Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Later Mughals v2.c13.s18: Sec. 20.—Preparations for Battle.

Later Mughals v2.c13.s18

Language
English

Sec. 20.—Preparations for Battle.

v2.c13.s18.1

The force told off to take the field with Muhammad Shah was under the command of Muhammad Amin Khan and his son Qamar-ud-din Khan, Haidar Quli Khan, general of artillery, Khan Dauran, Sher Afkan Khan, Hizbar Khan, Hizbar Afkan Khan and Amin-ud-din Sambhali. Haidar Quli Khan went on in advance of the main body for several miles, and placed his artillery in a strongly entrenched position. The rear-guard with camp and baggage was left in charge of Rajah Gopal Singh Bhadauriya, Rajah Bahadur Rathor, of Kishngarh,† Jag Ram, diwan of Rajah Jai Singh Sawai, Mir Jumla, Mir Inayat-ullah Khan, Ikhlas Khan, Zafar Khan, Roshan-ud-daulah, Muhammad Khan Bangash, Aziz Khan Chaghatai and Mir Mushrif. These leaders had under them 37,000 horsemen. The total numbers are not given, but three of the other contingents amounted to 27,000 horsemen; and Khafi Khan estimates Muhammad Shah’s army at less than half that of Abdullah Khan. [Shiu 58b, K. K. 921, Bayan 42, Khush-hal 1013b.]

v2.c13.s18.2

∗ Shiu Das, f. 58a; the Bayan-i-waqi, 431, says that Rajah Muhkam Singh, and the others already referred to, joined Abdullah Khan in the night between the 12th and 13th Muharram. According to the Ahwal-ul-khawaqin, 177a, the armies met in the plain of Dholkot, for which see Indian Atlas, sheet 49, S. W.

v2.c13.s18.3

† Khush-hal 1013b, says “of Rupnagar.”

v2.c13.s18.4

Khan Dauran, Samsam-ud-daulah, commanded on the left wing, supported by Nusrat Yar Khan, Sabit Khan, Sayadat Khan and others; while the right rested on the river. The wings of the centre were under Azam Khan, and its advance guard under Qamar-ud-din Khan, Azim-ullah Khan, and Tali Yar Khan. The centre was held by Muhammad Amin Khan, the new Wazir, Sher Afkan Khan, Hadi Khan, and Tarbiyat Khan. In reserve were Asad Ali Khan, Saif-ullah Khan, Mahamid Khan, Amin-ud-din Khan, and the contingent of Rajah Jai Singh Sawai, ready to reinforce either the right or left wings as might be necessary, and to protect the imperial harem. [Ibid.]

v2.c13.s18.5

On Abdullah Khan's side, after many changes of plan, positions were assigned to the several commanders for the morrow's battle. Round the ex-Wazir gathered all the Barha Sayyids who had flocked to the assistance of their clansman, those who had no horses marching on foot round his elephant. Abdullah Khan took command on his right, where he was opposed to Khan Dauran; making over the left, where less danger was anticipated, to Ghazi-ud-din Khan, the new Mir Bakhshi. At the head of the artillery and the vanguard Najm-ud-din Ali Khan was placed, aided by Saif-ud-din Ali Khan, Sayyid Muhammad Khan, Shahamat Khan, Tahavvar Ali Khan, Shujaat-ullah Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Abdun-nabi Khan, and Muzaffar Khan. [K. K. 918, Bayan 433.]

v2.c13.s18.6

There was great difficulty in forcing the Sayyids into any sort of subordination, no one of them being ready to serve under another, and thus the two wings could not be properly constituted, each man taking up his position where it seemed best to himself. Other leaders who took the field for Sultan Ibrahim and Abdullah Khan were Hamid Khan, Saif-ullah Khan, Bairam Khan, Nimat-ullah Khan, Amir Khan, Sayyid Salabat Khan, Abdul-ghani Khan, Ikhlas Khan Afghan, Umar Khan Rohela, Dindar Khan, Abdul-qadir Khan, Sibghat-ullah Khan, (alias Shaikhu) of Lakhnau, Ghulam Muhi-ud-din Khan, Diler Khan, Shuja Khan Palwali, and Abdullah Khan Tarin. In all there were seventy chieftains riding on elephants.

v2.c13.s18.7

Abdullah Khan’s own division numbered twenty-five thousand horsemen under command of his Bakhshis, Abul Hasan Khan, Sayyid Ali Khan, and Hiraman. With the other details we have a total of forty thousand horse and eighteen thousand foot. The rest of the army, consisting chiefly of new levies, was left behind in charge of the baggage and of Prince Ibrahim. Rajah Muhkam Singh Khatri, who had escaped from the imperial camp the night before the battle, commanded in the rear, with orders to support the new troops, whose staunchness was doubted. With the Rajah were Khudadad Khan, Khan Mirza, and the seven or eight hundred horsemen who had followed him in his flight. [K. K. 923, Siwanih 78.]

v2.c13.s18.8

During the night Abdullah Khan sent out Tahavvar Ali Khan and Sayyid Zulfiqar Ali Khan to reconnoitre. At a little distance from the imperialist camp they came across some Rohela horsemen. Tahavvar Ali, on being challenged, went forward and declared himself to be one of Nusrat Yar Khan Barha’s men, and that he had been sent by Khan Dauran to spy out the position of Abdullah Khan. He went on talking till Zulfiqar Ali Khan and his men rode up. Three of the Rohelas were captured, two escaped. Afraid of pursuit, the Sayyid made off with the prisoners to his own camp. About midnight the prisoners were produced before Abdullah Khan, and in answer to his questions they said they belonged to the force of Aziz Khan Chaghatai, that Bayazid Khan Mewati was in charge of the rear tents and the pavilion of the Emperor. Owing to the Jats having plundered during the preceding day in the rear of the camp and carried off some elephants, Muhammand Amin Khan had ordered Afghan patrols to be sent out. That night it was the turn of Aziz Khan, who sent out these men with orders to announce at once the approach of any Jats. Aziz Khan himself lay in ambush with one thousand men. The Bangash Afghans and Saadat Khan were on the left wing. Haidar Quli Khan, with the artillery, was in advance of the main body. This was the story got from the prisoners.

v2.c13.s18.9

Abdullah Khan sent for one of his officers, Umar Khan Rohela, to interrogate the men further. They told him of the gifts and honours conferred on Aziz Khan, and that he had brought with him over six thousand Mewati Afghans. The Jats, they said, were for ever plundering, and the Rohelas, being held equally proficient in the art of robbery, had been ordered out as videttes. The talk went on for several hours, mostly in the Afghan tongue. The men were then rewarded and released. [Siwanih 79.]

Linked texts (1)