GHAUS KHAN (d. 1814) was an artillery officer under Mahan Singh Sukkarchakkia, and after his death, under his son, Ranjit Singh. He knew something about casting guns, was skillful in his profession, and was rewarded with jagirs at Van and Bharoval in Amritsar district, with a large house in Lahore which was later occupied by the Mission School. When, in 1812, the Maharaja reorganized the artillery wing of his army into Topkhana Khas and Topkhana Mubarak, Ghaus Khan was put in charge of both, with the designation of Daroghai Topkhana. Ghaus Khan distinguished himself in several of the Maharaja`s early campaigns.
In 1807, he reduced the fortress of Sheikhupura and secured the surrender of its defiant chiefs, Arbel Singh and Amir Singh. In 1810, he captured Patti and the villages in the vicinity of Tarn Taran. In 1813, he was put in charge of operations against Attock whose Afghan governor, Jahandad Khan, eventually surrendered. Ghaus Khan commanded the Sikh artillery under Diwan Mohkam Chand in the severely contested battle of Haidru (13July 1813) in which the Sikhs routed the Afghan forces of the Kabul Wazir, Fateh Khan.
In 1814, Ghaus Khan took part in Maharaja Ranjit Singh`s expedition against Kashmir. The Sikh army under the Maharaja reached Purichh but rain and sickness caused havoc. Cholera broke out and Ghaus Khan fell a prey to the epidemic and died on his way to Lahore.
References :
1. Waheed-ud-Din, Faqir Syed, The Real Ranjit Singh. Karachi, 1965
2. Sun, Sohan Lal, `Udmat-ut-Twankh. Lahore, 1885-89
The Battle of Attock (also known as the Battle of the Chuch or the Battle of Haidru) took place on 13 July 1813 between the Sikh Empire and the Durrani Empire.The battle was the first significant Sikh victory over the Durranis.
Accusing Ranjit Singh of treachery, Fateh Khan set off from Kashmir at the head of 15,000 cavalry in April 1813 and invested Attock Fort.At the same time Ranjit Singh rushed Dewan Mokham Chand and Karam Chand Chahal from Burhan with a force of cavalry, artillery, and a battalion of infantry to meet the Afghans.
Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar encamped 8 miles (13 km) from the Afghan camp, unwilling to risk a decisive engagement, although both sides engaged in numerous skirmishes and took losses. On 12 July 1812, the Afghans’ supplies were exhausted and Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar marched 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Attock to Haidaru, on the banks of the Indus River, to offer battle. On 13 July 1812, Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar split the cavalry into four divisions, giving command of one division to Hari Singh Nalwa and taking command of one division himself. The lone battalion of infantry formed an infantry square protecting the artillery, with Gouse Khan commanding the artillery.The Afghans took up positions opposite the Sikhs, with a portion of their cavalry under the command of Dost Mohammad Khan.
Fateh Khan opened the battle by sending his Pathans on a cavalry charge which was repulsed by heavy fire from the Sikh artillery.The Afghans rallied under Dost Mohammad Khan, who led the Ghazis on another cavalry charge which threw one wing of the Sikh army into disarray and captured some artillery. When it appeared the Sikhs had lost the battle, Dewan Mokham Chand led a cavalry charge atop a war elephant that repulsed the Afghans “at all points”,and routed the remaining Afghan troops.Fateh Khan, fearing his brother, Dost Mohammad Khan, had died, escaped to Kabul and the Sikhs captured the Afghan camp, including the lost artillery pieces.
