History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c43: Appendix IV. Who Was the Captor of Chatgaon?
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c43
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Appendix IV. Who Was the Captor of Chatgaon?
v3.c43.2
There is some conflict between Talish and the *Alamgirnamah* as to the details of the fall of Chatgaon. The former (1) ascribes the Mughal victories almost entirely to the Feringis, (2) makes the *qiladar* of Chatgaon capitulate to admiral Ibn Husain, giving the Mughal army no share in the event, and (3) interposes only one night between the naval victory in the Karnafuli river and the opening of the gates of Chatgaon to the Mughals. The official history (*Alamgirnamah*) ignores the most important part played by the Feringis in the campaign, implies that the fort surrendered to the land-forces under Buzurg Ummed Khan himself, and gives 36 hours to the siege.
v3.c43.3
Now, on the first point Talish is right beyond dispute. When we bear in mind the utter demoralization of the Mughal *nawwara*, we are driven to hold with Talish that the first naval victory over the Arrakanese was entirely and the second principally due to the Feringis. As regards the difference of dates, (the third point,) Talish is clearly wrong. Unfortunately the autograph MS. of his *Continuation* ends abruptly, indicating that the author did not live to complete or even correct it, and no second copy of it has been discovered. A mistake of dates towards the very end of such a work is quite natural.
v3.c43.4
On the second point, too, I am inclined to accept Talish's view. The version of events given by the *Alamgirnamah* is just possible, but seems to me to be unlikely. It is clear from the details of the operations that the total loss of their *navy* took the heart out of the garrison of Chatgaon and hastened the fall of the fort. No doubt, the news of the approach of Farhad Khan led to the evacuation of the outposts in the environs of Chatgaon by the Arrakanese and to the flight of many people from that fort itself, but the Mughal land-forces do not seem to have contributed much to the fall of Chatgaon by any direct attack. Even their vanguard had hardly time enough to entrench and begin a regular siege before the capitulation.
v3.c43.5
The *A. N.* says that in the evening of 23rd January, "Buzurg Ummed Khan, on hearing of the first naval victory, ordered Farhad Khan not to wait for jungle-cutting and road-making, but to hasten and join the *nawwara*. He himself advanced quickly. Next day (i.e., the 24th) Farhad Khan arrived at the bank of the Karnafuli. The following day (i.e., the 25th) Buzurg Ummed Khan reached the foot of the fort of Chatgaon with the rest of the army, and the imperial forces by land and sea invested the fort,...and gained possession of it on the 2nd day of the siege, i.e., the 26th" (pp. 951—952).
v3.c43.6
These dates are, however, rendered improbable by the distance and the broken pathless character of the intervening country. At the end of the 21st Farhad Khan came into touch with the fleet at Kumaria, which is 2 days' march by land (say 20 miles) from Chatgaon, while Buzurg Ummed Khan halted 20 miles further behind (according to *A. N.* 949). When early on the 23rd, the fleet sailed out of Kumaria seeking battle, Farhad Khan "advanced by land to co-operate with the navy, by the road which the men of the ships had made. Beyond the clearing he could not go, on account of the density of the jungle" (Cont., 168*a*). Here, in the night of the 23rd he received the Commander-in-Chief's order to push on and join the *nawwara*. How could he have crossed 16 or 17 miles of such a pathless jungly country in one day and arrived at Chatgaon on the 24th, and how could Buzurg Ummed Khan, who was one or probably two marches in the rear, have reached the walls of that fort on the 25th, as the *A. N.* would have us believe? This difficulty is avoided by Talish's statement that the capture of Chatgaon was the work of the navy alone and not the result of a regular siege. I think that the Mughal army reached Chatgaon on the 25th when practically all was over except the shouting. It is just possible that Buzurg Ummed Khan was in at the fall of Chatgaon, but his arrival under its walls before the actual surrender (morning of the 26th) is rendered improbable by the distance.