1 MAHARAIA RANJIT SINGH. S185 4
2 Singh, the tutor of the heir-apparent, to punish the refractory chief. Prince
3 Kharak Singh accompanied the force in nominal command of the expedition.
4 The Bhimbar chief offered battle from an elevated position, which he had
5 chosen with great judgment, The action began with a brisk fire of musketry
6 from both sides, which the Sikhs supplemented with their artillery, but the
7 round chosen by the Bhimbar chief, gave him the advantage throughout,
8 ‘and the Sikhs, notwithstanding the prodigious efforts they made to over-
9 come the natural difficulties in their way, and their stubborn valour, were
10 utterly routed, on the third day. When intelligénce of this disaster was
11 received at Lahore, Dewdn Mohkam Chand was despatched in all haste to
12 the scene of action with a fresh contingent from Gujrat. Sultdn Khan had
13 strengthened his position, but negotiations were opened through Sardhdé
14 Ram, the secretary to‘ the dewdn, and the Khan surrendered, on condition — the Khan of Buim-
15 that he should be treated with honour, and have his territory restored to him sted.
16 by the Lahore darbéy. He was conveyed to Ldhore, and put in irons by
17 Ranjit Singh, who did not scruple to break the solemn pledges of his
18 generals, Sultdu Khan was kept in captivity at Lahore for six years, and
19 was then removed to Jammu, where he died. All his possessions, and
20 property in Bhimbar. were seized. In vain did the heirs of Ismail Khan, to
21 restore whom the expedition had been ostensibly undertaken, clamour for a, His territory amnex-
22 share of the estate; the policy of the Mahardjd was the complete overthrow dom, Me
23 of the Bhimbar family, The dewdu next visited Réjduri, and, having levied _,, Teibute levied trom
24 tribute from the chief of that place, returned to Lahore, Kharak Singh, assist- eee
25 ed by Bhai Ram Singh, completed the reduction of Jammu and Akhnuy, and_, Purther operations
26 the Mahardjé was pleased to confer these territories, along with Bhimbar, as "48"
27 a jdgir on the prince. Budh Singh, Bhagat, was, about this time, deprived
28 of his possession of Sujdnpur.
29 When the expedition against Bhimbar, under Prince Kharak Singh, was
30 undertaken, two more expeditions were organized, one under Dal Singh for
31 the levy of arrears of tribute from Muzaffar Khan, nawdb of Multdn, and
32 the other under Desa Singh, Majithia, for the renewal of operations against
33 the hill chiefs near Kangra, who had shown an inclination to re-assert their
34 independence. Dal Singh entered the district of Mitha and Tiwana, in the, Tribute levied from
35 Shahpur district, and Uch, in Bahawalpur, and having exacted tribute from Tite and ven
36 the chiefs of those places, appeared before Multan, The balance of tribute
37 due was Rs. 50,000, for which Abubakr Khan was kept as a hostage in Dal And from the nawab
38 Singh’s camp. The agents of the nawdb had gone to Delhi to dispose of -;
39 jewels, and, they having returned with the money, the sum due to the
40 Sikh chief was paid by Muzaffar Khan, and Abubakr Khan was set at
41 liberty. Dal Singh then made an attack on Kot Kamdlia, which he sub- , Kot Kundtia sup.
42 dued, and returned to Léhore, where the Maharaja, in appreciation of his alai
43 services, honoured him with a valuable khilat.
44 Desd Singh, Majithia, who had gone to the hills, was soon followed by ,, Bxpedition agaiust
45 the Maharajé himself. He first visited Amritsar, and, having paid his res-
46 pects at the Darbar Sahib, proceeded to Adinanagar, where he spent some
47 days in summoning various hill chiefs and making fresh arrangements with
48 them for the payment of increased tribute. The Maharajdé then marched
49 to Nurpur, from the raja of which place, Rs. 40,000 was levied as nuzrdénd.
50 In Bysakh (April) of the same year, Dewan Mohkam Chand and Mian Mota
51 Dogra, were sent, at the head of troops, to levy tribute from the rajds of
52 Mandi, Suket, Kullu and other hill chieftains with whom the arrangements
53 of the preceding January had remained incomplete. All these places were
54 effectually reduced, and the dewdn, having collected a nazrdnd of Rs. 1,90,000,
55 returned to Lahore.
56 Capture of Sujdupur
57 1812, Panu,
58 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary : NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com