Later Mughals v1.c8.s10.6

v1.c8.s10.6

Abdul-ghaffar obtained contingents from one or two zamindars and collected altogether 6,000 to 7,000 men. When he drew near to Karra Manikpur, Abul-hasan Khan, a Sayyid of Bijapur, who was Abdullah Khan's Bakhshi, advanced at the head of 3,000 men to bar his progress. In the end of Jamadi II. 1124 H. (29th = 2nd August, 1712) they met at a little distance from Sarai Alam Chand,‡ and encamping four or five miles from each other, they passed some days in fruitless negotiations. Then Abdul-ghaffar prepared his men and sent forward his artillery. It so happened that the very same day Saif-ud-din Ali Khan, Siraj-ud-din Ali Khan, and Najm-ud-din Ali Khan, younger brothers of Abdullah Khan, and Ratan Chand, his diwan or chief financial agent, arrived with a reinforcement of four hundred horsemen. Although some of the Sayyids rode out to the front, Abdul-ghaffar could not be tempted into attacking them. At length, when the opposing forces were at the distance of a musket shot from each other, Abdul-ghaffar discharged a volley from all his cannon and without an instant's delay ordered his horsemen to charge. Despite their well-known bravery, the Barha Sayyids gave way, many were killed and wounded, the rest fled. Only the three Barha brothers with Abul-hasan Khan and Ratan Chand stood fast at the head of four hundred men. In a short time many of Abdul-ghaffar's soldiers dispersed in search of plunder, but he kept together enough of them to surround the Sayyids. They now came to close quarters: when Siraj-ud-din Ali Khan with many others was cut down and killed. A high wind blew up the dust and it soon became impossible to distinguish officer from soldier, white from black, friend from foe. Suddenly there arose cries that Sayyid Abdul-ghaffar was slain.* The Barha Sayyid's drums and trumpets striking up a joyful march, the other side lost heart and turned for flight. In vain Abdul-ghaffar shouted, 'I am here! I am alive!' No one listened, and the day so nearly won was irremediably lost. Abdul-ghaffar withdrew his shattered force to Shahzadpur, one march to the rear.†