History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v2.c25.25

v2.c25.25

At the end of October, 1658, the Bengal army, 25,000 cavalry, with artillery and a vast flotilla, set out quickly from Patna. At first Fortune seemed to smile on the expedition. Dara's officers in charge of the forts in the eastern provinces had been ordered by that Prince, just after his defeat, to surrender them to Shuja and thus save them from falling into Aurangzib's hands. Rohtas, Chunar and Benares all opened their gates to Shuja, and the commandant of Allahabad wrote to him proffering submission. A detachment sent to the north of the Ganges captured Jaunpur. At Benares his war-chest was replenished with three lakhs of rupees extorted from the merchants and rich men of the city, both Hindu and Muhammadan. Allahabad was reached on 23rd December. A small division of Aurangzib's troops under Khan-i-Dauran, which had been besieging the fort, fell back at the mere approach of Shuja.†