6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

428 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORY
Eohilla-Pathans in the month of April, 1751 and fetching
them in open fields inflicted a crushing defeat on that huge
army on the 28th of April, 1751". About twenty to twenty-
five thousand Pathans and Rohillas were cut oflF in the battle.
Everything belonging to them including their camp was
plundered. Thousands of horses, elephants, camels and the
battery of guns were all captured. Jayappa Shinde writes
in his letter, "The devotees of Hari appropriated that booty
to themselves**."
1051. When the Peshwa received the news of these
battles Shreemant Nanasahib himself felt elated at the excep­
tional valour of the Marathas. In his congratulatory reply
to the Sardars and soldiers he himself wrote :-
1052. m^m ^wm'i f|H f?f T^^ts
trqjfiTES ^ ^^ Hlf% WTIIcf
5^mr q"T%?ft ^ftft)^ 511^ q^TT^rr ^THrrr
(Bravo, well done ! All Praise to your intrepidity and
valour ! that the Southern armies should cross the Ganges
and Jamuna and win a glorious victory over the Pathans in
the open battle field is neither a small nor a common place
thing ! You are single-minded loyal men of action, the
pillars of the (Maratha) Empire ! Your fame has spread far
beyond Iran and Turan. While the 'Queen' (on the chess­
board) had run astray, (you) have installed her at the
vantage position once again !
THE MARATHAS HUMBLED TIME AND AGAIN
THE HAUTEUR AND PRIDE OF THE
TRUE-BORN' AND THE GREAEST
MUSLIMS TOO !
1053. A common misleading statement is very often to
be seen in the histories written not only by the Muslim,
English, Portuguese and such other writers, who are natu-