Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s10.12

v3.c38.s10.12

Mahadji acted promptly, but with admirable vigilance tact and suppleness. Three days having been wasted in futile negotiations, he called up all his camp and baggage from Rupbās to his present advanced position (6th and 7th Nov.) and completed the cordon round Hamadani with the aid of the Macheri and Jaipur contingents which had joined him, as well as the imperial troops recently taken over into his pay. He thus secured a crushing superiority in artillery fire. His own base was at Aghapur, 5 miles south of Bharatpur, while Hamadani was as before near Sayyidpurā, some six miles further south. The cannonade was opened on 7th November under Mahadji’s personal direction, as he stood in the village of Bārga, a mile south of Sayyidpurā. It was resumed next day (the 8th) with full vigour and heavy loss on both sides. Muhammad Beg Hamadāni fought grimly, having “girt up his loins for death.” But his condition was hopeless. The strict blockade had caused a famine in his camp; his Ruhelas had eaten up all their sheep goats and draught bullocks and now began to come over to Sindhia in parties as they found a way out. His Telingas, abandoning their arms, went away rather than starve or be butchered helplessly.