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Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism
married; the Durbar was busy with the arrangements for the wedding; and Nalwa was reported to be ill in bed. Dost Mohammed felt it was the right time to unsheath the sword and hurl the g!!azis against the infidel. Dost Mahommed's strategy was to isolate the Punjabi garrisons at Shabkadar, Jamrud, and Peshawar, and reduce each in tum. The first on the list was Jamrud, which was the most advanced outpost and the weakest link in the Punjabi chain of fortresses. One detachment was sent to Shabkadar to prevent Lehna Singh Sandhawalia from leaving the fort. Nalwa's illness immobilized the garrison at Peshawar. Jamrud was invested by twenty-five thousand Afghans and Pathans equipped with eighteen heavy guns. Maha Singh had only six hundred men and a few light guns in the fon. Within a few hours the besiegers' anillery reduced the walls of Jamrud to rubble. Maha Singh's men dug themselves into trenches and for four days kept the Afghans and Pathans at bay. Maha Singh sent a desperate appeal for help to Peshawar.11 Nalwa rose from his sick bed and made his way to Jamrud. On Nalwa's approach the enemy raised the siege ofJamrud and took up positions in the valley of the Khyber which would ensure escape in the event of defeaL. Nalwa drew up his troops in battle formation and waited for the enemy, who outm1mbered him Lhree to one, to aLtack. For seven days the armies faced each other. When Nalwa realized that the Afghans and the Pathans had no desire for battle, he ordered the Punjabis to advance. The engagement took place on 30 April l 837. The Punjabis drove the enemy before them. Dost Mohammed's son, Mohammed Akbar Khan, who was watching the Afghan debacle from an escarpment, espied Nalwa well ahead of the bulk of his army. Akbar Khan swooped down on the advance column and poured lead into Nalwa's howdah. Nalwa was mortally wounded. He ordered his officers to keep his death a secret until the enemy bad been driven beyond the 8 A Sikh woman disguised as an Afghan stole through the enemy's ranks at night to carry the message to Peshawar.
Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism
married; the Durbar was busy with the arrangements for the wedding; and Nalwa was reported to be ill in bed. Dost Mohammed felt it was the right time to unsheath the sword and hurl the g!!azis against the infidel. Dost Mahommed's strategy was to isolate the Punjabi garrisons at Shabkadar, Jamrud, and Peshawar, and reduce each in tum. The first on the list was Jamrud, which was the most advanced outpost and the weakest link in the Punjabi chain of fortresses. One detachment was sent to Shabkadar to prevent Lehna Singh Sandhawalia from leaving the fort. Nalwa's illness immobilized the garrison at Peshawar. Jamrud was invested by twenty-five thousand Afghans and Pathans equipped with eighteen heavy guns. Maha Singh had only six hundred men and a few light guns in the fon. Within a few hours the besiegers' anillery reduced the walls of Jamrud to rubble. Maha Singh's men dug themselves into trenches and for four days kept the Afghans and Pathans at bay. Maha Singh sent a desperate appeal for help to Peshawar.11 Nalwa rose from his sick bed and made his way to Jamrud. On Nalwa's approach the enemy raised the siege ofJamrud and took up positions in the valley of the Khyber which would ensure escape in the event of defeaL. Nalwa drew up his troops in battle formation and waited for the enemy, who outm1mbered him Lhree to one, to aLtack. For seven days the armies faced each other. When Nalwa realized that the Afghans and the Pathans had no desire for battle, he ordered the Punjabis to advance. The engagement took place on 30 April l 837. The Punjabis drove the enemy before them. Dost Mohammed's son, Mohammed Akbar Khan, who was watching the Afghan debacle from an escarpment, espied Nalwa well ahead of the bulk of his army. Akbar Khan swooped down on the advance column and poured lead into Nalwa's howdah. Nalwa was mortally wounded. He ordered his officers to keep his death a secret until the enemy bad been driven beyond the 8 A Sikh woman disguised as an Afghan stole through the enemy's ranks at night to carry the message to Peshawar.
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