On the 15th of the month the Sháh continued his march towards Sháh-Jahánábád. He advanced rapidly. Leaving his camp equipage at Sháhábád, on the 15th of Zí-l ka'da he appeared in the neighbourhood of Karnál, where Muhammad Sháh's army awaited his coming. But it is now time to return to Muhammad Sháh, lest the thread of the narrative should be broken.
It has already been shown how Ásaf Jáh Bahádur, Wazíru-l mamálik Bahádur and Amíru-l Umará Bahádur, the officers to whom had been entrusted the responsibility of leading an army against the Persian invaders, remained for a whole month encamped near the Shálamár gardens. When tidings came that Nádir Sháh had reached the banks of the Attock river, the commanders urged upon the Emperor the necessity of his joining them in person, and, with one accord, they moved forward in the early days of Shawwál. The author himself, Ánand Rám, accompanied by his beloved sons Ráí Kripá Rám and Saláh Fath Singh, left the capital on the 11th of the month, in the service of Nawáb Sáhib Wazíru-l Mamálik Bahádur.* When the army reached Pánípat, the author obtained leave to revisit his home, where some private affairs required his presence. Starting on the 17th, he reached Sháh-Jahánábád on the evening of the 20th.
On the 18th of the month Muhammad Sháh, and the illustrious Prince Ahmad issued from the citadel (ark), the royal residence, and encamped near Muhammad Ganj. The royal camp reached Pánípat on the 27th, when the commanders paid their respects to His Majesty, and made offerings suited to their rank.
Near Karnál flows through a broad plain a canal which issues from the Jumna river, near Mukhlispúr, and continues its course to Sháh-Jahánábád. This place was found convenient for the encampment of the army. By degrees news was received of the progress of the enemy. It was therefore resolved to advance no further, but to take advantage of the abundant supply of water, so necessary to the soldier, and fight to the last. The Mír-átish was instructed to construct an earthen wall around the camp; behind this the artillery was placed in position; and brave men were told off for the defence of the intrenchments. In fact, nothing was omitted that could conduce to the strength of the camp. This disposition, which could hardly be considered worthy of an Emperor, was adopted partly to await the arrival of Burhánu-l Mulk Bahádur, Názim of Oudh, who had been ordered to join the royal army. This nobleman, though suffering from sickness, advanced by forced marches at the head of 30,000 horsemen, and reached Karnál on the 14th of Zí-l ka'da. This addition to the strength of the army created universal joy, and all now thought victory certain.
Burhánu-l Mulk, after his interview with His Majesty on the 14th, the day of his arrival, had been dismissed to his own tents. News was at this time brought to him that a Persian force had fallen upon his baggage, which was coming up in the rear from Pánípat, and had plundered it, and committed great slaughter. Burhánu-l Mulk, with headlong impetuosity, misplaced in a commander, flew to the scene of action, accompanied only by the few horsemen who were with him, without taking time to collect his artillery, or to form his men in any kind of order. Soon he was engaged in the thick of the fight, nor did he desist from his efforts until he had scattered the Persians. The latter, experienced in every kind of stratagem, the acquiring of which indeed forms part of the soldier's training, fled in apparent confusion, followed by the Názim, who was thus led into an ambush where stood the Persian advanced guard with a powerful artillery. The armies engaged, and the shouts of the combatants and the clashing of sabres ascended to the heavens.
Muhammad Sháh, hearing of what was going on, ordered Amíru-l umará to reinforce the Názim. The Amír represented that the army had not expected a fight that day, and that the soldiers were consequently quite unprepared; reinforcements could but add to the severity of the defeat. It was far better to delay a battle until the morrow, when the army could be disposed according to the rules of war, with advanced and rear guards, and their artillery, on which everything depended in Indian warfare, could be placed in the front.* The struggle would then be one of comparative ease, and a little skill would insure an easy victory. The monarch was displeased with these objections, and addressed the Amír as a “conceited idler.” But Amíru-l umará Bahádur was a chieftain who had the good of his master at heart; never had he been guilty of aught like disobedience, and now, arming himself and mounting an elephant, he gathered round him Muzaffar Khán Bahádur and a few horsemen, all that could be collected in that hour of bewilderment, and hastened to the support of the Názim. The struggle raged so fiercely that firearms and arrows were put aside, and swords and daggers were brought into play. Blood flowed from gaping wounds and crimsoned the combatants; the red Kazalbásh caps had the appearance of poppies; a dense smoke hung over the field of battle.
The heroic efforts of Amíru-l umará and his prodigies of valour could not prevail against the Persians, who far exceeded the Indians in number, and had, moreover, the advantage of having been placed in position by the Sháh himself. The Mughals broke at length and fled; but Amíru-l umará maintained the combat until, mortally wounded in the face, he fell covered with glory. His brother, Muzaffar Khán, his son Muhtaram Khán, Alí Hámid Khán his koka, and some others stood by him to the last. Burhánu-l Mulk and Nisár Muhammad Khán Bahádur became prisoners. The remainder of the followers of Amíru-l umará, headed by Ráí Majlis Ráí Mír-sámán, closed round their master's elephant, resolved to extricate him or to perish. They reached the Amír's tents by evening. This nobleman's wounds were mortal, and he lived but one day longer. God have mercy on him! By his decease, Ásaf Jáh Bahádur became Mír-bakhshí. Officers were sent by the Emperor's order to seize the property of the late nobleman, which it would have been more generous to leave to the heirs.
Had the Emperor himself led his powerful army to the support of Burhánu-l Mulk, there would have been no cause to lament the loss of such a sardár as Amíru-l umará; and who can say that victory might not have smiled on his arms?
The consequences of this disaster were lamentable; for the loss
of baggage and the great scarcity of supplies that soon prevailed
(four rupees could hardly purchase a sír of flour) totally deprived
the soldiery of the little spirit they ever possessed. The
Persian Emperor sent a message offering to treat for peace; for
though so powerful, he was not one to overlook the advantages of
negociation.*
Wazíru-l mamálik Ásaf Jáh was opposed to the
proposition; but his arguments did not prevail on the Emperor.
On the 16th of the month Ásaf Jáh Bahádur and 'Azímu-llah
Khán Bahádur were deputed to the Sháh, to conclude the negocia-
The next day Muhammad Sháh repaired in person to the Persian camp. The monarch took with him a small escort. 'Umdatu-l Mulk Amír Khán Bahádur, Mu'tamadu-d daula Muhammad Is'hák Khán Bahádur, Bihroz Khán, and Jáwed Khán, were among the number. Nasru-llah Mirzá, the Sháh's son, received His Majesty at the limits of the camp. When they drew near, the Sháh himself came forth, and the etiquette usual between the Persian and Mughal courts was faithfully observed. The two monarchs, holding one another by the hand, entered the audience-tents, and seated themselves side by side on a masnad. It was as if two suns had risen in the East, or as if two bright moons shed their light at one time! As Muhammad Sháh was unaccompanied by any one of his chiefs, the subject of conversation between the two Emperors has remained unknown. After this had lasted some time, a repast was prepared, the remains of which were given to Amír Khán Bahádur and the other noblemen. Nothing that courtesy and friendship require was omitted during the whole conference, which lasted a quarter of the day, and Muhammad Sháh regained his camp about the third quarter of the day. These proceedings restored tranquillity to the minds of the soldiery; all looked forward with joy to renewed plenty, to a return to their beloved Sháh-Jahánábád and the society of friends; but fate smiled at these fond hopes, for more suffering, more bloodshed awaited them.