Sultan Ibrahīm, as soon as he heard that they had collected
an army, and invaded his dominions, led his troops to
oppose them. Having notice of his march as he approached,
they raised the siege and advanced to meet him. The confederates
concurred in opinion, that if the battle was fought
in the daytime, the Afghans, from regard to their reputation
with their countrymen, would not flee; but that if the
attack was made by night, the night is dark, and no one
seeing another, each chief would shift for himself. Resolving,
therefore, to attempt a night surprise, they mounted
to proceed against the enemy, who were six kos off. Twice
did they mount their horses at noon, and continue mounted
till the second or third watch of the night, without going
either back or forward, not being able to come to a resolution,
or agree among themselves. The third time they set
Surprises
the camp of
Sultan
Ibrahīm;
out for their surprise, when only one watch of the night
remained. Their plan was for the party merely to set fire
to the tents and pavilions, and to attempt nothing farther.
They accordingly advanced and set fire to the tents during
the last watch of the night, at the same time shouting the
war-cry. Jalāl Khan Jighet, and several other Amirs, came
over, and acknowledged Ālim Khan. Sultan Ibrahīm,
attended by a body of men composed of his own tribe and
family, did not move from the royal pavilion, but continued
steady in the same place till morning. By this time, the
troops who accompanied Ālim Khan were dispersed, being
busy plundering and pillaging. Sultan Ibrahīm’s troops
perceived that the enemy were not in great force, and
immediately moved forward from the station which they
had kept, though very few in number, and having only a
single elephant; but no sooner had the elephant come up,
than Ālim Khan’s men took to flight, without attempting
but is
defeated.
to keep their ground. In the course of his flight, Ālim Khan
crossed over to the Doāb side of the river, and again recrossed
it towards Panipat, on reaching which place he
contrived by a stratagem to get three or four laks*
from
Miān Suleimān,*
and went on his way. Ismāel Jilwāni,
Bīban, and Jalāl Khan, the eldest son of Ālim Khan, separating
from him, betook themselves to the Doāb. A small
part of the army which Ālim Khan had collected, such as
Seif ed dīn,*
Daryā Khan, Mahmūd Khan Khan Jehān,
Sheikh Jamāl Fermūli, and some others, deserted before the
battle and joined Ibrahīm. Ālim Khan and Dilāwer Khan,
with Hāji Khan, after passing Sirhind, heard of my
approach, and that I had taken Milwat; whereupon
Dilāwer Khan, who had always been attached to my
interests, and had been detained three or four months in
prison on my account, separated from the others, came on
by way of Sultānpūr*
and Kochi,*
and waited upon me in
the neighbourhood of Milwat, three or four days after the
taking of that town. Ālim Khan and Hāji Khan having
passed the river Satlej, at length reached Gingūteh,*
the
name of a strong castle in the hills between Dūn and the
plain, and threw themselves into it. One of my detachments,
consisting of Afghans and Hazāras, happening to
come up, blockaded them, and had nearly succeeded in
taking the castle, strong as it was, being only prevented by
the approach of night. These noblemen then made an
attempt to leave it, but some of their horses having fallen
in the gateway, they could not get out. Some elephants
that were along with them were pushed forward, and
trampled upon and killed a number of the horses. Although
unable to escape on horseback, they left the place during
a dark night on foot, and after incredible sufferings, joined
Ghāzi Khan, who, in the course of his flight, finding that he
could not get refuge in Milwat, had directed his course
towards the hills, where they met. Ghāzi Khan did not
give Ālim Khan a very friendly reception, which induced
him to wait on me, below Dūn, in the neighbourhood of
Pelhūr, where he came and tendered me his allegiance.
While I was at Siālkot, some of the troops*
whom I had left
in Lahore arrived to inform me, that they would all be up
by the morning.
Next morning I marched, and halted at Parsrūr, where Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng, Khwājeh Hussain, and some others,* accordingly came and waited on me. As the enemy’s camp was on the banks of the Rāvi,* towards Lahore, I sent out Bujkeh with his party to reconnoitre and bring in intelligence. About the end of the third watch of the night they came back with information that the enemy, immediately on getting notice of their approach, had fled away in consternation, every man shifting for himself.
Dec. 31.On the following morning, leaving Shah Mīr Hussain,* and some other officers, to guard the camp and baggage, I separated from them, and pushed on with all possible speed. We reached Kalanūr about the middle of afternoon prayers, and halted. Muhammed Sultān Mirza, Ādil Sultān, and the other Amirs, came here and waited on me.
Jan. 1, Marching before daybreak from Kālanūr,*
we discovered
on the road certain traces*
that Ghāzi Khan and the fugitives
were not far off. Muhammedi and Ahmedi,*
with
several of the Begs about my person, whom I had recently
at Kābul promoted to the rank of Beg, were detached to
pursue the fugitives, without halting. Their orders were,
that, if they could overtake the flying enemy, it was well;
but, if not, that they should carefully guard every approach
and issue of the fort of Milwat, that the garrison might not
be able to effect their escape. Ghāzi Khan was the object
that I principally aimed at in these instructions. Having
sent forward this detachment under the Begs, we crossed
Crosses the
Biās.
the river Biās opposite to Kanwāhīn,*
and there halted.
From thence, after three marches, we encamped in the
Jan. 2, 3,
and 4.
mouth of the valley in which lies the fort of Milwat.*
The
Begs, who had arrived before us, and the Amirs of Hindustān,
Blockades
Milwat;
were directed to encamp and lay close siege to the
fort. Ismāel Khan, who was Doulet Khan’s grandson (being
the son of Ali Khan, Doulet Khan’s eldest son), having
arrived in our quarters, was sent into the fort to offer terms
of capitulation, and with a message in which we mingled
Jan. 5.
promises and threats. On Friday I made the camp advance,
and take ground half a kos nearer. I myself went out,
reconnoitred the fort, and after having assigned to the right
and left wing, and to the centre, their respective stations,
returned back to the camp.
Doulet Khan now sent a person to inform me, that Ghāzi
Khan had escaped and fled to the hills; but that if I would
excuse his own offences, he would come as a slave*
and
deliver up the place. I therefore sent Khwājeh Mīr Mīrān
to confirm him in his resolution, and to bring him out. His
son Ali Khan accompanied that officer.*
In order to expose
the rudeness and stupidity of the old man,*
I directed him
to take care that Doulet Khan should come out with the
same two swords hung round his neck, which he had hung
by his side to meet me in combat. When matters had come
who waits
upon
Bābur.
this length,*
he still contrived frivolous pretexts for delay,
but was at length brought out. I ordered the two swords
to be taken from his neck. When he came to offer me his
obeisance, he affected delays in bowing; I directed them
to push his leg and make him bow. I then made him sit
down before me, and desired a man who understood the
Hindustāni language to explain to him what I said, sentence
by sentence, in order to reassure him*
; and to tell him,
‘I called you Father: I showed you more respect and
reverence than you could have desired or expected. I
delivered you and your sons from the insults of*
the Balūches.
I delivered your tribe, your family, and women, from
the bondage of Ibrahīm. The countries held by Tātār Khan*
to the amount of three krors,*
I bestowed on you. What
evil have I ever done you, that you should come in this style
against me, with these two swords by your side: and,
attended by an army, stir up tumult and confusion in my
territories?’ The man, being stupefied, stammered out
a few words not at all to the purpose; and, indeed, what
could he say in answer to such confounding truths? It was
settled that he and his family should retain their authority
in their own tribes, and possession of their villages, but that
all the rest of their property should be sequestrated.*
They
were directed to encamp close by Khwājeh Mīr Mīrān.