Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c36.s4: § 6. Final attack on Ruhela lines, 14 Sept. 1777. Fall of Ghausgarh
Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c36.s4
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§ 6. Final attack on Ruhela lines, 14 Sept. 1777. Fall of Ghausgarh
v3.c36.s4.1
The rainy season was drawing to a close. At the end of August Afrāsiyāb Khan arrived from Aligarh and Dāud Beg Khan Kurji from Agra with their fresh troops and copious supply of munitions. Everything being now ready on his side, Mirzā Najaf sought the decision, with every confidence and in full strength, on 14th September. His vanguard (under Afrāsiyāb) was formed by the sepoy battalions, no less than 10,000 bayonets, marching in four columns and enclosing an empty space in their midst where the cavalry was stationed. They carried their artillery with them. The Mughal line stretched for over two miles and moved slowly against the entire western face of the triangle. While the other divisions merely detained the enemy forces at the southern end (Thana Bhawan) and centre of this face, the real attack was delivered by Afrāsiyāb on the trenches at Jalalabad at the northern extremity. Zābita Khan, with all the effective garrison of Ghausgarh, came up crossing the river to the aid of this hard pressed sector of the defences and soon became entangled with the assailants. Then the treacherous chiefs of Jalalabad played their agreed part; they came over to the Mughals, guided them through the trenches and the town and even turned their artillery on Zābita's right flank and rear. The Ruhelas fought with desperate valour, regardless of heavy losses, and even made a counter-charge, scattering the foremost battalions of the imperialists and the cavalry of that division and seizing their guns. Afrāsiyāb's horse was killed, but he immediately jumped up, took another mount and galloped forward to cheer his men. Rai Na'mat Singh (the son of Mirzā Najaf's officer Bakhtāwar Singh Kāyath) charged from the line of guns but was shot down. Miskin (now a noble and a Daulah) was wounded and fell down senseless. But at last numbers and discipline triumphed, and the resistance of the small Ruhela band was quenched in blood. Zābita and his comrades, finding their rear cut off and unable to return to Ghausgarh, were driven further away from that fort into the Sikh force holding the Thana Bhawan sector against which only a feint had been made. The Afghan line was pierced at several points; the battle was lost beyond hope, and Zābita galloped away with his Sikh protectors, abandoning his family and citadel.
v3.c36.s4.2
On the field of battle Zābita’s son Ghulām Qādir and Sultān Khan’s son were made prisoners. Not a soul was now left to defend Ghausgarh. Mirzā Najaf immediately pressed forward across the river and blockaded that fort. It capitulated on the 23rd; the garrison was assured of life and freedom, but all the property within it was attached. Ten elephants, 73 camels, about 250 horses, and forty cart-loads of tents copper-pots &c. were escheated to the State, and the rest of the spoils left to Mirzā Najaf. Worst of all, the entire family of Zābita Khan and those of all the Ruhela leaders and military officers were captured in Ghausgarh. “The braggart Afzal Khan had hidden himself among the women in fear of death. The Qalmaq female slaves sent to search the Ruhela harem discovered him and dragged him before the public with insult”. The captive women and children were sent to Agra fort for detention. The treasure hunt in the fallen city being concluded, the Emperor set out on his return on 11th October and entered Delhi on 20th November, 1777.
v3.c36.s4.3
The branch of the Ruhela power created by Najib-ud-daulah was thus crushed as completely as Ali Muhammad's section had been by Shujā-ud-daulah's campaign of 1774.