Chapter 118: Battle of Ratanpur Fort
Yogendra Singh finished the battle in just a day with minimal casualties. He quickly sent a letter to His Majesty about his progress and also requested reinforcements from Narasimha Nayak. Narasimha is the closest person to his destination, and although he has sufficient firepower to take down the Ratanpur fort, he lacks sufficient soldiers. Fortunately, Nagpur, being one of the most important transit cities of the Mughal Empire, had a very developed road network. Although most of its roads were ill-maintained, the foundation still remained.
In just one more day, Yogendra successfully reached Ratanpur fort. However, unlike Nagpur, he couldn't employ the same assassination tactics here. Ratanpur was a military base, and even though the security was relatively lax, training spies to overthrow the local rule proved to be a challenging task. Nevertheless, the silver lining lay in the fact that the information network hear wasn't as closed as that of Panhala fort. The commander here, while not as meticulous as Aamir Ali Khan, allowed for a more accessible flow of information. Due to this, Yogendra decided against ordering the assassination of crucial military personnel in this fort.
"Deploy 1 brigade of heavy and light infantry, along with a battalion of artillerymen, to besiege the city wall," Yogendra ordered, his directive causing a stir among the officers in his army group. Despite their technological advantage, skepticism lingered among them regarding the feasibility of besieging the city with such a limited number of personnel.
Addressing their lingering doubts, Yogendra explained, "I don't actually want you to besiege the city. I need you to serve as a distraction and disable their artillery for us. Alright?" he asked.
"Sir, everything you're saying makes sense, but still, with only a brigade, it's quite a challenge to handle the Mughals' firepower," one officer expressed.
"Rest assured; a brigade has been dispatched by Narasimha, and they'll regroup shortly," Yogendra reassured, prompting a collective sigh of relief as the officers accepted the revised plan. As for the specifics of Yogendra's broader strategy, no one pressed for details, understanding that if the general deemed it necessary, he would share the information.
Having successfully addressed their concerns, Yogendra nodded approvingly.
After half a day, a brigade of soldiers arrived from the eastern side, formerly under the command of Narasimha Naik. Without much delay, upon their arrival, Yogendra swiftly set his plan into motion. He directed the heavy and light infantry, accompanied by the cannons, to assume a posture of besieging the city wall. The Vijayanagar army's approach toward the Ratanpur fort immediately caught the attention of the scouts, prompting the city to heighten its alert status.
The Mughals responded swiftly, the newly acquired cannons dispatched from the capital were promptly mobilized. The entire artillery arsenal was transported to the battlefront on the city wall, poised and ready for action.
Observing the successful implementation of his plan, Yogendra felt a surge of satisfaction. Seizing the moment, he led his forces, those that were not directly involved in the battlefield, around the city to approach its rear. His troops comprised individuals who had once been refugees from the Mughal Empire, escaping persecution for joining a rebel army dedicated to sparking a revolution. Despite being wanted throughout the empire, their years of evading capture had endowed them with an intimate knowledge of the empire's every nook and cranny, surpassing even that of the Mughals in certain areas.
As Yogendra circled back to the back entrance of the fort, he quickly sent a messenger pigeon inside. The intelligence personnel inside the city wall, ready for the message, took control of the giant door at the back of the city. As the door opened, Yogendra ordered his men to rush through. At the same time, he also sent a flaming arrow into the air, indicating the infantry to start their task. By the time Yogendra entered the city, it was like a wolf entering a flock of sheep. The back of the city wall was ill-guarded because attention was drawn by the infantry in the front. The security here was lax, as there were not many Mughal soldiers in this part of the city.
A unilateral massacre began. The soldiers at the front of the city did not get a chance to come to the back, occupied as they were by the infantry in the front. The giant cannons spat out fiery fireballs the size of a person's head at them, helplessly watching their own cannons being destroyed one by one. Unable to take it any longer, the commander ordered the army to flank the Vijayanagara infantry from both sides. Unfortunately, this move led to their last hope collapsing, as Yogendra, seeing the opportunity, launched a strategic attack on the higher-ranking officers of the Mughal Empire.
With Yogendra at the forefront, it didn't take long to bring down the higher officials of the Mughal Empire.
Despite the loss of their leaders, the Mughal infantry, akin to headless chickens following previous orders, continued to flank the Vijayanagara army. Charging from both sides, they maintained the momentum of their assault. Nirmal, deputy general of Vijayanagara directly under General Yogendra Singh, stepped up to take control of the infantry positioned in front of the city. Sensing the impending clash with the Mughals, he swiftly directed the heavy infantry to form a tight defensive wall.
Executing the order with precision, the infantry moved in a well-coordinated manner, raising their large iron shields to establish an impenetrable iron barrier. Strategically placed spears in the gaps allowed the rear infantry to thrust at the oncoming enemies, maintaining a formidable defence against the charging Mughal forces.
Yogendra watched as his soldiers formed the defensive formation quickly and the Mughals attacked them. It was like a group of wild animals stampeding against a city wall. The Mughals aggressively collided with the iron wall of Vijayanagara, getting pierced in the stomach, chest, and head. It looked as though Vijayanagara had an advantage, but Yogendra had a worried expression on his face because he knew that this defensive formation couldn't be maintained for a long time.
"Ahhh," Yogendra grunted in frustration, quickening his pace as he stabbed a man in the head. Frustration lingered as he pushed through the chaotic battlefield. Finally, as anticipated, a breach appeared in the defensive formation, and a flood of assailants poured inside, launching indiscriminate attacks on his soldiers.
Acting swiftly, Yogendra regrouped with his forces within the city wall, leading a charge at the opening near the front gate. The Vijayanagara army, initially facing one-sided slaughter, now found themselves rallying behind Yogendra's charge. The balance rapidly shifted in favour of the Vijayanagara forces.
In the midst of the chaotic battle, no guns or grenades were utilized, as the environment was too unpredictable, and a small misfire could result in friendly casualties. After enduring thousands of casualties, Yogendra and his men finally gained control of Ratanpur fort.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)webnovel