Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c7.s6.11

v1.c7.s6.11

Muhammad Shah issued from Delhi on 15th February 1745, but immediately afterwards wasted 18 days in its environs, at the garden of Farhat-āfzā at Loni (east of Delhi, across the river.) The terrible summer of the Upper Doab, with its sand-storms, blistering winds, and dried water-sources was approaching, and yet no attempt was made to reach the objective and end the campaign promptly. The actual start was not made till 5th March, and then this army, or rather this moving city of tents, made its slow and ponderous march, with long and frequent halts, from Loni by way of the Hindan river, Dāsna parganah, Dahāna village (in Hāpur, some 36 miles east of Delhi), Bagsar, Garh Mukteshwar, Sahāranpur and Sambhal, till at last on 14th May, or fully three months after he had left Delhi, the Emperor arrived about eight miles from Bangarh, the enemy’s stronghold, which was only 110 miles from Delhi in a straight line over a level plain, with no difficult river between.