Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s6.10

v3.c34.s6.10

The desertion of his sole ally and the flight of all his troops made Zābita Khan’s position utterly untenable. So, late that night he abandoned Shakartāl and fled away on an elephant with only 40 attendants, to join his ally in the northern hills. Indescribable confusion reigned among the leaderless Ruhelas at Shakartāl: “the whole camp was breaking up in flight, the bazar was deserted, the tents were on fire . . . . . The roads on the eastern bank leading to Najibabad were crowded with Afghan fugitives, who were cursing their Mughalia comrades" [as the cause of the defeat.] Zābita's uncle Afzal Khan was captured.