Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c24.9

v2.c24.9

In that interval, Ahmad Shah had come to Delhi, established his control over the city and the empire, thrown a bridge of boats across the Jamunā, and sent Jahan Khan's army corps from the Doab to Khizirabad on the west bank, some 8 miles south of the capital. Thus, a force of 20,000 men threatened Antāji immediately in his front. Since his victory of 21st January, Antāji had been swiftly roving in the south, west and north-west sides of Delhi, "practising raids (qazzāqi)," because everywhere government had broken down and anarchy was raging, and every strong man, native or alien, had taken to plundering the panic-stricken defenceless population. At last, on 1st February a crushing blow was delivered on Antāji. A picked Afghan force,—which Antāji put at 20,000—guided by Najib's Ruhelas with their local knowledge, marched on Faridabad in three columns. Two of these by a wide detour turned Antāji's flanks unperceived and closed upon his rear, while the third delivered an attack on his front at noon. The Maratha force, less than 3,000 strong, was completely encircled and outnumbered; all its paths of escape were closed; Antāji's camp was encumbered with the many men wounded in his earlier battles, but he fought desperately for four hours, facing the enemy on all sides, and giving up to slaughter a thousand of his soldiers (of whom 200 were men above the common rank) and 800 horses. "No one had the time to remove the corpses." At last towards sunset he cut his way out. He boasted of having killed 750 men and 350 horses of the enemy. But they pursued him for eight miles till darkness compelled them to retire, and in this running fight Antāji lost 250 more horses. The victors sacked and burnt the small town of Faridabad and next day returned to Delhi with 600 severed heads of poor people, representing them to be Marathas and Jats. The Shah rewarded them at the rate of Rs. 8 per head brought in.