Later Mughals v1.c6.s6.21

v1.c6.s6.21

Baz Khan Afghan, a leader who had taken service with Azim-ush-shan, aided by Rajah Budh Singh Hada, Rajah Bahadur, the Prince's maternal uncle, and Muhammad Rafi Khurasani (afterwards Sarbuland Khan), now attacked Zulfiqar Khan, but was repulsed with great loss, Baz Khan himself being badly wounded. In this attack however, two of Zulfiqar Khan's most trusted commanders, Ram Singh Hada of Bundi and Dalpat Rao Bundela of Datiya-Orchha, were killed by cannon shot, Rao Dalpat being struck by a ball from a swivel-piece, which entered at the chin and came out at his back.* The Rajputs lost heart and fled, taking with them the dead bodies of their chieftains. For a while Zulfiqar Khan himself stood firm, but when assailed by the whole force of Azim-ush-shan's division, he made over the command to Sayyid Muzaffar and retired to the rear of Azam Shah's position. There he left his elephant and fled on horseback to rejoin his father, Asad Khan, at Gwalior. He had received a slight wound on the lip.† His flight determined the defeat of the army. The author of the Masir-ul-umara accused him, with some justice, of having on this occasion sought more to serve his own interests than to really exert himself for the Prince whose side he had adopted. Danishmand Khan's remarks on Zulfiqar Khan's early flight from the battlefield are exceedingly pungent, and must have stung him to the quick.‡ Another interval in the ranks was made by the departure of Rajah Jai Singh Kachhwaha from his place on Bidar Bakht's left. At the exact moment of the severest fighting, he put his bow into his howda, wrapped his shawl over his head, and made his way to Prince Muhammad Azim, by whom and his father Bahadur Shah he was not very graciously received. Others influenced by the bad example of Zulfiqar Khan also withdrew or relaxed their efforts. [Iradat 37, Dil. 165-166, Kamraj 27, Yahya 113b.]