History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c79.s3: § 7. Lal Tikri taken and lost by Mughals.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c79.s3
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§ 7. Lal Tikri taken and lost by Mughals.
v5.c79.s3.1
One morning while the Mughal generals were out reconnoitring for weak points in the defences, they suddenly charged up Lal Tikri, drove away the Berad musketeers on its top and seized the position. But it was impossible for them to dig themselves in on that rocky height. Moreover, its capture was made on a sudden impulse, without any preconcerted plan for sending up a supporting force, sappers and miners and trenching materials, or the co-operation of the other wings of the army in diverting the enemy from this hill. The Berads immediately sent there large bodies of their infantry, who swarmed up the hillside "numberless like ants and locusts," and plied their muskets and hurled stones with deadly accuracy on the imperialists crowded helplessly on the top. The Mughals began to fall back by the way they had come, and even reinforcements, tardily sent by Kam Bakhsh and Asad Khan, failed to restore the battle. The narrow crest and side of Lal Tikri were so much encumbered with dead horses, elephants and men that these fresh troops could not reach the spot; they only added to the crowd and confusion on the hillside. The position had at last to be abandoned after heavy losses.
v5.c79.s3.2
∗ History of the seige in *M.A.* 498-506; *Dil.* ii. 153*a*; *K. K.* i. 527-538 (a mere secondary compilation).
v5.c79.s3.3
The Emperor disapproved of the plan of making another attempt on Lal Tikri, and ordered his generals to attack Wagingera from some other side. That day, while Chin Qalich and Muhammad Amin were riding out to select suitable places for trenching a cannon ball from the fort killed the horses of both, but the riders were unhurt.
v5.c79.s3.4
The Mughal trenches started from a spot between Lal Tikri and the hillock opposite Talwargera, while an outpost was established under Muhammad Amin Khan between Lal Tikri and these trenches, to guard against enemy attacks from that hill. The hillock facing Talwargera* was occupied by Kam Bakhsh's troops and another mound near by was held by Baqar Khan, both being subjected to daily attacks of the enemy, but checking their advance and thus safeguarding the siege trenches. The Mughals now seemed to be fairly on the road to success.