Later Mughals v2.c14.s14.7

v2.c14.s14.7

Nizam-ul-mulk, having given orders that there was to be no firing until the critical moment of the attack, chained his big guns together and awaited in position the onset of Mubariz Khan, the distance between the two armies being now a mile or so. Between them was a water-course, the bottom of which consisted of sticky black mud into which men and horses sank up to their chests. At length after midday Mubariz Khan gave the order to advance against Iwaz Khan, whose force was on the left of Nizam-ul-mulk's line. The attacking side was under ten thousand horsemen in number. As they rode on they increased their pace until suddenly they reached the water-course, where they were checked and the line thrown into great disorder. The crush was so great that if a horse reared it was swept on with its legs in the air, or if a man lost his seat he did not reach the ground but was carried on supported by the horses on each side of him. At length the men of the left wing found a pathway. Then, in spite of all the artillery opposed to them on their right hand with its deafening sound and its blinding smoke, they fell like "roaring tigers" on the right and advanced centre of Iwaz Khan and began a hand-to-hand struggle with sword, spear and mace. It is said that some 5,000 of his horsemen dismounted and fought on foot with sword and shield. [Ahwal 191b, K. K. 957, M. U. iii. 741, Kamwar.]