Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c10.s7.1

v1.c10.s7.1

The news of the loss of Sarhind was brought to the prince’s camp late on 2nd March by ten Persian scouts whom Safdar Jang had sent out. But the wazir, blinded by conceit, would not believe it, as none of his own spies had returned. Therefore, the imperial army lost one precious day in sending out fresh scouts to verify the report. When the news was found to be too true, "it so alarmed the chiefs and soldiers of India that they were on the point of dispersing without offering battle.” (*Mujmil*, 103.) The prince immediately beat a hurried retreat from Bharaoli towards Sarhind and reached Mānupur, a village ten miles north-west of the latter city, where the enemy were sighted. Here the imperialists halted and began to entrench themselves as a measure of defence. Guns were ranged round the tents of the prince and the other generals, their wheels being chained together in the Turkish fashion, ditches were dug and the earth heaped up to form ramparts, and *sangars* (musket-houses) were built at suitable points.