1 Tawahir Singh is
2 saluted wazir.
3 They are overtaken
4 by the Sikh soldiers,
5 And put to death,
6 2isb December, 1844,
7 530 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
8 early on the morning of 21st December 1844, attended by Pandit Jalld,
9 Midn Sohan Singh, Midn Ldébh Singh and others, with three or four hundred
10 horse and foot, under the pretext of inspecting the troops stationed at Midn
11 Mir. His original plan was to leave the city at dark; but, owing to some
12 delay in his preparations, he could not leave until the morning. The party
13 had scarcely cleared the Taxali Gate of the city when trumpets were sounded
14 from the quarters of the Sikh regiments, saluting Jawdhir-Singh as wazir,
15 On hearing the noise of the trumpets, the party acceleratad their speed and
16 reached the banks of the Ravi, where the Sikh attendants of the Rajd
17 separated from the rest, and the Dogrd chiefs, accompanied by their own
18 men and soldiers, crossed the river, aud proceeding to Targar, dismounted
19 for the purpose of taking rest in the old bardédari. They had scarcely
20 unsaddled their horses when they saw a large party of horsemen coming
21 from the direction of the city at full speed, whereupon they forthwith
22 remounted and renewed their march at a quickened pace. The body of
23 cavalry rapidly advanced fill they were close upon the heels of the fugitives,
24 Hird Singh, acting on the advice of the Pandit, his preceptor, moved quickly
25 in the direction of the gkorchards of Rdj& Suchet Singh, who were at a
26 short distance from him, hoping to receive protection from them. As the Rajé
27 and his party approached nearer, the troopers pursued them, and, changing
28 their direction, they made their way to the sarai of the Emperor Jahdngir’s
29 mausoleum, in Shahdera, in expectation of assistance from some Pathans
30 who were encamped there; but the Pathans repulsed them. The party,
31 disappointed, proceeded to the main road with as much speed as possible,
32 but were overtaken at a distance of less than 600 yards from the village
33 of Shahdera. Hird Singh opened his bags and scattered gold mohurs
34 to divert the attention of the pursuing troopers by the hope of plunder;
35 but Sardar Shdin Singh, Attariwdld, and General Mewd Singh, Majithia, im-
36 peratively called upon the troops to press forward. “Slaughter the sis,”
37 said they; “don’t let them go.” But gold has its charms for all, and the
38 troopers were no exception to the rule. The time occupied by the troops in
39 picking up the ashrajts was taken advantage of by the Dogia chiefs to make
40 the best of their way out of their enemies’ reach, and when the pursuers
41 approached nearer, again the same device of emptying bags of ashrafts and
42 scattering them on the ground was resorted to.
43 A running skirmish was kept up, and all the infantry of the fugitives
44 was either cut down or dispersed. The flying Dogrds, with a few of their
45 adherents, had advanced 10 or 12 kos, when, at about midday, Pandit Jallé,
46 completely exhausted, fell from his horse and was immediately cut to pieces
47 by the pursuing Sikhs, A little distance further on there was asmall village
48 of some 20 houses, where Hird Singh dismounted to quench his thirst.
49 Jawdhir Singh now came up, with a body of General Ventura’s Dragoons,
50 and ordered the little village to be set on fire. This order was instantly
51 complied with, the Sikhs surrounding the place and setting it on fire.
52 Finding his life in danger, Hird Singh, with his escort, remounted, but, in the
53 attempt to escape, was cut down, with the whole of his party, with the
54 exception of six soldiers, who owed their lives only to the swiftness of their
55 horses. The whole of the valuables which the fugitive wazir was carrying
56 with him, fell into the hands of his pursuers. This event occurred on 21st
57 December, 1844.
58 Sardar Jawdhir Singh, with the Khdls& troops in his train, at about
59 noon, made his triumphant entry into the capital, where he was enthusiasti-
60 ee ey es