Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s4: § 8. Najib’s repeated contest with Sikh raiders in Hariana and Doab
Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s4
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§ 8. Najib’s repeated contest with Sikh raiders in Hariana and Doab
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Najib’s conflicts with the Sikhs in his own dominions, as distinct from his engagements with them as an auxiliary in Abdali’s army, had begun in January 1764, [Ch. 24 § 4], when the Sikh forces, flushed with their slaughter of Zain Khan and capture of Sarhind, overflowed across the Jamuna into the upper Doab. “This was the first time that the Sikhs came to the eastern side of the Jamuna and spread through the villages of Bārha, the homes of respectable men whose ancestors had been *umara* in former times. They took booty beyond calculation in coins, gold bullion and jewels, burnt the country, and draggged away captives. Najib, distracted by the news, came up near them by rapid marching, . . . but they went back to their own country.”
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[Nur 72.] Tahmasp Khan Miskin, who shared these campaigns in Najib’s army, writes, “The Sikhs after having completed their occupation and settlement of the Sarhind district in one year, made a further advance. Four thousand of their horsemen crossed the Jamuna and disturbed and looted the Saharanpur and Mirat districts. Najib for a month or two moved in every direction where the Sikhs were reported to be roving, fought and usually defeated them. As they did not make a firm stand anywhere and offer battle, he had to run about after them, but they did not give up their jackal-tricks. Three years passed in this way.” [266.]
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During this first Sikh invasion of the Doab, Najib, who had just before slain Suraj Mal and routed the Jat army by accident and was expecting a vendetta with his son Jawahir and the entire Jat nation any moment, found it politic to buy off these new enemies at the opposite corner of his territory by paying them eleven lakhs of Rupees. [SPD. xxix. 55.] But, with Sarhind as a secure base, the Sikhs could henceforth most easily cross over at Buriā ghat or Rāmrā ghat to the upper Doab, or marching southwards raid Hariana and the country round Delhi, or even penetrate to Rajputana through the friendly Jat kingdom.
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In November 1765, a formidable Sikh invasion* descended upon Najib’s territories, but he met it with a skill, firmness and tenacity which mark him out as the foremost Muslim general after Ahmad Shah Abdali among his contemporaries. The struggle this time continued for six months; there was no truce and there could be no relaxation of vigilance and effort on his part. At the end of October 1765, while one band of Sikhs went to raid the Saharanpur district, another vast force, reported to be 25,000 horse, led by Jassa Singh, Tara Singh, Sham Singh and other sardars, attacked Najib’s villages in the region north of Delhi, levied contribution from them, and advanced to Kharkhauda (23 m. n.w. of Delhi). But finding the people on the alert and ready for defence there, they made a lightning raid upon Rewari (in the jagir of diwan Nagar Mal), plundered and burnt that town, dug up the floors of the houses and took away prisoners. “The ryots of Rewari were plundered to an extreme, . . . the place was ruined.” Then they penetrated to Jaipur territory in alliance with Jawahir Singh Jat, but had to retire on the coming of the Marathas and the promise of a subsidy, (late December.) Bands of them continued with the Jat Rajah for some months after.
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∗ Sikh raids 1765-1766.—SPD. xxix. 99, 102, 128, 121, 133. Nur. 100b-109b. Ch. Gulz. 485. Williams.
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Early in 1766 the Sikh bands attacked Najib in the Sonepat-Panipat district. He had a force of less than 10,000 men; the odds against him would have overwhelmed a lesser man. At the rumour of the Sikh invasion, Najib’s Delhi agent Afzal Khan warned the citizens not to issue for visiting Kalka-devi (near the Qutb Minar.) He also strengthened the city defences and sent out scouts for news of the enemy’s movements. Next day (17 April) it was learnt that the Sikhs, marching from Okhlaghat, had looted the Patparganj mart and encamped at Masuri. A small band plundering the southern suburbs of the capital was driven away. The Sikhs marched up the east bank of the Jamuna, raiding Kutana, Jhanjhāna and Budhāna, when Najib overtook them,* slew and wounded many and wrested much of their booty (20 April.) A graphic account of one of his campaigns is given by Nur-ud-din, which illustrates the nature of the war and the standard of Najib’s leadership in the field.
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§ 9. Najib’s manner of fighting the Sikhs illustrated.
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“Every day there were skirmishes between the two sides. The Sikhs roved round, firing and plundering the villages on all hands. Along the bank of the Jamuna they came to the Shāmli parganah, where a severe engagement took place. Evening came on and the Sikh horsemen stood their ground around Najib for three hours after nightfall. There were many sugarcane plantations at the place, under cover of which the Sikhs plied their muskets, and made a few attacks, band after band emptying their muskets and then riding away. Najib and his troops stood firmly. Then the Sikhs fell back to their camp . . . Next morning Najib marched upon the halting-place of the Sikhs, in a compact formation, with his van right and left under different officers, his baggage in the centre, and his rearguard in charge of his brother Afzal Khan and Sadat Khan Afridi . . . Najib strongly urged his men not to break their formation or leave their places in any circumstance, so that the movements and fighting of every section of the force could be kept carefully under his control . . . The Sikhs appeared on all four sides and kept up a running fight with the marching Ruhelas throughout the day. They charged home the Ruhela left wing (under Zabita Khan) when thrown out of order in crossing a dry nālā. Many men fell on both sides, and unable to bear their heavy loss, a captain of Zabita issued from the column and made a counter-charge upon the Sikh assailants, in spite of Najib’s order to advance steadily without halting to fight. This small section was at once enveloped by the Sikhs and could be rescued only after being heavily reinforced; many men fell on both sides in this contest.”
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∗ DC. It is probably this fight of which Nur-ud-din, 108b-109b, gives the following description :—Najib crossed at Kutana ghat by night and learnt that the Sikhs had halted 5 kos off. Leaving his camp and baggage there, he set out after them, and sighted the Sikhs after advancing 2 kos. The Sikhs, ignorant of Najib’s approach, had left their camp and were out plundering villages. On hearing the tramp of the Ruhela cavalry and the roll of kettle-drums. they retreated in bewilderment to their camp. But the Ruhelas by hard riding overtook them and captured vast quantities of booty and animals from them. He drove them beaten for 10 miles to near Kandhala, slaying and wounding many of them. In the end they recrossed the Jamuna and went back to their own country. (This was the Budha Dal.)
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Najib’s unbroken column thus steadily approached the east bank of the Jamuna in order to cut the Sikhs off from it and prevent their escape. The enemy tried to gain time by keeping the Ruhelas engaged till sunset, after which they would be able to cross the river with all their baggage. So, about 3 P. M. they made a combined attack upon Najib’s rearguard, (under Afzal Ruhela and Sadat Khan Afridi) pressing it very hard and causing much loss. But though urged again and again by his sorely stricken troops, Najib would not allow them to arrest the advance of the entire column, sally forth and drive the attacking enemy horse away by a counter-charge. He would not lose sight of his objective, the Sikh camp ahead. Men dropped fast among his rearguard. Sadat Khan said to Afzal Khan, ‘My men are being destroyed by the enemy’s bullets. I have no strength left.’ But such was Najib’s iron discipline and the obedience of his troops, that Afzal Khan forbade a charge for driving the Sikhs away. At last a band of 50 Afridi horsemen under Sadat’s brother, unable to control themselves, galloped upon the Sikh mounted musketeers and a desperate hand to hand fight raged for some time amidst great disorder and noise. Sadat Khan himself was compelled to leave the column for his rash brother’s defence. Najib on hearing of it cried out, ‘He has spoilt my work,’ and himself turned aside to the scene of the fighting in order to save the rearguard, while ordering all other divisions to remain firmly in their appointed places. The Sikhs were now driven back, though after more obstinate fighting. But by this time night had fallen. Najib’s grand plan failed and the Sikhs beat a hurried retreat by fording the Jamuna with all their camp and baggage under cover of the darkness. “Next morning not one of their horsemen was left.” [Nur. 100b-106a.]
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A newsletter written on 13 January 1768 shows that this battle or one very much like it took place a day or two before that date near Jalalabad (10 m. n. e. of Ghaziabad): “Intelligence was brought that the Sikhs were hovering in detached bodies round Najib’s camp, beyond cannon shot . . . to intercept the convoys of grain . . . Immediate orders were issued by Najib to get the artillery in readiness and prepare for battle . . . The advanced guards engaged. A heavy fire of artillery and small arms began and was maintained with great vigour. Najib, mounted on an elephant, was present in the rear of the artillery. The first line which bore the brunt of the battle behaved with singular intrepidity. In the midst of this, the Sikhs found means by a feint to throw the line of artillery into some confusion and were advancing with great impetuosity, when some timely assistance was given by Sayyid Md. Kh. and a chosen body of Afghans, and the Sikhs were repulsed with loss. Towards the close of the day Najib ordered his troops to desist from the engagement but to stand armed and prepared . . . Several sardars of distinction were killed and wounded in the battle.” [*CPC.* ii. 776.]