The Moghul

by Thomas Hoover

  Hawksworth awoke at noon the following day to discover work had begunon fortification of the camp. He left Shirin sleeping and walked to theeastern perimeter, where the heavy cannon were being drawn intoposition. As he paused to study one of the cannon, he found himselfcomparing it with the European design. It looked to be a six-inch bore,with a molded iron barrel strengthened by brass hoops shrunk around theoutside. It was bolted onto its own carriage, a flat base supported byfour solid wooden wheels, and pulled by a team of ten white bullocksyoked in pairs. Cotton ropes almost two inches in diameter were tied

  around the breech, looped beneath the axles and then through a heavyiron ring on the front of the mount, extending forward to hooks on theyokes of the bullocks.

  While their drivers whipped the animals forward, a crowd ofmoustachioed infantry in red and green tunics clustered around the guncarriages pushing. A drummer in an orange cloak sat astraddle thebreech of the cannon beating cadence for the other men on two largedrums strapped along each side of the barrel. A large bull elephanttrailed behind, heavy padding on his forehead, and whenever the guncarriage bogged, the elephant would be moved forward to shove thebreech with his head.

  As the cannon were rolled into position, some fifteen feet apart, theywere being linked to each other with heavy ropes of twisted bull hidethe size and strength of metal chain, to prevent cavalry from ridingthrough and cutting down the gunners. After the hide ropes werecamouflaged with brush, a leather screen was placed behind the breechof each gun to protect the gunners when it fired.

  Hawksworth counted approximately three hundred cannon along the campperimeter. Firepots were being stationed behind each gun, together withlinstocks and leather barrels of powder. A few bags of dirt had beenpiled between some of the cannon to provide protection for matchlockmen. Around the cannon, men were assembling piles of four-sided ironclaws, and beyond, diggers with picks and wicker baskets had begun ahalfhearted effort to start construction of a trench. He studied thepreparations uneasily for a moment, sensing something was wrong, andthen he froze.

  There was no shot. Only stacks of iron claws.

  He whirled and made his way back to the munitions depot, rows ofyellow-fringed tents. The shot was there waiting, in gauge ranging fromtwo inch to ten inch, but none had been moved.

  He moved on to other tents and discovered several hundred more cannon.Some were the same gauge as those being deployed, others much larger.All had been fitted with harness, ready to be moved, but now they stoodin long rows, waiting. As he moved onto another row of tents, pushingthrough the swarm of men and bullocks, he discovered a vast cache ofsmaller cannon, thousands, also mounted on wooden carriages but smallenough to be moved by a bullock, or even two men. These too wereharnessed and sat untouched.

  Beyond there were other rows of tents, where seven-foot- long muskets--together with powder, bags of shot, and a wooden prong to rest thebarrel on when firing--were now being broken out and distributed to theinfantry. The men were being armed, but the camp itself was practicallywithout fortification.

  Hawksworth stood brooding about the preparations, about the Rajput hornbow he had only barely learned to use--he was finally able to hit the_todah_, practice target, a mound of earth piled near Jadar's officers'tent, but shooting under a shield seemed impossible--and the situationbegan to overwhelm him. Jadar's position was becoming more hopeless bythe minute.

  He stared around the open camp and decided he would try to requisitionas many matchlocks as possible, and perhaps also try to teach Shirin toshoot in the time remaining. If they had muskets, he told himself,perhaps they could somehow defend themselves when the Imperial armyswept through the camp.

  He turned and pushed his way back toward where muskets were beingissued. Men were walking past him carrying heavy matchlocks, five feetin length with a barrel of rolled steel welded together end to end. Thebarrel was attached to the stock by a broad steel band, and both wereprofusely ornamented with embossing and colored enamel. Some of themuskets had wooden tripods attached to the end of the barrel.

  As he approached the munitions tent, he saw Vasant Rao standing in itscenter, issuing orders with an easy smile, his moustache and turban asprim as though he were on muster. Behind him was a head-high pile ofmuskets, each wrapped in a roll of green broadcloth. Hawksworth staredat him for a moment, then pushed forward. Through the shouting mob hefinally managed to catch the Rajput's arm and pull him toward the rearof the open tent.

  "Why aren't the cannon being deployed?"

  "But they are, Captain." Vasant Rao stroked his moustache and lookedpast Hawksworth's shoulder toward the next stack of matchlocks.

  "But only the medium-bore guns, and even those have no shot. Nothingelse has been moved."

  "By medium bore I assume you mean the _gau-kash_, the ox-drawn cannon.That's true. But these things all take time."

  "You're spending what little time you have left deploying medium-borecannon, and those with no shot! Who the hell is in charge?"

  "Prince Jadar, of course. The _gau-kash _cannon are the key to hisstrategy." Vasant Rao moved past Hawksworth and barked orders for thenext stack of muskets to be unstrapped. Waiting infantrymen in raggedcloaks pushed forward. "Take a musket, Captain, if you want one.They're probably of some small use. When I'm finished here, I have tocheck all the harness on the _fil-kash _cannon, the large guns thatwill be drawn into position by elephants. Then I still have to issuethe _mardum-kash _guns, the small cannon that are assigned to two-manteams."

  "Where will this other artillery be deployed?" Hawksworth shoutedtoward Vasant Rao's back.

  The Rajput seemed not to hear, as he paused to speak to one of the menassisting him. Then he turned and unwrapped a musket, selected atripod, and passed both to Hawksworth. The other man was bringing awide velvet belt from the back of the tent, and he handed it toHawksworth. Hanging from it were a powder flask, bullet pouch, priminghorn, match cord, and flint and steel. "The prince will issue ordersfor deployment of the _fil-kash _and _mardum-kash _guns after they'veall been harnessed."

  "He'd better issue them soon. It'll start growing dark in a couple ofhours, three at most."

  "I'm sure he's aware of the time, Captain." Vasant Rao turned anddisappeared into a circle of bearded Rajputs, barking orders.

  Hawksworth watched him disappear, then turned and grabbed two moremuskets. Holding them ahead of him like a prow he pushed his way backinto the milling street. The air was rank with sweat and the crowdsseemed more disorganized than ever. Women jostled in the streets,haggling with the merchants for clay jars of oil, while grooms movedamong them leading prancing horses, each wearing a gold-fringed saddleblanket that glowed like ancient coin in the waning sun.

  Hawksworth studied the crowd, searching vainly for some sense oforganization, then turned to begin working his way back toward Jadar'scompound and his own tent.

  Shirin was still there, asleep. He stood admiring her again, her softmouth, the olive skin of her high cheeks, her shining dark hair, andrealized he loved her more than ever.

  Dear God, we've only just begun to live. Jadar is a madman.

  Almost without knowing why, he began to rummage through the remains ofhis clothing, still rolled in the carpet and lying where he had thrownit. His pulse suddenly quickened when his fingers closed around a hardround object. It was his very last bottle of brandy, miraculouslyentangled in the remains of his formal doublet.

  If there was ever a time . . .

  He ripped away the rotting cork with his teeth and pulled deeply on thebrandy, twice. As always, it seemed to work at the knot in his gut. Hetook one more swallow, then shook Shirin.

  She startled awake and stared at him wildly for a second. Then shebroke into a smile . . . until she saw the brandy.

  "Do you really need that now?"

  "I need this and a lot more. How can you sleep? This whole God-cursedcamp is going to be leveled by the Imperial army in a few hours." Hestopped and stared at her. "Are you listening? Only a fraction ofJadar's cannon ar
e deployed. Most are still waiting to be pulled intoposition. It's unbelievable."

  Shirin pulled herself up and leaned against a bolster, examining himwith weary eyes. "Then why are you here? I

  thought you'd decided to help Prince Jadar."

  "How can anyone help him when he won't help himself?" Hawksworth tookanother burning mouthful of brandy and stared at his bow quiver lyingon the carpet. In a fit of disgust he kicked it toward the center ofthe tent.

  Shirin watched the bow fall and laughed.

  "Have you mastered your Rajput bow yet?"

  "No, and what does it matter? You know Jadar is outnumbered three toone." Hawksworth pointed toward the muskets he had leaned against acoil of rope by the tent pole. "I've got three weapons for us. Do youthink you can shoot a matchlock?"

  "I can shoot a bow." She dismissed the muskets with a glance. "Isincerely hope you've learned enough to shoot one too."

  A trumpet sounded from the center of the compound. Immediately it wasanswered by others the length of the camp.

  Shirin snapped alert and rose off the bolster, pulling her gauze cloakaround her waist.

  "That's the signal to begin preparing the firewood. Come. At least youcan help with that."

  Hawksworth examined her aghast.

  "Firewood! What in God's name are you talking about? Is Jadar planningto light fires? Is he worried the Imperial army won't find our camp?"He turned and walked to the doorway, rubbing his brow in disbelief. "Ithink there's damned small risk of that. The red tents of his _zenana_can be seen for miles."

  Shirin laughed and pushed her way ahead of him, past the portiere ofthe tent. Servants had already begun assembling piles of logs along thecenter of the walkway that ran the length of the compound. Hawksworthstood at the doorway and stared in astonishment as clay jars of oilwere carried from the kitchen tent and stationed near the logs. As hewatched, he noticed the long shadows of dusk beginning to play acrossthe walls of nearby tents.

  He turned to retrieve the brandy, and when he emerged again from thetent, Shirin was lost among the crowd of servants bringing wood. Heslipped the bottle into his jerkin and started working his way down theside of the compound, back toward the munitions tent.

  Pairs of elephants had been harnessed to the larger cannon, and nowthey were being led out of the camp, into the dusk. Following thesewere camels with two-pound swivel guns mounted on their backs, togetherwith infantry pulling the smaller guns after them on two-wheeledcarriages. Bullock carts heaving with powder and shot came after.

  Pyramids of firewood were scattered among the tents, and already manyof the Rajputs had assembled by the unlit piles, talking and embracing.Some had seated themselves and removed their turbans, chanting versesfrom the Bhagavad-Gita as they began to oil and comb their long blackhair. Hawksworth watched silently as they started passing around inlaidteakwood boxes, taking and eating handfuls of small brown balls.

  As he stood puzzling, he recognized Vasant Rao standing among the men.The Rajput was somber now, clasping each of the men in what seemed afarewell gesture. He looked up and saw Hawksworth and smiled.

  "Captain Hawksworth, I'm glad you're here. You're almost a Rajputyourself by now. Do you want to comb your hair? It's how we prepare forwhat may happen. Who knows which of us will see the morrow?"

  "I can die just as well with my hair the way it is."

  "Then you're not entirely a Rajput after all. But you're still welcometo join us." He held out one of the boxes.

  Hawksworth opened the box and gingerly took out one of the balls. As herolled it under his nose, it triggered a distant memory of his firstnight in Surat and Mukarrab Khan's dinner party. Suddenly he stoppeddead still.

  It was opium.

  "Jesus Christ! Have you all gone mad?" He flung the ball to the groundand whirled on Vasant Rao. "That's the last thing you need if you hopeto fight at all. It's like eating death."

  "Affion prepares a Rajput for battle, Captain. The more we eat, thestronger we become. It gives us the strength of lions."

  "Good Jesus help us all."

  Hawksworth pushed his way incredulously back through the milling crowdof infantry and mounted cavalry, feeling as though the world hadcollapsed. All around him Rajputs were eating handfuls of opium,combing their hair, embracing in farewell. Many had already put ontheir _khaftan_, the quilted vest they wore under their armor. Hewondered how long it would be before they became drunk with opium andbegan killing each other.

  God, we're all going to die. Can't Jadar stop it? Can't he at leaststop them from eating opium before we're attacked? And where are theymoving the cannon? Out of the camp? What the hell is happening?

  He wheeled and headed for the _naqqara-khana_, the entry to Jadar'scompound. When he reached it, he realized the guards were gone. Amazed,he walked through the entry and discovered all the interior partitionsof the gulal bar were also gone. The satin tents that had held themelons, the pan leaves, the kitchen--all were deserted, empty.

  He made his way on through the deserted gulal bar, feeling like a manlost. In the dark there were no guards, no troops, nothing. Ahead heheard the sound of elephants trumpeting and he felt his way forwardthrough the semi-darkness, the ground a mosaic of flickering shadowsfrom the still-burning camp light. His despair absolute, he reachedinto the pocket of his jerkin for the bottle.

  A katar was at his throat.

  "It's forbidden by death to draw a weapon in the _gulal bar_, Captain."

  "I was only . . ."

  There was an explosion of laughter and he turned to see the shadowedface of Jadar.

  "What . . . what are you doing here?"

  "Thinking, Captain Hawksworth. Do you never think before a battle atsea? Surely you must."

  "I think. And I also keep my gunners sober." Hawksworth

  felt vaguely foolish as he finished extracting the brandy bottle. "Doyou know half your men are eating handfuls of opium?"

  "I'm glad to hear it. It means my Rajputs will be invincible tomorrow."Jadar flipped the katar in his hand and dropped it into is leathersheath. "By the way, I understand you failed to master the bow. Butlet's talk about something more important. Perhaps you can be of helpafter all. I'm sure you realize. Captain, that a commander must alwaysunderstand two things. He must know his own strengths, and he must knowthe strengths of those who oppose him. But he can really only know oneof these for sure. He can never know exactly what he will meet." Jadarpaused. "Tell me, if you were Inayat Latif, how would you deploy theImperial army tomorrow?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "How would you choose to attack? The position of infantry, cavalry,elephants is never exactly the same in any battle. For example, oftenthe front line is held by rows of infantry. The first row will be menwearing plate armor-- which is much heavier than the usual steelnetting--forming a protective wall with special broad shields. They arealways excellent archers. Behind these will be another row, wearingonly helmets and breastplates, and armed with swords and pikes. Thethird row is infantry with swords, bows, and axes. The fourth carrieslances and swords. The rows are segmented, so those behind can seeahead, and cavalry can get through."

  "That deployment would mean a slow-moving attack, and a very bloodyfight."

  "Precisely. That's why many commanders prefer to use their cavalry asthe vanguard. Horsemen can move faster, and they can more easily avoiddefense barricades."

  Hawksworth looked at Jadar, wishing he could see his eyes. "But cavalrycan be cut to ribbons with small artillery. Is it wise to charge withyour cavalry if your enemy has heavy gun emplacements?"

  He heard Jadar laugh. "You may make a commander yet. You see, InayatLatif will naturally assume our camp is

  heavily defended. Now although it's considered questionable manners toattack a camp at night, your manners become excusable if you attack atearly dawn, even though it's still dark. I've known of attacksoccurring almost half a _pahar _before dawn. What's that in Europeanmeasure? An hour, an hour and a half?"

  "But if it's s
till dark, how can you see the enemy's lines?"

  "You can see them if your enemy's camp has been negligent enough toleave a few fires burning." Jadar smiled as he paused to let the wordssink. "But now let's examine the third possibility. Leading the attackwith your elephants. Elephant armor is steel plate and it can withstandeverything except heavy cannon. If you can entice your foe into firinghis biggest artillery before you charge, then you can send a wave ofwar elephants and devastate his gunners before their cannon cool enoughto reload. Since it can take at least half a _pahar _for a large cannonto cool, large guns are rarely fired more than once in a battle. Andnever after your cavalry has moved out. Leading the vanguard with warelephants always entails danger, since if they panic, they can turnaround and trample your own infantry, but in this case it's probablyworth the risk."

  "And you think that's what Inayat Latif will try to do?" Hawksworthabsently twirled the brandy bottle in his hand.

  "I'm asking you."

  "It sounds the most plausible. He'll position his biggest cannon tofire into the camp, and after he's drawn your fire in return, he'llstampede about a thousand war elephants right through here, crushingeverything in their path. Including your opium-sotted Rajputs and theirinvincible bows."

  "You're doing remarkably well so far, Captain." Jadar took Hawksworth'sarm and guided him toward the back of the compound. "And then whatwould you do?"

  "I'd send an infantry wave right after the war elephants, with lines sothick it would be a wall of death. And behind them I'd have cavalry,with muskets, to contain the camp and meet your own cavalry when itbroke through--as it probably would eventually."

  "Cavalrymen wouldn't bother with muskets, just bows, but you're stillthinking very clearly. Now tell me, from what direction would youattack this particular camp?"

  They were approaching the tents, where servants were beginning to soakthe wood piles with oil. Hawksworth found himself astonished that Jadarwould listen calmly to the strategy spelling his own destruction.

  "From the east, the way we came in."

  "And why that particular direction?"

  "Several reasons." Hawksworth tried to remember the terrain as theycame into the camp. "First, if I'd marched from the east, I'd alreadyhave my army deployed there. Second, and probably more important, it'sthe only direction that's really accessible. The other sides are tooforested. But from the east there's a wide clearing that funnels downright into the perimeter of the camp."

  "With a very clear demarcation of forest on each side, which helps keepyour army grouped."

  "Correct. And, also, the sun would not be in my men's eyes if I hit youfrom the east."

  Jadar stopped and looked at him. "So that is precisely what you woulddo? Attack at dawn on the eastern perimeter. And lead with a front lineof war elephants?"

  "With the biggest and best I had."

  Jadar sighed. "You know, it troubles me that a _feringhi _wouldconclude the same thing I have. But I think it's a classic problem. Andthat will dictate a classic solution in the mind of Inayat Latif, whosealleged brilliance does not include a flair for originality. He'll haveto mount a conventional attack. What's more, because of the restrictedterrain, he'll have no room to split his army into a right wing and aleft wing. They'll have to be a single phalanx. That's dangerous if youever need to retreat, but he'll not even consider that possibility. Andyou say you also believe he'll hold his cavalry for the third wave."Jadar paused. "That's more important here than you probably realize.Everything else depends on it. The cavalry must attack last."

  "It seems best. And his cavalry is mainly Rajput. He'll not riskcutting up his finest troops by sending them in the first attack wave,when your artillery is still in place." Hawksworth hesitated, thencontinued bitterly. "Or should be."

  Jadar laughed and looked at Hawksworth, then at his bottle.

  "What's that in your hand. Captain?"

  "A bottle of brandy. Spanish, I'm ashamed to admit, but it's still thebest."

  "May I try it?"

  Jadar took the bottle and gingerly swallowed a swig. He stoodmotionless for a moment and then coughed violently.

  "Merciful Allah! Now I understand why the Prophet forbade its use." Heshoved back the bottle. "But I wanted to drink once with you, Captain.I'm told it's a European custom. You've eased my mind."

  "Eased your mind! I just told you how your camp will be devastated atsunrise."

  "Absolutely. I will regret losing these tents." Jadar's tone grewpensive. "You know, some of them have been with me since my firstcampaign in the Deccan, years ago."

  "How about your Rajputs? And your women? Will you regret losing them asmuch as your tents?"

  "I don't expect to lose them." Jadar took Hawksworth's arm and led himaround the last tent. In the firelight baggage elephants were beingloaded with women from the _zenana_. The elephants were covered with_pakhar _armor, steel plates around the sides of their bodies and aspecial steel casement for their head and trunk. The women were beinghelped up tall ladders and into their elephants' _howdah_, an octagonalbox of heavy boards strengthened with iron plate.

  "Why are you loading the women now?"

  "But we're leaving, Captain."

  Hawksworth stared at him speechlessly for a moment, then noticed Shirinwalking toward them, carrying a bow and two quivers of arrows.

  "You're leaving?"

  "You just predicted this camp would be devastated. I agree with youentirely. In fact I planned it that way. So why should anyone be herewhen it happens? The camp will be empty by dawn, Captain. Naturally wehad to wait until dark to move out. And continue work on the trenchesuntil the very end. Inayat Latif undoubtedly has scouts all around. Butby dawn there'll only be smoldering fires here. And the troops neededto man our decoy cannon across the eastern perimeter. I've loaded halfthe cannon with elephant barbs made in my workshops. The other halfwith nothing. Why waste shot? We'll fire the blank cannon to inducethem to charge, and after the elephants have come inside cannon range,we'll shoot the barbs in among them. A barb in the foot of an elephantcan immobilize it completely. Inayat Latif will never expect barbs.They haven't been used in India for fifty years. His war elephantsshould be contained right out there, unable to advance or retreat."

  "But where will your army be?"

  "Captain. Just when I thought you were beginning to understand tactics.My army will be waiting along both sides of the open plain on the east,behind a foliage camouflage we've been erecting over the past twoweeks. After the attack force of Imperial war elephants has beenfunneled into the empty camp, we will open fire against them with ourbiggest cannon. From both sides. The medium-range cannon will fire intothe infantry, as will the small artillery. All the guns should be inplace just before dawn if I've timed it right."

  Hawksworth turned to see keepers leading an armored elephant forwardfor him and Shirin. Only its ears could be seen behind the steel plate.Then he looked again at Jadar.

  "But you're still outnumbered in infantry three to one."

  "All things in time, Captain." He turned and embraced Shirin lightly."This was my best _swanih-nigar_. Guard her well."

  Shirin examined Hawksworth's brandy bottle with her dark eyes andlaughed skeptically. "I've brought my own bow."

  Hawksworth cleared his throat as he slipped the bottle back into hisjerkin. "I've requisitioned a brace of muskets. It's still the weapon Iprefer."

  "Congratulations, Captain." Jadar's laugh was cynical. "I admire your_feringhi_ initiative. But I don't want to see you harmed. Like I toldyou, I'm sending you with the _zenana_. They'll be moved to thathilltop there west of the camp. So at least you'll be able to watch thebattle." He turned to leave. "Farewell until tomorrow, Captain. MayAllah ride with you."

  "And I wish you Godspeed. You're a ten times better strategist then Irealized, for whatever it may be worth."

  Jadar laughed. "Just save some of your foul-tasting _feringhi _brandyfor our victory celebration. And perhaps I'll drink with you one moretime." His eyes darkened. "If no
t, then tomorrow we'll be eating lambside by side in Paradise."