Page 108 - Lohgarh

108 w Lohgarh : The World’s Largest Fort

single Afghan officer had survived. The Emperor was told that Banda
Singh had some supernatural power. When he had reached river Yamuna
to cross it, he had said: “Give way to cross my army”, the river-water
stopped moving (became still) and the Sikh army had crossed it without
any difficulty. 19
On 25 July the Emperor was told that Saharanpur and Nanauta were
fully under the control of the Sikhs. The Emperor received a request
asking him to dispatch an army under the command of Firoz Khan
Mewati to fight against the Sikhs. He (Emperor) immediately asked
Rustam Dil Khan to send Firoz Khan Mewati for the expedition. On 28
July, the Emperor also allowed Sayyad Wajih-ud-Din, Usman Khan Kotwal
and Sultan Kuli Khan (brother of Rustam Dil Khan) to join Firoz Khan
Mewati. An amount of rupees fifty thousand was also granted to Firoz
Khan Mewati. 20
Bahadur Shah Himself Leads the Expedition Against the Sikhs

When all these expeditions could not defeat the Sikhs, Bahadur Shah
decided to lead the army himself. On 4 August 1710, he sent robes of
honor, a decorated palanquin, a horse with golden saddle and an aigrette
to Amar Singh, the Rajput ruler of Udaipur, so that he could also be
asked to accompany the Emperor in the latter’s expedition against the
Sikhs.
On 14 August, Bahadur Shah reached Madgaon. Here, he issued
orders that none of the caravan of the Emperor would go to
Shahjahanabad (Delhi); nor anyone coming from the Capital would be
21
allowed to enter the caravan. The Emperor himself too did not go to
Shajahanabad and, instead, went straight towards Sonepat. Soon, the
armies of Lucknow, Moradabad and Shahjahanabad, led by their Chiefs,
joined the rank and file of the Emperor. Sayyad Abdullah of Bara Saadat,
Muzaffarnagar (Faujdar of Allahabad), the Hindu rajas Chhatarsal and
Udit Singh Bundela, along with big army units, too joined the royal
troops. 22
On 26 August, the Emperor sent orders to the Hindu ruler of Kumaon