advance towards Qandahar, and make Qalich
Khan's position untenable. Khanjar Khan
whom he had detached with 4,000 Indian troops
to cross the Helmand and loot the district of Kuraishi, was defeated by Najaf Quli, the
Persian Master of the Horse, and driven back
across the river with a loss of 700 slain besides
many others who perished in swimming the
stream (during the second half of July). Qalich
Khan rapidly fell back before the enemy's
superior numbers till he reached Sang Hissar on
the Arghandab, some 24 miles south-west of
Qandahar. Here strong reinforcements sent by
Aurangzib under Rustam Khan Deccani reached
him, after driving away a band of Persian
cattle-raiders who had penetrated to within a few miles of the Prince's camp.[1]
fights the Persian relieving force, The two generals joined their forces and on 25th August at Shah Mir fought a great battle with the enemy. The Indian army under Rustam Khan stood in battle order on the bank of the Arghandab, barring the road to Qandahar. The Persians, reported to be 30,000 strong, stretched in a vast line for four miles from the hill of Kushk-i-Nakhud to the river bank. Large reinforcements had reached them that
- ↑ Waris, 29a, 34b—36a.