Page 125 - Lohgarh

Mughal Action Against the Sikhs w 125

him to cross their borders and they should block their passage. When
all the sides were strengthening, an attack should be made and not a
single person should be left alive, so that after that battle no person
should dare to do such a silly act (of rebellion against the empire). That,
it was a good advice that quite good number of soldiers should be left
on trenches and others should go to the Capital (royal camp).
But, that Fort could not be captured according to their (prince and
Khan Khanan’s) thinking. When the life of that ill-minded infidel was
still to be spared (by God) for some more days, how could this advice
become true? The great honourable prince returned to the capital (royal
camp). In spite of his age (wisdom) Khan Khanan got deceived.
That clever person (Banda Singh) had left about two hundred men
in the Fort and escaped through the territory of Barfi Raja (Nahan).
Those unlucky persons whom he had left for the defense of the Fort
were caught in the net of misery. The next morning the prince gave
command to attack. Fearless soldiers used the stairs and climbed the
walls of the Fort and entered the Fort, but they did not fight the defense
of the Fort had heard strong but they did not find that there. Those of
his soldiers who, confronted with swords were murdered immediately.
Those who ran away, they were killed by people by throwing rocks at
them. Thus the Fort came under the occupation of the glorious holy
army. Everyone got a lot of commodities. For one week, the army men
continued entering the hills in the form of groups and they killed
whoever they come across. They plundered and brought a lot of goods
to their homes (tents). They brought velvet, silk, clothes and other goods,
besides slaves and women folk. Only lazy, the drunkard, the weak and
powerless person did not go into the hills, hence they could not have
anything from the Fort. 49
Kamvar Khan, who claimed to have seen the battle with his own
eyes says: “This humble man was present in the army units of prince
Rafi-ush-Shan. I saw with my own eyes: from among those wicked
people, each one would jump in the field and fight with the royal forces;
and after attempting a show of great bravery, would become a good
(would die) of the merciless sword of the holy warriors. At this time the