In spite of the signs of victory, hypocritical, disloyal officers continued to show faint-heartedness and were continually uttering false reports about M. Kāmrān and spreading them among themselves. Though everything disgraceful which they ascribed to the Mīrzā had the appearance of truth, for he was capable of it and of more, yet in this instance, they fastened false charges on him.
In fine the Uzbeks gave battle next day in great force and tried to gain the victory, ‘Abdu-l-‘azīz Khān, son of Ubaid Khān, being in the centre, Pīr Muḥammad Khān on the right and Sulān-i-ḥiṣār on the left. His Majesty also drew up his army, he himself occupying the centre, M. Sulaimān the right wing and M. Hindāl the left, while Qarāca Khān, Ḥājī Muḥammad Khān, Tardī Beg Khān, Mun‘im Khān and Sulān Ḥusain Beg Jalāīr with his brothers were in the van. After mid-day the armies encountered one another and a great battle raged till evening. Brave men trod the field of courage and drove off the enemy's front ranks across the canals and into the outer defences (kūcaband) of Balkh. His Majesty in the strength of his mental vigour and wisdom, wished to pursue and to take his standards across the canals. His hypocritical followers while pretending to agree, gave wrong advice, and ignorant friends supported their opinion out of ignorance, and thereby made the opinion of enemies to prevail. They did not permit the crossing of the canals and uttered timorous speeches, sometimes alleging the paucity of their men and the number of the enemy; sometimes speaking of M. Kāmrān's going to Kābul and of their fears lest the soldiers' families should be made prisoners, and sometimes urging that they ought to wait for M. Kāmrān. Pressing these and other matters, they recommended a retreat. At length, after a thousand struggles with his spirit, it was agreed to proceed to Daragaz which is a strong position, and to stay there some days and collect the Aimaqs and other soldiers and so to get together the materials of victory. During that delay accurate news of M. Kāmrān would arrive. In the event of his having marched against Kābul, it was not proper for them to torment themselves (kāftan)* in these parts. At a future time, they could with whole heart, conquer Balkh, nay, Transoxiana and, by the help of God, they had been constantly successful up to this day and would continue so. For every reason it was right to withdraw and proceed to Dara-gaz. His Majesty seeing the general feeling, was helpless and ordered a march in that direction.
Thus the already captured Balkh was let go on account of the discord of the disloyal. Shaikh Bahlūl was sent to turn back the van which had crossed the stream and driven back the Uzbeks and entered the fortifications (shahrband). M. Sulaimān and a number of other valiant men were appointed to be the rear-guard.
As the whole aim of the disaffected and black-hearted was to confound the army, this compulsory retreat to Dara-gaz, which happened also to be on the route to Kābul, was represented as a return thither, and the march of M. Kāmrān was on every-one's tongue. Men lost heart and separated in different directions. Though his Majesty Jahānbānī sent Ḥusain Qulī Sl. muhrdār who was one of his confidants, and a number of others also, to turn back the disheartened crowd, it was of no avail, as proposition and disposition did not coincide (taqdīr mūāfiq-i-tadbīr nabūd). And in fact the decree of the Omnipotent was to this effect in order that the vast country of India might be sheltered from the mischief of tyrants and the inflictions of oppressors and become the descension-point of the blessings of a holy personality, and the abiding-throne and theatre (takhtgāh-i-abd dastgāh) of his Majesty, the Shāhanshāh, the Shadow of God; and that many thousands of good seeds might be shed over the wide fields of earth and the hope-plots of the sincere. To sum up; God, the World-adorner, revealed such a victory as this under the guise of conditions which might prove a lesson and a warning to the wise, and thereby brought to pass the things of counsel and wisdom. For had this disaster not occurred, the work of the helpless ones of India would have been hindered by the undertaking of the conquest of Transoxiana; and the setting-in order of those lands which are a haven for the pilgrims of the seven climes, had sunk under the veil of delay.
In brief, when the enemy became aware of the unpleasing occurrence (i.e., the retreat), they put their own confused affairs in order and came in pursuit. His Majesty Jahānbānī displayed splendid courage and performed achievements whose eulogy might be the frontispiece to the model-battles of the world. In that jungle of tigers of war, his world-traversing dun-coloured* steed which bore the name of tasarru-n-nairīn* and had been presented to him by Muḥammad Khān,* the governor of Herāt and which he was riding, fell from being wounded by an arrow. Ḥaidar Muḥammad akhta presented that leader of faith and dominion with his own horse and was exalted by this piece of service. As the Divine protection was hovering over that Lord of Sovereignty's throne, he was brought into a place of safety. Most of his followers, when they beheld symptoms of defeat, dispersed in all directions in a cowardly and ignominious manner.
The names of the chief officers of the army are as follows: Mīrās Hindāl and Sulaimān, Qarāca Khān, Ḥājī Muḥammad Khān, Tardī Beg Khān, Mun‘im Khān, Khiẓr Khw. Sl.,* Muḥammad Qulī Khān Jalāīr, Iskandar Khān, Qāsim Ḥusain Khān, Ḥaidar Muḥammad ākhta-begī, ‘Abdu-l-lāh Khān Uzbek, Ḥusain Qulī Khān muhrdār, Muḥibb ‘Alī Khān (son of) Mīr Khalīfa, Sl. Ḥusain Khān, Bāltū Sl., Muṣāḥib Beg, Shāh Bidāgh Khān, Shāham Khān Beg Jalāīr, Shāh Qulī Nārānjī, Muḥammad Qāsim maujī, Laafu-l-lāh of Sihrind, ‘Abdu-l-wahhāb Aujī,* Baqī Muḥammad parwāncī, and Khaldīn.*
Three days later, his Majesty halted at the top of the pass* of the Four Springs and here Muḥammad. Qulī Shaikh Turkmān* who had hit on the right road, heard of the royal party and joined it.
From this place, his Majesty wrote an affectionate epistle to his Majesty the Shāhinshāh, and to the chaste ladies who were in Kābul, the abode of peace and sent it by Beg Muḥammad ākhta-begī. He also sent a friendly letter to Rashīd Khān, the ruler of Kashghār who had always shewn loyalty and devotion, informing him of his arrival and telling him how his evil-minded brother, M. Kāmrān, had by constraint of his natural character, elevated the hideousness of discord over the beauty of concord and so had completely depressed the side of love and loyalty. Many of his followers too had shewn a want of courage. Certainly the expedition had not redounded to the joy of well-wishers; on the contrary, it had been a cause of sorrow and distress. In the same letter, he expressed his thanks for his safety and he inserted excellent counsels such as might comfort a loving heart.
Leaving that place, he arrived after one night's interval, at Ghūrband and on the next night, at Khwāja Sīyārān. Thence he went to Qarā Bagh and thence to Ma‘mūra.* His Majesty, the Shāhanshāh, came out to meet him here and was affectionately received. From this place he went in an auspicious hour to Kābul.
M. Sulaimān went off to Badakhshān and M. Hindāl to Qundūz, Mun'im Khān accompanying him. All the other officers followed his Majesty to Kābul. Shāh Bidāgh Khān who had given proofs of courage, remained a prisoner with the enemy, as did also Mīr Sharīf bakhshī, Khw. Nāṣiru-d-dīn ‘Alī mustaufī, Mīr Muḥammad munshī, Mīr Jān Beg dārogha-i-‘imārat, and Khw. Muḥammad Amīn Kang. All the other servants were safe.