Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎165v] (20/174)

62
PINAL BREAK-UP OP AZIM AND ABDOOL BAUMAN S ARMY
whaterer elements of disorder there still we in those parts. Ursulla Kha,
in disgust withdrew his tribe, and himself went to Cabul.
316. Meanwhile Azim and Ahdool Rahman with all their force lad
°- L turned^ aside into the Huzarah TT
Diary ending 3rd December,
turned* aside into the Huzarah Hills to
.i— 6 the South, with the intention, it Was
thought, and as it proved, correctly thought, of making for Ghuznee I smail
and Sin h-assee Sheredil Khan were accordingly sent m haste to Poolee
Maidan, whence they could watch the passes winch open into the Ghuznee and
Sheikhabad Valley.
317.
The Ameer (a) himself, and after kimYacoob, followed more*
after bimYacoob, followed more* slowly;
and when they reached Sheikhabad
- Diary ending 7th December. Ismail was pushed on to Sydahad, Ghuznee
was strengthened, and a force was held ready to move to Candahar also, in case
QIC llv flip I ttli it was known* that Azim and Ahdool Rahman Khan
6 ’ ^ had issued from the Wurduk country, and
* Diary ending 14th December. were Camped close to GllUZUee. The
commander barricaded the city gate, and prepared to defend it as well
as the fort. When summoned to surrender, he replied that he could not be
expected to do so till his assailants had shown whether they could hold their
own against Shere Ali. Meanwhile, the attacking force was much
° harassed* by the cavalry of Putteh Maho-
* Diary ending 17th December. me( j an( j gp ere Ali, Candaliaree, wllO CUt
up their forage parties. There were daily petty skirmishes, and daily desertions
from the camp of Azim and Abdool Hakman. Meanwhile, the arrival of the
money which the Indian Government had granted, enabled Shere Ali to pay
his troops in part, in part therefore to allay their demands, though, as the
amount which he had received was much exaggerated by popular report, they
clamoured for payment in full.
319. Despairing of any success where he was, Azim* now sent to sound
the feelings of the men of Koorum,
* Dairy ending 21st December. ^ the p laC One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees e S where he
was known as Governor before the troublous times had come, intending, if they
favoured his cause, to move into their country. The answer was probably not
favourable, for he made no move till the events which now followed forced him
to do so.
320. In the last days of the year, there were two* undecisive skirmishes
s .. oi tv 1 between the opposing forces. The Ameer’s
* Diary ending 31st December. „ J 1 „ >l„
forces were much distressed by the seventy
of the weather, and the difficulty of getting supplies of food and forage.
321. On the 3rd January Abdool Hahman thought he saw an opportunity
of inflicting a blow on an isolated detachment of Shere Ali’s force at Zinah
Khan. Shere Ali’s movement to support it brought on a general engagement
which lasted two hours, and ended in Abdool Hakman’s complete defeat: a whole
regiment having gone over in the course of the combat. When it was too late to
render assistance, Azim moved out of his camp. By that time Abdool Rahmans
troops were already routed, and, though he tried to keep his own force together, he
failed completely. His troops dispersed, and he fled towards Zoormut, being
overtaken and joined in his flight by Abdool Bahman.
n i (f’l His distress for want of money had now reached its climax. He told Mabommed Hoossein, the G°v er y® r
am o send bun a supply by hook or by crook. Happily, the arrival of the sum given by the Indian GovemiiA
soon to relieve him from anxiety on this account. "