Later Mughals v2.c14.s37.5

v2.c14.s37.5

Sarbuland Khan who had arrived with his reserves now committed the fatal mistake of ordering his artillery back to the fortress. It would have been quite easy to bring it across the river. The ford at Badij was not far distant and had not been occupied by the other side. Thence, leaving the houses of the hamlets on the left hand, they could have debouched into an open plain admirably adapted for a pitched battle. The governor knew of this route himself, and was also reminded of it by his friends. But his only answer was that he feared to draw the enemy’s fire upon the houses in the fort occupied by his women. Furthermore, the troops ought to have passed in a body through the lanes and bazars. Instead of this, the men on foot, the Baksari matchlockmen and the artificers, scattered to plunder the houses,* the inhabitants of which had not fled. Each man laid hold of what he could and made off.