Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c41.s4.25

v3.c41.s4.25

Shah Alam had to do something before his army should totally dissolve through lack of pay. A week after the Jaipur party's departure, he ordered an attack on the rebel. Entrenching his camp, and placing Samru's force on his right and his Hindustani generals on the left, he sent one division under Badal Beg Khan and other Mughalia sardars ahead towards the rebel position. These Mughalia troops used to pass all the night in licentious revelry and drinking and fall asleep before daybreak. Najaf Quli learnt of it, and though himself a gay toper, he delivered a night attack on the slack and sleepy Mughalias (12th March), doing great havoc. Shah Mir Khan, Itiqad-ud-daulah and some smaller officers were slain; the rebel's Sikh allies charged up to the Emperor's residential tents. But Himmat Bahadur drove the raiders out of the trenches. Shah Alam rode off and took shelter within the square of Begam Samru's European-led infantry, who by their rapid and accurate artillery and small arm fire put Najaf Quli to flight at last.