New History of the Marathas v2.c30.18

v2.c30.18

The fight in the centre, however, was likewise tenacious and dreadful on account of the presence there of the Maratha Commander and the Peshwa’s son. Before the determined onslaught of Bhau Saheb the Durrani centre of Shah Vali Khan completely broke down. When Shuja perceived the sad plight of the Wazir, he sent Kashiraj to ascertain the facts. The latter found Shah Vali Khan sitting on the ground, beating his forehead in agony and trying to rally his flying followers piteously crying, “Where are you running away my friends : Kabul is far off ; you can’t reach it by running away.” When the Shah came to know his Wazir’s dangerous situation, he immediately detached fresh troops for his relief and had all the fleeing men called back on pain of cutting them down. About thirteen thousand troops that had withdrawn from the battle were thus thrown into the combat at two o’clock in the battle were thus thrown into the combat at two o’clock in the afternoon. Till that hour Bhau Saheb, Vishvasrao, Ibrahim Khan, Yashvantrao Pawar, Jankoji Sindia, Antaji Mankeshwar and the rest had done their best and their attack had developed furiously. The enemy was yielding ground and the Marathas appeared almost within an inch of winning. The combat on the right of the Maratha line was equally stiff, with Jankoji Sindia boldly engaging Shah Pasand Khan and Najib Khan's Rohilas, who suffered heavily.