1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH, 387
2 oa
3 in weight; but the appliances for working this huge piece of ordnance were
4 wanting in the Sikh camp, while nobody possessed sufficient science and
5 skill to make a proper use of it. Some little impression that was made on
6 the ramparts of the citadel by the Sikh artillery had the effect only of
7 redoubling the zeal of the besieged, who, in countermining, blew up the
8 battery of Sardar Atar Singh, Dhari, close to the fort, killing the sardar
9 and twelve others, and severely wounding many more, among whom were
10 Sardar Nehal Singh, Attariwdld, and the youthful Hari Singh, Nalwa. Con-
11 fused and panic-stricken, the assailants fled, leaving their dead close to the
12 fort; but the high-minded Pathans sent the bodies to the besiegers, that of
13 Atar Singh being wrapped ina pair of shawls. The siege lasted for two
14 months; during which the Sikh army was greatly reduced, and its best soldiers
15 and generals killed or incapacitated. The most conspicuous of these was
16 Atar Singh, Dhari, a favourite companion and confidential sardar of the
17 Mahardjé.
18 Nor did the Sikh army meet with better success in other quarters.
19 Dewdn Mohkam Chand, who had been sent to reduce Shujd Abdd, found
20 the fort impregnable, - A general assault was made, on the .21st of March,
21 but the Sikh army wasrepulsed with considerable loss. The dewdén
22 became dangerously ill and the loss on the side of the Sikhs, in killed and
23 wounded, was great. Another general attack was made on the 25th, but
24 with no better result.
25 These protracted military operations now caused a scarcity of provisions
26 in the Sikh camp both in Multén and Shujé Abdd, and the Maharaja,
27 seeing his case to be hopeless, retired on the 19th of April, being forced
28 to acknowledge himself completely foiled in his attempt, and having the
29 additional mortification of finding himself compelled to accept now the
30 very terms which he had on so many previous occasions rejected with scorn,
31 namely, a tribute of two and a half lakhs of rupees, twenty chargers and a
32 contingent in time of war. Of the amount of the ransom, Rs. 30,000 was
33 paid in advance, while Abubakr Khan, brother-in-law of Muzaffar Khan,
34 was delivered up as a hostage for the payment of the balance. The Maha-
35 rdja's ‘amour propre’ being in this way, to some extent, soothed, he returned
36 to Lahore on the 25th of April, much depressed in spirits by the ill-success
37 of his campaign, and throwing the blame on his sardars and officers.
38 After a few day’s rest in the gardens of Shaldmdar, he turned his atten-
39 tion to the introduction of measures, of reform in his military department,
40 designed after the European fashion. A corps of horse artillery was or-
41 ganised under the superintendence of skilful generals. To the already
42 existing Ghurchar sawars and Ghurchar Khas, paid, respectively, in money
43 and jagirs, were added orderly khas, or select orderlies, resembling a body-
44 guard, on enhanced pay and emoluments, who were entrusted with the
45 work of carrying State dastaks, or orders, to different chiefs and sardars,
46 which proved to them a source of gain. The Multén Governor, Muzaffar
47 Khan, in the meantime, opened a correspondence with the British Governor-
48 General in Calcutta, and the Mahardjé did the same with Colonel Sir David
49 Ochterlony at Ludhidnd, proposing joint action against Multdn, but both
50 the chiefs were left to themselves, and told to settle their affairs as best
51 they could. ;
52 Ganda Singh, son of Jodh Singh, of Wazirdbad, who, the year before,
53 had received khilats of investiture, on his father’s death, on the payment
54 - of a large nazrdénd to the Mahardjd, did not long enjoy what had cost
55 him so much. In June, 1810, a large force was sent to Wazirdbdd
56 and all the estates of the deceased sardar were confiscated. A promise
57 The Sikhs fail to
58 make any impression
59 on the besieged,
60 Failure of the Sikhs
61 at Shuja Abad
62 The Mahardja is
63 compelled to retire,
64 He is greatly morti-
65 fied by the {ll-success
66 of his campaign.
67 Reforms in the
68 Nilitary Department.
69 The British decline
70 to interfere in
71 Multan affairs,
72 Wazirabad finally
73 annexeil to the State of
74 Lahore, 1810. 7
75 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElifvary@ gmail.com