1 Defeat of the Af-
2 ghans,
3 Casualties on both
4 sides.
5 \
6 \
7 430 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB. yjXp.
8 \
9 flying Sikh columns, and executed fierce vengeance on\, «them, ts
10 ath Mis reserve, now led the attack in person, and a P00 as vomisouen
11 opened on the enemy by his rallying battalions, as well.,;,, sphere ops by ee
12 which had been drawn up in line opposite to them. Th yanangis He Gh re
13 unprovided with supplies or provisions, and even defrantys) 5. eae ed of the
14 mised pay, met the assault with extreme bravery and repul ued ee
15 until sunset, by which time about half their original numbel,_, Khan. t had J
16 Ranjit Singh now brought forward his Najib and Gorkha, 5), dig Pp hatte
17 support of the advanced columns, and placed a strong detach.5., «14 Hidiment
18 base, with orders to shoot instantly any soldier of the L¥) qu, and «hore ar
19 should be found turning his back on the scene of action. y th @ Siklt the a
20 orders were given to the troops posted on the other side Chand to of the
21 advance to the rear and charge and dislodge the enemy frp poin Force d om their
22 in that direction. zal Singh’s E
23 The position of the Ghdzis, who were ignorant of the a
24 us and theart of war,
25 surrounded, and they found themselves between two fir westward : a, Seni :
26 they fell upon the Sikh artillery and engaged in a fing the Mahand-t 0: _
27 But by this time a great number of them had fallen, and the Sik, Fane: “chs di
28 them from their positions, The remnant of the Pathans cut 5, Chamthe
29 through the enemy to the mountains in the darkness of night, Med db Sino},
30 before they had inflicted severe loss on the disciplined aud prot a In tit
31 soldiers of the Khdélsé army. There fell in this battle, on the side\~
32 Sikhs many brave men, among whom were Gharba Singh, Manas:
33 Singh, Chahal, and Balab Dhar Singh a Gorkha General. The last-
34 officer had served the Nepal Government with great distinction in t
35 with the English, led by Generals Gillespie and Martindell, but,
36 in time of peace enticed away a married woman, he had fled fro
37 native country, and found employment under Ranjit Singh in the P;
38 where he died an honourable death, The Sikhs had in this battle no aay
39 than 24,000 fighting men present, and the loss on their side in kille : ‘ oe
40 wounded was estimated by Captain Wade at 2,000. The numbei : vith
41 Afghans killed exceeded 3,000. Notwithstanding their defeat with gronith
42 slaughter, the brave and resolute mountaineers re-assembled the following
43 day to renew the contest, under their leader Pirzdda Muhammad Akbar ; but
44 Muhammad Azim Khan, fearing lest his treasures and harem at Minchini
45 which were a constant source of solicitude to him, might fall into the
46 hands of the invaders, broke up his camp, and the Ghaais, being without
47 countenance or support, reluctantly dispersed. The Barakzai Sardar, when
48 he heard of the discomfiture of his militia, was greatly distressed, He wept
49 £ peopl
50 ti Singh
51 "The famous Phula Singh, erst an outlaw, and. already referred to in the preceding pages,
52 was an Akali, or Sikh of the ascetic class, and, as such, exercised great influence over his
53 countrymen. He headed the Akdlis of the Amritsar temple, who attacked Mr. Metcalfe’s
54 party in 1809, and also Captain White, who was employed in surveying the Patiili boundary
55 fine in the same year. In'l8l4 he espoused the canse of Partib Singh, the rebel prince of the
56 Jhind State, and, taking up his position in Nandpur Makhowéal, defied the whole power of
57 the Khdisé to expel him. The English pursued him from place to place, and the Mahardjé
58 tried for years to seize him, but he could not be captured. On the rebellion of Prince Partib
59 Singh, the Maharaja sent stringent orders for his troops at Phillour to drive the outlaw out
60 of his territory. Lhe troops marched against him as ordered, but when they approached,
61 Phula Singh asked them whether it behoved the followers of the Sa¢ Girt (true leader) to
62 kill aGurt. The garrison would not offer violence to him, treating him as a wandering
63 fagir. The whole force followed him for some two months to prevent his devastating the country,
64 marching where he marched, thus serving more asa guard-of-honour thon anything else. He
65 was aremarkable man, and, though a robber and an outlaw, he was nevertheless a splendid
66 soldier, and a brave and enthusiastic man. (Pdnjab Rdjds, page 350.) In 1820, he told Mr.
67 Mooreroft at Amritsar that he was dissatisfied with Ranjit Singh, and expressed his readiness
68 to join the English, carrying fire and sword wherever he should be dbeired: That distinguish:
69 ed traveller declined to listen to him, and recommended him to entertain more prudent and
70 loyal noses. — 79" K ead P
71 Sri Satguru| agjit ingh {Telibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com