Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c33.s3.3

v3.c33.s3.3

The Peshwa’s generals in the North, after laying a large contribution on Mewar (September 1769), had gone away to besiege Rāghogarh in the Khechi country, and next taken post in Kerauli territory in order to dun the neighbouring State of Jaipur for its long-unpaid contributions. Here they were met by Ranjit Singh’s envoy with a proposal to hire them for his defence, and they jumped at the invitation. A Maratha army estimated at 30,000 men with good field artillery marched to Kumbher, interviewed Ranjit Singh on 5th March, 1770, and encamped outside that fort. But “Ranjit Singh not having paid them the stipulated sum of money, they began ravaging and laying waste the dependencies of both chiefs without distinction. Nawal Singh was encamped with his forces under the walls of Dig, uncertain whether he should fight the Marathas or buy them off.” [CPC. iii. 128, 161.] A month passed in this way, the Jāt army merely watching the enemy from a distance. [SPD. xxix. pp. 302-305.]