Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s4.8

v2.c28.s4.8

“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.”