1 2
2 DUL{P SINGH. 523
3 difficulties, and they were charged with complicity in the late plots of the
4 Siudhianwala brothers, which terminated in the assassination of the late king
5 and his minster. Forged letters were produced, purporting to have been
6 written by Kashmira Singh and Peshora Singh, implicating them in the
7 late bloodshed. Several disclosures were made by an old servant of Kdsh-
8 mira Singh, named Kapur Singh, who held the office of kdrdér at
9 Sidlkot. The villainous conduct of this man towards his master contri-
10 buted much to aggravate the minister; but the Lhdlsdé troops were
11 averse to the reputed sons of the old. Mahardj& being subjected to igno-
12 miny, Raj& Guléb Singh, who, in compliance with orders received from
13 the darbdr, had put them ‘in confinement and seized all their valu-
14 ables, was, therefore, ordered to seize their persons and property. A
15 fine of 50 lakhs of rupees was imposed upon them and their jagirs were
16 confiscated. Only 20,000 rupees could be realized, and this was, under the
17 circumstances, thought sufficient and the brothers were reinstated in their
18 jagirs. A pardon was conferred upon them on the express condition that
19 they would not molest the Karddr Kaépir Singh, who had been the chief
20 cause of their misfortune. Soon after their release, however, the princes had
21 good reason to find fault with the conduct of their faithless servant, and
22 had him beaten to death. This gave a fresh excuse to the Lahore Darbar
23 for carrying out the diabolical designs of the minister against Kdashmira
24 Singh and Peshora Singh, and as, by this time, the brothers had greatly
25 strengthened their position at Sidlkot and had, moreover, been joined by
26 some mutinous troops from Peshawar, it was considered necessary to reduce
27 them by force of arms.
28 Raj& Guldéb Singh was ordered by the darbér to invade their territory
29 and to bring them as prisoners of State to Ldhore. The brothers made
30 a desperate resistance, and, with the small number of troops at their
31 disposal, inflicted a signal defeat on the contingent of the Jammu Radja,
32 who conducted the operations in person. Guldb Singh asked for rein-
33 forcements from Lahore, but the Khdlsé troops, as usual, refused to operate
34 against the reputed sons of the great Mahardjd, or to become the instru-
35 ments of their destruction. Only two Mahomedan battalions and some
36 Dogrdé troops were sent to Sialkot, on the express condition that no personal
37 injury should be inflicted on the persons of the brothers, but this contingent,
38 dreading an engagement with the Khdlsé troops, remained inactive on their
39 arrival at Sidlkot, and again fresh succour was demanded. This time the
40 old battalions belonging to Dhidn Singh, with 500 cavalry and six horse
41 artillery guns, were despatched from Lahore as a reinforcement. Operations
42 were commenced in the midst of heavy rains, and both the town and the fort
43 of Sidlkot were closely invested. The brothers made a vigorous resistance,
44 but, before sunset, the town was in possession of Raj& Guldb Singh. The
45 fort had, however, yet to be taken, and a heavy cannonade was kept up the
46 whole night and until noon of the following day, when the besieged brothers
47 yielded to superior numbers, and gave themselves up to the besiegers on
48 condition of being allowed to go away unmolested with their family and
49 property. This was agreed to, and after dark the brothers vacated the fort
50 and lett for the Manjhd country, between the Ravi and the Sutlej, where
51 they wandered about in reduced circumstances.
52 While the plans of Hird Singh as regards the two reputed sonsof Maha-
53 raja Ranjit Singh were completely successful at Sidlkot, the minister was
54 himself undergoing all sorts of disgrace and ignominy in the capital, at the
55 hands of the furious Khélsé soldiery. It has been already mentioned that
56 the Sikh nation had the profoundest esteem for even the adopted sons of a
57 Raja Gulab Singh
58 marches against them
59 to Sialkot,
60 The Princes are de-
61 feated and escape to
62 the Manjhé country.
63 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com