance.*
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Next morning, the 19th Shawwal 1122 (10th December, 1710), Prince Rafi-ush-shan led out the imperial troops towards the foot of the Dabar hills. A quarter of a kos in advance came the Prince, leading the imperial vanguard. Rajah Udait Singh Bundela (of Orchha), was at the head of Zulfiqar Khan's contingent; while Munim Khan, the minister, accompanied by his two sons, Mahabat Khan and Khan Zaman, bore away to the right by a route pointed out to him by men with knowledge of the locality. The most forward part of Munim Khan's force was led by Rajah Chattarsal Bundela and Islam Khan, general of artillery. Munim Khan was also supported by the troops of Hamid-ud-din Khan and the contingents of the Princes Azim-ush-shan and Jahan Shah.†
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† Kamwar Khan, 79, 80. He here notes that he now quits the reports of others and records what he saw with his own eyes. Mirza Muhammad and his brother were also with Rafi-ush-shan's division. (I.O.L. No. 50, f. 98a).
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Before a fourth of the day had passed, Munim Khan and his force came upon the Sikh entrenchments, strongly constructed on the tops of the hills. A heavy artillery and musketry fire was commenced, and in time the enemy were dislodged from the top of a small hill. The contending parties then came to closer quarters and many Sikhs lost their lives. About midday Munim Khan's troops made good their approach to the Lohgarh fort, the Guru's home and head-quarters. A severe struggle ensued. By this time the imperial troops (under Rafi-ush-shan) had quitted the open plain and were distant about a quarter of a kos from the walls of Lohgarh. From time to time shots from the walls fell in the Prince's ranks, but luckily none of them did any harm. Zulfiqar Khan halted and at intervals sent messages to the Prince that a slow advance was advisable. Although this advice was in appearance full of prudence, the clearer-sighted were aware that this desire to delay was wholly due to old quarrels and differences of opinion with Munim Khan. The Prince, to please Zulfiqar Khan, gave orders to halt, and alighting, he entered a light field-tent to eat some breakfast.*
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 79.
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A little after midday, at the time of the Zuhr prayer, a great smoke and much noise arose within the Sikh enclosure. Kamwar Khan with one or two companions, then left the Prince's division and went towards the position of the Sikhs. When they arrived within an arrow's flight of the earthen fortification, they drew rein, and at that moment a cannon ball from the top of the hill struck a tamarind tree, then glancing off grazed slightly the neck of the horse ridden by one of the party, and passed on without doing further damage, beyond having thrown the group into some disorder. Shortly after this happened, some plunderers who had made their way into the fort, passed carrying on their backs an Afghan, who had been hurt by a gunpowder explosion. From these men Kamwar Khan learnt that the imperialists had reached the hill-top and had begun to slay and plunder, but the enemy still continued to defend several other of the small hills, and some of them had taken refuge in a fort that they had named Sataragarh, or the Star fort.†
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† Ibid, 81.
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Kamwar Khan went on to the entrenched post of the Sikhs and found it in the hands of the plunderers, Rohela Afghans, Biloch, and others, who had taken crowds of women and children prisoners. The heavy goods and baggage they had set fire to, taking only cash and articles of value. Through the carelessness of these men several magazines of powder took fire, by which many of them were blown up. One heart-rending spectacle was the dead body of Saj Anand's son, and those of many Muhammadan men and women, slain by the Sikhs before they had taken to flight. The bodies lay half-hidden by a few stones hastily thrown over them.*
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 80.
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One Mirza Rukn now arrived from the front, and informed them that the struggle still continued in the passes of the hills. Rustam Dil Khan, he said, had gained the foot of a small hill, on which stood a white building. It was believed that the Guru, in person, was in that house. The Mirza added that, so far as he had ascertained, the Sikh leader was seated under a particular awning on a particular hill, looking on at the action, and that all way of escape from that hill was cut off. This conversation had hardly ended, when Rajah Udait Singh, stung by the taunts of his fellow countryman, Chattarsal Bundela, rode off towards that hill, and his matchlockmen, quickly occupying an eminence which commanded it, poured their fire upon it. It seems that the Guru, who with several of his chief men was in that tent, was disconcerted by this firing, and moving down to the other side of the hill made good his escape. His departure caused the evacuation of several of the other hill-tops. The Rajah and other commanders of Munim Khan's force cleared the other eminences of their defenders, and by the time of evening-prayer none of their Sikh opponents were left, except those in the white building. Many women and children, horses and camels, were captured. Munim Khan was now recalled and he returned to the imperial camp, leaving Rustam Dil Khan and his troops round the hill on which the building stood. Munim Khan reported to His Majesty the course of events, and in the confusion of the fight the escape of the Guru having remained unnoticed, he added that the leader was surrounded and would shortly be brought in a prisoner. One story is that Zulfiqar Khan, long at enmity with Munim Khan, purposely spread the false report through his spies that the Guru was a prisoner. Munim Khan's own spies believed the story and brought in the news as true, whereupon Munim Khan intimated the fact to the Emperor.†
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 80. † Kamwar Khan, 82, Masir-ul-umara, iii. 673-4.
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Prince Rafi-ush-shan and Zulfiqar Khan camped for the night at the place where they had halted in the morning. Up till midnight the sounds of fighting were brought on the wind to the imperial camp, which was at a very little distance. Between midnight and daybreak there was a loud report, which made the ground under the tents tremble; and scouts brought word that it was caused by the explosion of a cannon made out of the trunk of a tamarind tree, which the Sikhs had filled with powder and blown to pieces just as they were about to retreat.*
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In the morning (20th Shawwal, 1122 = 11th December, 1710) Rustam Dil Khan appeared with the prisoners and spoil, the latter including five elephants, three cannon, seventeen light pieces (rahkla) and some other things. He was rewarded with a gift of two of the elephants. The prisoners, ten or twelve in number, were made over to the police officer, Sarbarah Khan, for execution. The chief man among them was one Gulabu Khatri, a tobacco seller, who had passed himself off as the Guru, in order to facilitate the real man's escape. As the proverb says "The hawk had flown and the owl was netted."† Khafi Khan, with reference to this event, comments‡ on the zeal and self-sacrificing spirit shown by the Guru's followers. They were all equally devoted to his cause. What a contrast to the imperial armies, where, out of two or three thousand men, it was wonderful if one or two hundred were really prepared to fight to the death!
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Bahadur Shah's displeasure at the escape of the Guru could not be concealed, and his calm temper was disturbed in a very unusual degree. There was a stormy scene between him and the chief minister. Bahadur Shah reproached him with being the cause of delay of every kind. At length, when the quarry had been driven into the net, it had, by his want of care and precaution, sprung away again, leaving no trace behind it but a little dust. It mattered not where the "dog"
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 82. † Baz parida o bum ba dam uftada ast. Masir-ul-umara, iii. 673. ‡ ii. 672, 673.
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had fled to, whether he were drowned in the river or hiding in a cave in the hills; in any case, the Wazir had bound himself to produce the rebel, and produce him he must. He (Bahadur Shah) claimed the man from him. Overwhelmed with these fierce reproaches, Munim Khan left the council-chamber with hanging head and dejected mien. His death, which followed soon after, is partly attributed to the untoward result of the campaign against the Guru.*
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On the 22nd Shawwal, 1122 (13th December, 1710) orders were sent to the Rajahs of Srinagar (i.e., Garhwal) and Nahan† to seize the Guru wherever they found him. The escape had been made into, or through, Nahan territory. That Rajah's crime was therefore the more patent, and unfortunately for him his chief town was only a few miles away, and to it Hamid Khan was sent to seize him. A few days afterwards (2nd Zul Qada, 1122 = 22nd December, 1710), that noble returned bringing Bhup Parkash, the son of Hari Parkash, the ruler of Nahan. He was kept in confinement, and thirty or more men who had been sent by his mother to plead for his release, were executed (4th Safar, 1123 = 23rd March, 1711). Finally, he was put into the iron cage constructed for the reception of the false Guru, and forwarded to Dihli, where he was kept a prisoner in Salimgarh until, during the confusion in Jahandar's time, he was set at liberty. Fath Singh, of Srinagar, was not so easily accessible. He was prudent enough to make his peace by sending presents (20th Muharram, 1123 = 8th March, 1711), but he could not be seized. Although the principal object of the campaign, the capture of the Guru, was not attained, it was not altogether fruitless, for treasure amounting to about twenty lakhs in Rupees and ashrafis (gold coins) was recovered, by digging up the whole surface of the ground in Lohgarh, the Guru's fort (25th Shawwal, 1122 = 16th December, 1710).*
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∗ Warid, 119b, 120a.
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† These are generally styled by the Muhammadan writers Barfi Rajah, or Snowy kings. For instance, in Khafi Khan, ii. 671, and Masir-ul-umara, iii. 673. Khush-hal Chand, Nadir-uz-zamani (B. Museum, Addl. No. 24,027, fol. 214b) tells us that the name was given because the Nahan Rajah used to send boatloads of ice (colloquially barf) as presents to the Emperors and nobles of Dihli.