Page 169 - Lohgarh

Banda Singh Bahadur’s Return to Sadhaura and Lohgarh w 169

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On the 12 of July Zain-ud-Din Ahmed Khan, the Faujdar of Sarhind,
was given the charge of the office of Diwan (chief administrator of
revenues) of the army of Mohammed Amin Khan, and, his nephew Abu-
ul-Qasim was appointed deputy Faujdar of Sarhind. 11 On the 24 th of
July, the Emperor appointed new army chiefs: Jalal Khan of Jalalabad
(who had given a tough fighting to the Sikhs), Mohammed Amin of
Rajauri and Mohammed Baqa of Fatehabad. 12

Second Attack on Sadhaura Fort by the Mughal Army

In August 1712, Banda Singh Bahadur was present in Lohgarh. When
Mohammed Amin Khan got this information, he began his march
towards Lohgarh. Before reaching the foothills of the Lohgarh Fort, he
had to fight at more than 50 Fortresses and trenches.
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On the 1 of September 1712, Jahandar Shah received a letter from
Mohammed Amin Khan informing him that “the Sikhs have returned to
Sadhaura and established themselves in the Fort there. The Mughal army
has surrounded the Fort. The Sikhs come out of the Fortress and fight
against the Mughal soldiers. Both the sides have been suffering heavy
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losses.” On the 17 of August Banda Singh too came to Sadhaura. His
army was attacked by the Mughal soldiers. During this battle, the Mughal
army suffered heavy losses. Mohammed Amin Khan requested the
Emperor to send two cannons so that they might break open the walls
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of the Fort at Sadhaura. On the 8 of September, the Emperor ordered
the despatch of two cannons to Sadhaura. Even these cannons could
not break the walls of the Fort of Sadhaura. The Mughal siege of the
Fort continued for about six months. On the other hand, the Sikhs inside
the Fort did not have enough food and ammunition; so, when their
food stocks were fully exhausted, on one dark night of winter, the Sikhs
came out of the Fort, broke though the siege of the Mughal army and
fled to Lohgarh and Nahan.
In the last days of September 1712, some Sikhs went from Sadhaura
to the territory of the Nahan State. The hill soldiers informed General
Firoz Jang Khan about the hideouts of the Sikhs; besides, they made a
sudden attack on the Sikhs and by that time the ruler of Nahan had