Later Mughals v1.c7.s2.17

v1.c7.s2.17

When after night-fall Jahan Shah reached his quarters, Zulfiqar Khan came in person on the part of Jahandar Shah to congratulate him on the victory, and by his flattering speeches kept the Prince in good humour. He added that on the morrow it was his turn to take up the fighting and display his zeal for the cause. Next he visited Rafi-ush-shan, and talked to him in the same strain and impressed him so favourably, that he proposed to head the attack in person on the following day. Thence Zulfiqar Khan went to the camp of Jahandar Shah and laid before him other plans. At his suggestion, Jahandar Shah sent a message in very friendly terms to Prince Rafi-ush-shan asking him to give up his idea of heading an attack. Rafi-ush-shan returned his thanks but renewed his request, and very early in the morning (8th Safar) moved out at the head of 5,000 well-mounted cavalry, and boldly delivering his attack, forced a way to the foot of the entrenchment. The besieged replied with artillery fire and rockets, but repeated charges of Rafi-ush-shan's troops so demoralized many of them that they flung musket and rocket down and fled for shelter behind the wall. Then the men on Jahandar Shah's side mounted the wall and shot down their arrows on their foe within. They had almost succeeded in making their way into the entrenchment, when Sulaiman Khan Panni, followed by five hundred Afghans and two hundred of Shah Nawaz Khan's men, with Gul Khan at their head, arrived to reinforce the half-defeated defenders. Their arrows flew so thick and straight that the attacking party could not stand up against them but withdrew again from the top of the wall. Thereupon Sulaiman Khan followed in pursuit. [Nur. 33.]