Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c25.s1.2

v2.c25.s1.2

Raghunath reached Indor on 14 February 1757, and at first talked of marching on Delhi, which was in Abdali’s occupation. But we shall see in Chapter 18 why he could not for nearly four months afterwards leave Rajputana nor make any attempt to restore the Maratha power and prestige in the Doab. At last about the middle of May, he detached a force of 20,000 men under Sakhārām Bāpu, with Vital Shivdev, Tātyā Gangādhar (Holkar’s diwan), Antāji Mānakeshwar and the Household troops (*huzarāt*.) They first reached Agra, where they came to terms with the Jats. Suraj Mal, on promising to pay the outstanding balance of the indemnity of 1754, was left in possession of his usurpations in the Agra district and the western border of the Doab (Dankaur &c.) Then the Maratha vanguard crossed the Jamuna and reached Kāsganj on 17th June. As the Maratha horse approached, everywhere there was a panic flight of the agents of the wazir and the Bangash Nawab. The Marathas recovered their former outposts in the Doab with hardly a blow. Antāji Mānakeshwar went to Anupshahar about 2nd July, and a strong Maratha force occupied the Sikandrabad district. It was only at Mirat that Najib’s agents (his cousin and his *bakhshi*) offered fight at the head of 3,000 men, but their opposition was swept away with heavy loss on both sides after two battles (*c.* 10-15 July) with Antaji. A Ruhela contingent, 1,000 strong, which was coming from beyond the Ganges to uphold Najib’s power in Mirat, was scared away from the way by Antaji’s lieutenant who held Hapur. [*SPD.* ii. 79, 76, xxi. 61. 126. *TALS.* 124b-125b. Raj. i. p. 134. *DC.*]