Later Mughals v1.c8.s17.2

v1.c8.s17.2

By three o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th Zul Hijja or 19th Di (10th January 1713) the rain stopped and the mist lifted; the contending armies as the sun broke out were able to perceive each other's movements. Abdullah Khan mounted his elephant and displayed his war standard. Then he sent Chabela Ram Nagar, Khan Zaman (Ali Asghar) and Muhammad Khan, at the head of 8,000 horse, to meet Jani Khan, who was advancing in his direction.* Kokaltash Khan (Khan Jahan) who was on Jahandar Shah’s left, had been told to attack Husain Ali Khan, who was immediately in front of him. But disobeying Zulfiqar Khan’s orders, he turned his attack against Farrukh-siyar’s centre. Meanwhile, in the expectation that the guns would soon arrive, there was some hesitation on Jahandar Shah’s side in charging home. Husain Ali Khan, provoked that the enemy had assumed the initiative, lost patience and advancing into the field with Saf Shikan Khan (Hasan Beg) Mir Ashraf (of Lakhnau), Saifullah Khan, Fath Ali Khan, commanding Farrukh-siyar’s artillery, Bahadur Khan (Zain-ud-din) Rohela and others, delivered an attack on Kokaltash Khan.† They soon came to close quarters, Jahandar Shah’s side having the advantage. Seeing this result, Abdullah Khan sent forward reinforcements under Afrasyab Khan‡ and Imtiyaz Khan. Raza Quli Khan, commanding Jahandar Shah’s light artillery, poured a fire on them which did much damage. Husain Ali Khan, feeling that the crisis of the battle had come, dismounted from his elephant, as was the custom on an emergency, and continued the fight on foot, sword in hand, surrounded by his relations and tribesmen. At this juncture, Abdus-samad Khan appeared in the Sayyid’s rear and his Turani bowmen wounded Husain Ali Khan so severely that he fell to the ground and fainted. The Barha Sayyids closed round him and defended his body till they were cut down themselves. Bahadur Khan (Zain-ud-din) Rohela, was felled by a sword cut delivered by Muhammad Mah (Azam Khan), brother of Kokaltash Khan. Mir Ashraf (brother of Mir Mushrif) and Sayyid Fath Ali Khan* flung themselves on the Turanis and slew many before they were themselves slain. No one on Jahandar Shah’s side had anticipated that Kokaltash Khan would fight so bravely, and as it turned out, he was the only one of the chief generals who really exerted himself in his master’s cause. [K. K. 721, Khush-hal 393a.]