Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c27.s14.18

v2.c27.s14.18

On the 27th the Shāh began his advance from the west bank of the river. At an upper ferry east of Sonepat a Maratha patrol, less than a thousand strong, mostly second line troops or militiamen,—was posted to oppose any Afghan attempt at crossing. They were keeping watch in their usual slack and sleepy way, when 4,000 Durrānī horse under Shah Pasand Khan, guided by Najib’s men, surprised them by hard riding and cut off the entire force. That night the Shah slept in Fakhru’s garden, two miles north of Sonepat city. [Nur-ud-din, DC.] “On the 28th, at three quarters of the day, the Maratha vanguard [really advanced patrols] were sighted near Sarai Sambhālka. From our side a force went to meet them and a battle was fought, with two to three thousand casualties in the two armies taken together,--but more on the Maratha side and less on the Durrānī. In the evening the Marathas retreated and the Shah’s detachment fell back to their place of camping.” [Kāshirāj]. The Shah then advanced to Ganaur (9 miles north of Sonepat and 8 miles south of Sambhālka), where he halted for three days (28-30 Oct.), and on the 31st reached Sambhālka, 12 miles south of Panipat. On 1st November he arrived five miles nearer to Panipat and established contact with the main enemy force holding that town.