Battle of Gandgarh

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Battle of Gandgarh
Part of the Afghan-Sikh Wars
Date1820
Location
Result Afghan Victory [1] [2] [3]
Belligerents
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Sikh Empire Yousafzai Tribesmen
Commanders and leaders
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Diwan Ram Dayal  [4]
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Sardar Sadda Singh  [5]
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Sada Kaur
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Sher Singh
Sikh Empire flag.jpg Sham Singh Attariwala
Yousafzai Malaks
Strength
Unknown reinforced by 6,000 men [1] Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown, Governor of Hazara Ram Dayal was killed. [4] Unknown

In 1820, Yousafzai once again revolted against the Sikh Empire, which led to the Battle of Gandgarh. [6] Hazara was under Diwan Ram Singh with thousands of well-equipped soldiers; on the other hand, Yousafzai tribesmen were local zamindars. Yousafzai Afghans killed the governor of Hazara, Diwan Ram Daya. [7] [8]

Contents

The Battle

After arriving in Gandgarh (Modern-Day Haripur District), Ramdayal (Governor of Hazara) found himself surrounded by Afghans from Miswari, Srikot, Torbela, Yusufzai, and Swat and forced to engage in combat. [9] [10] The Sikhs battled all day, and at night, exhausted, they returned to their entrenchments. Ram Dayal left the field last, and the enemy, seeing that he was separated from the army, dashed and encircled his company. The Sikhs battled valiantly but lost Ramdayal and his bodyguard. Sikhs fled Hazara after their General's death. [11]

Aftermath

Gandgarh was captured by local Yousafzai and Sikh retreated to Hazara. Ramdayal's death grieved his father, who wanted to leave Kashmir and retire to Banares. Since Ramdayal was dead, the Maharaja accepted the Diwan's resignation and appointed Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, the Khalsa army's most dashing soldier, as his successor. [12]

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References

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  2. S. L. Tandan (1902) Selected Men of Hindustan Part 1, Volume 1
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  5. Kohli, M. S. (2003). Miracles of Ardaas: Incredible Adventures and Survivals. Indus. ISBN   9788173871528.
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  7. "governor-killed-in-colombia-dec-23-2009-1pp". Human Rights Documents online: 149. doi:10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-9211-0348 . Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  8. Seetal, Sohan Singh (1971). The Sikh Empire and Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Dhanpat Rai. p. 119.
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  10. Chopra, Gulshan Lall (1940). Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Government Printing. p. 184.
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