Gujrat Expedition

Gujrat Expedition [1]
Part of Afghan-Sikh wars
Date 26 April to 29 April 1797 [2] Location Sialkot, [3] River Chenab, [3] Bartonkal [1] Result Sikh victory
Belligerents
Durrani Empire	Sikh Misls
Commanders and leaders
Ahmad Shah Shahanchibashi  † Bahadur Khan Allah Yardad Khan Ali Khan Murid Khan Asadullah Kamil Din	Ranjit Singh Sahib Singh Bedi Ram Singh  † Charat Singh of Kalaswala Dharam Singh Jalalwalia Budh Singh Dodia Karam Singh Gill Mahtab Singh Wadalia Ran Singh Jaimal Singh Kanhiya Jodh Singh Atariwala Jodh Singh Ramgarhia Bhag Singh Ahluwalia Natha Singh Shahid Nahar Singh Chamyariwala Mansa Singh Desa Singh Sham Singh Tara Singh Ghaiba Milkha Singh Pindiwala Diwan Singh
Strength
12,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
3,000 killed and wounded [4] Many captured [5]	1,500 killed and wounded [4]

The Gujrat Expedition from 26 April to 29 April 1797 involved a three-day battle between the Durranis and the Sikh Misls as part of the Afghan-Sikh wars which ended with Sikh victory and the killing of Afghan governor Ahmad Shah Shahanchibashi.

Background

Disappointed with the campaign due to the Sikhs continuously causing him depredation from all sides, and an absolute obstacle preventing him from reaching Delhi, Zaman Shah Durrani was also later informed that his brother Mahmud Shah Durrani was trying to take over his throne and so he immediately took the route to return to Kabul. ^[6] On his return, all the way up to Jhelum, he was continuously harassed by the Sikhs, and at Jhelum, he appointed Ahmad Shah Shahanchibashi as the governor of the Sind Sagar Doab, with headquarter in Rohtas and assigned him the task to continue the campaign against the Sikhs. ^{[7] [8]}

Shahanchibashi committed great atrocities on the citizens of the neighborhood of Gujrat, destroyed their crops and forcibly took a girl from Brahmin community, belonging to the village of Haranpur, along with several other boys and girls, and then decided to conquer Gujrat which was under the leadership of Sahib Singh. ^{[3] [9]} Bedi Ram Singh, from village Kotli in Sialkot District, was enraged when informed about the atrocities and began to invite young men from villages to join him in war against Shahanchibashi, where Jodh Singh, Diwan Singh and Wadali sardars joined him with 250 men. ^[3] Shahanchibashi planned to take the Sikhs by surprise by beginning the expedition of Gujrat from Sialkot, forcing the Sikhs to retreat from Gujrat towards the bank of Jhelum river where they would be compelled to surrender after getting surrounded. ^{[1] [3] [9]} Shahanchibashi had 12,000 cavalry, himself commanding the main body, whereas Allah Yardad Khan commanded the front guard and Bahadur Khan commanded the rear guard, and together they crossed the river Jhelum and setup their base at Islamgarh which was earlier captured by Hayat Khan. ^{[3] [9]} Ram Singh after being informed that some troops of Shahanchibashi were encamped in Sialkot, decided to march towards them with his men. ^{[10] [9]} Shahanchibashi appointed Ali Khan, Murid Khan, Asadullah and Kamil Din to command the strong army. ^[10]

Battle

On the first day, a furious battle transpired over an area of 10 square kilometers which began at Protian and then moved to Torian, and eventually ended with both parties retiring at nightfall to rest, eat and treat the wounds of the injured soldiers. ^[10] At night, the Afghans also moved their camp to Chenab river. ^[10]

Next morning, both parties prepared for another day of battle where Ram Singh placed himself at the frontline and in his rear were Charat Singh of Kalaswala, Dharam Singh Jalalwalia, Budh Singh Dodia, Karam Singh Gill, Mahtab Singh Wadalia, Ran Singh of Sarae Kali, Jaimal Singh Kanhiya, Jodh Singh Atariwala, Jodh Singh Ramgarhia, Bhag Singh Ahluwalia, Natha Singh Shahid, Nahar Singh Chamyariwala, Mansa Singh, Desa Singh, Sham Singh of Sultanwind, Tara Singh Ghaiba, Milkha Singh Pindiwala, and Diwan Singh along with many others. ^{[10] [9]} Another furious battle took place the entire day including many duels and again ended with the retirement of both parties at nightfall. ^{[11] [10]}

On the third day, some Sikhs appointed as Vigil noticed Afghans on boats crossing the Chenab river and so the Sikhs also followed the same suit. ^[10] Shahanchibashi and majority of his troops were now encamped about 7 kilometers from Gujrat, therefore, Ram Singh and his Sikhs progressed towards them from the western bank of Chenab river whereas Sahib Singh, Ranjit Singh and other Sikh chiefs marched from the west. ^{[4] [12]} Again, a severe battle took place where Ahmad Shah Shahanchibashi was shot dead and his head was cut off. ^{[4] [12]} After finding their leader dead, the Durrani soldiers fled and the Sikhs closely pursued them all the way to the banks of river Jhelum, killing son of Faiz Talab, governor of Peshawar, his three chief officers and about 3,000 Afghans including capture of many soldiers. ^[4]

Aftermath

The Sikhs seized a large amount of booty that contained camels, horses and munitions. ^[4] The Brahmin girl was rescued and sent to her parents, but they refused to accept her back and so the girl took a temple as her residence where she died and people worshipped her as a form of Sati. ^{[4] [12]}

References

1. Gupta 1998, p. 248.
2. Gupta, Hari Ram (1998). History of the Sikhs Volume 4. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Private, Limited. pp. 248–249, 482–484. ISBN   9788121505406.
3. Gupta 1998, p. 482.
4. Gupta 1998, p. 484.
5. Gupta 1939, p. 86.
6. Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs Volume 3. S.N. Sarkar. pp. 76–86.
7. Singh, Khushwant (2004). History of the Sikhs. Oxford University Press. p. 192. ISBN   9780195673081.
8. Singh, Harbans (1980). Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Sterling. p. 5.
9. Gandhi 1999, p. 584.
10. Gupta 1998, p. 483.
11. Gandhi, Surjit Singh (1999). Sikhs of the Eighteenth Century. Singh Bros. pp. 584–585. ISBN   9788172052171.
12. Gandhi 1999, p. 585.