Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c27.s3.4

v2.c27.s3.4

Then, as the Maratha raiders, with no enemy in sight, were lying scattered and careless in fancied security, early one morning (c. 3 November) they were surprised by the vanguard of the Oudh army, 10,000 strong, under Umrao-gir and Anup-gir Gosain. Rumours about the approach of the main body of the Oudh army, (30,000 strong) under Shujā himself, magnified the terror felt by the raiders. They offered no resistance ; some fell under the enemy’s sword, but most took the direct road to the river, and missing the ford, about half of their number was drowned, while the rest, abandoning all their provisions baggage and spoils fled northwards and found safety only on reaching Dattāji’s camp, having “undergone great hardship and imminent risk to their lives,” as their leader Govind Ballāl wrote. Five thousand Oudh horse under Umaraogir rode into beleaguered Shukartal over the bridge of boats and afterwards took post at a fortified camp of their own a little to the south of that place.