Later Mughals v2.c18.s3: Sec. 109.—The Rival Forces at Karnal; The Imperial Encampment.
Later Mughals v2.c18.s3
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Sec. 109.—The Rival Forces at Karnal; The Imperial Encampment.
v2.c18.s3.1
The Persian army at Karnal is estimated by Rustam Ali at 55,000 horse. This number is nearest the truth. We know from Mirza Mahdi's history that Nadir Shah had started from Persia with 80,000 troops, and though he had enlisted Afghans on the way and possibly also received drafts from home, he had to detach large forces to garrison the many conquered forts and guard the long line of communication in his rear, as well as to escort his eldest son on his return to Persia. Hanway says that Nadir reached Tilawri (i.e., Taraori near Azimabad) with 40,000 men; this was, clearly, exclusive of his vanguard and Rear. The entire Persian camp contained 160,000 souls, of whom one-third were servants, but these were all mounted and some of them completely armed, so that they could take part in plunder and the defence of their baggage. There were also more than 6,000 women, dressed with great coats (barani) of crimson cloth, like the men, and not to be distinguished from the latter at a distance. [Hanway, ii. 367.]
v2.c18.s3.2
The imperial army is put by Nadir's secretary at three hundred thousand 'renowned soldiers',* 2000 fighting elephants and 3000 pieces of artillery. Rustam Ali's figures are two hundred thousand horse, innumerable foot, 1500 elephants and many guns. [Elliot, viii. 60.] The numbers are still further exaggerated by the later Lakhnau historian Ghulam Ali, who gives five hundred thousand horse and foot, 8000 pieces of artillery of all calibres, and 11,000 tents. [Imad 24.] Anandram who was a secretary to the Wazir and accompanied the army to Panipat, puts the number as 50,000 horsemen besides the personal contingents of the three nobles. We know that the Nizam had brought with himself only 3000 men. So, the total Indian fighting force at Karnal could not have exceeded 75,000 men.
v2.c18.s3.3
But the number of non-combatants with it was excessive. Even at the end of the 18th century a modern European army operating in the same area carried nine non-combatants to one fighter. Lord Lake's camp contained three hundred thousand souls, out of whom only 30,000 were soldiers. As the Emperor himself with his harem and the luxurious grandees with their families were present, we shall not be wrong in estimating the population in the camp at Karnal at a million men.
v2.c18.s3.4
The circuit of the Indian camp is said by one authority to have been twelve miles. [Hanway, ii. 364.] But such an enormous length of wall could not be adequately defended against an active enemy with a very mobile cavalry and light artillery carried on camels. The result was that the Indian army from the very outset lost its mobility and aggressive power, and became helplessly beleaguered like the Mahratta army of Sadashiv Bhao in the town of Panipat 22 years later.
v2.c18.s3.5
∗ So many could not have been all 'renowned'! Hanway gives "nearly two hundred thousand, the great part of which was cavalry."
v2.c18.s3.6
The wrong strategy of the Emperor became evident as soon as the enemy came into touch and made the neighbourhood unsafe for small parties. The Indian army, owing to its vast number,—a million souls, besides animals,—could scarcely find space to encamp on. The Persian horsemen made attacks from all sides, and carried off corn grass and fuel, so that the price of grain rose enormously in the camp.* [Rustam Ali.] Within four days of the battle of Karnal this huge mass of men had eaten up all their store of food, and then after five days of fasting the entire army surrendered.