Later Mughals v2.c13.s16.22

v2.c13.s16.22

Before the armies met there were many desertions from Muhammad Shah's army, and the scattered soldiers of Husain Ali Khan began to rally round his brother. Rajah Muhkam Singh Khatri, after collecting as many as he could of the secret adherents of the Sayyids, fled from the Emperor's camp at midnight, leaving his tents standing and all his property behind. With him came Bahadur Khan, Ghaus Khan, Sayyid Kamal Khan, Sayyid Muhammad Khan, and others. Churaman Jat, in response to letters sent him by Abdullah Khan, had also deserted Muhammad Shah earlier and had begun to plunder, he and his advisers holding that in case of the Sayyids' defeat, it would be much easier to secure pardon from Muhammad Shah, than it would be, in the reverse case, to save themselves from the Sayyids' vengeance. The Jat brought in with him several elephants and horses that he had taken. This booty was offered to Abdullah Khan but returned as a gift to the captor. To Churaman was confided the duty of harassing the imperial force and plundering wherever he could. His orders were to blow up, if possible, the imperial powder magazines or carry off the draught oxen of the gun carriages. But in this he was foiled by the watchful care of Haidar Quli Khan. [Shiu 58a; K. K. 919-21; Siwanih 67, 76.]