1 MAHARAJA RANJ[T SINGH. 483
2 and the Sikhs drove the Afehdns from their positions with much slaughter,
3 capturing fourteen guns. The Sikhs, thinking the victory gained, pursued
4 the enemy, in order to drive them into the plains, when their progress was
5 checked by a large body of horse, led by Shams-ud-din Khan, who was
6 coming to join in the batile.
7 The prompt arrival of this reinforcement induced those of the Afghdns
8 who were retreating without having engaged in the contest to return, and
9 these now, in their turn, made a desperate attack on the Sikh forces. Nawab
10 Jabbar Khan and Shujd-ud-daula Khan, who had taken to flight, also returned,
11 and a successful charge made by them led to the recovery of two of the
12 captured guns. At this crisis the brave Hari Singh, while gallantly rallying
13 the retiring Sikhs, received a mortal wound, and was borne from the battle
14 field. This accident spread consternation among the Sikh troops, who re-
15 tired under the walls of Jamrid, where they entrenched themselves, The
16 Afghans recovered in all eleven of the fourteen guns they had lost, and
17 captured three more belonging to the Sikhs.
18 ‘ ‘The Sikhs hardly acknowledged the defeat; the Afghans were unable to
19 capture Jamrad, which was still strongly garrisoned by the Sikhs; but the
20 loss of the latter, in the person of their general, was irreparable. The
21 gallant Sikh leader expired on the same day, the gloomy evening of which
22 witnessed the burning of his body. Hari Singh was an intrepid soldier and
23 a dashing leader. His undaunted courage had frequently placed him in
24 critical situations, and he at last fell a victim to his bravery. He was a
25 deadly foe of the Afghdns, whom he held in great contempt, looking upon
26 them as cowards, and saying that he knew well their worth. Such was the
27 dread in which the Afghéus held him, that to this day the name Haridé is
28 repeated by mothers in Peshdwar and its neighbourhood in frightening
29 - their little children,
30 The defeat of the Sikh Army at Jamriid and the death of Hari Singh,
31 Nalwa, caused some anxiety at the Court of Léhore. The Sikh leader had
32 been Ranjit’s playmate in boyhood, and was born in the same town as him-
33 self, The Maharaja personally liked him, and was much affected by his
34 death, for in him he had his most courageous and loyal lieutenant and an
35 able and experienced counsellor, Great was the zeal displayed at this
36 juncture at Lahore, the ruler of which now marched in person to Rohtds,
37 sending Dhidn Singh in advance to Jamrtud, where the active minister
38 pushed on the work of constructing the fort with great vigour, working
39 with his own hands on the foundations, and thus setting an example of
40 energy and devotion to the cause of his sovereign. Field batteries were
41 hurried up with great alacrity from Ramgarh on the Chindb, to Peshawar,
42 a distance of more than 200 miles, in the short space of two days. As
43 soon as the Sikh reinforcement had arrived at Jamrid the Afghdns
44 were compelled to retreat precipitately to Dhaka, whence they retired to the
45 skirts of the Soféd Koh.
46 Tt has been already stated that Haji Khan and some Afghan sardars had
47 been sent from Hashtnagar to repulse Sardar Lahnd Singh, Sindhianwdlé.
48 The Sikh sardar had entrenched himself close to the castle of Hashtnagar.
49 The Afghdns, after long procrastination in the hills, at length appeared in the
50 plains under Haji Khan, Mir Alam Khan, of Bajour, Sa’adat Khan, the
51 Mohmand chief, and Syad Bdbé Jan, of Khonar, An attack was made on the
52 fort without success; the influence of Sardar Sultan Muhammad Khan, who
53 was now at Lahore, in attendance on the Maharaja, with his brother, Pir
54 Muhammad Khan, was secretly at work, and the Bajour, Khonar, and
55 Rusafzai chiefs having deserted Haji Khan, he was compelled to retire,
56 Afghan reinforce.
57 ments under Shans-
58 ud-din Khan,
59 Successtul charge
60 of the Afghans.
61 Hari Singh, Valua,
62 killed in the action and
63 the Sikhs defeated.
64 The character of
65 Hari Singh, Nalwa.
66 The Active measures
67 adopted by the Maha-
68 raja to retrieve his loss
69 on the frontier.
70 The Maharaja him-
71 self marches to Rohtas.
72 The Afghans retire,
73 The retreat of Haji
74 Khan from Hasht-
75 nagar.
76 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariEliBrary@ gmail.com