Hakim Ahsanullah's account of the capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar

 “  I was in my house that evening and was unable to get out of the Fort owing to the vast crowd of sepoys in the Bazaar and at the principal Gate.   On the morning of Friday [18 September] I sent a man who returned saying the door of the Diwan-i-Khas was closed.   I heard nothing more.   But in the afternoon of the same day one of the residents of the Fort ascertained the fact I have recorded [that the King had fled]. Being astonished I wrote a petition to the King asking the reason of his departure without informing me of it. In the evening a reply came summoning me and saying that a verbal explanation of the King’s bad case would be given me. In reply to the above I sent another petition in the morning stating that my bearers and syce had run off and that I had no means of travelling, that if His Majesty could furnish me with a conveyance I would go off at once to him.

In the afternoon of Saturday two elephants came, on one of which I placed my things and on the other my brother Hakim Ghulam Najaf Khan and myself. We started for the Court towards the close of the afternoon. On the road the mutineer army abused me and called me a Christian. In short, I reached the King in the evening and at night the conversation turned on the conduct of the army to the King. The King said, ‘Well, what could I do against them?’

In the morning I saw the whole army in retreat, and after them came Bakht Khan, with the Risaldars. He importuned the King go with him whithersoever he went. I said, ‘You have just escaped to this place from the Fort, where will you wander with these runaways?   We must now trust to our Fate. Be pleased to remain here. Wait for an answer to the mukhtarnamah sent yesterday to Captain Hodson (Hodson Sahib) by the Queen through Mirza Illahi Bakhsh. Perhaps some chance of bettering ourselves may turn up, though the time has gone for that.’ The King then told Bakht Khan, that he could not go with him, saying, ‘Whither will you wander in your ruined condition. If you could do anything why are you running away?’ He answered, ‘The Hakim who is in league with the English is leading you astray, you’Il suffer for it in the end’.   He then brought a palki and wished the King to start. At last I told the members of the Royal Family to talk to the King and not allow him to proceed, that if he did accompany Bakht Khan it would be a great misfortune.  If he were seized his life would be in danger.   Many of the Royal Family forbade his going, and much abuse was bandied about. The officers, being unable to effect their object, went off.

A parwanah was written to Mirza Illahi Bakhsh to settle matters quickly and come over. The order was sent to the Arab Sarai (near Homayun’s Tomb) forbidding any conflict with any of the Governnent (English) people who might come there. Several orders were sent in succession to the mutineer army not to encamp at the Tomb, but to go where they list.

In the afternoon Prince Muhammad Azim came with his troops and wished to encamp at the Tomb. He was ordered to go on, and not stop there, for His Majesty had lost all confidence in the rebel army.

In the morning Qadir Baksh came and he also asked the King to accompany the army.  He also got his answer, and was told that the King would await his fate, that he now placed no trust in anyone but God.  After 12 o’clock Mirza Illahi Bakhsh arrived and stated there was a pass for the safety of the Queen and Mirza Jawan Bakht, and Samsham-ad-Daulah [the Hakim] and showed an English signature, probably Hodson Sahib’s. He said that on condition that all present would lay down their arms and the King go off alone in his palki, he would be allowed to remain in the Queen’s apartments, and that other particulars would be settled hereafter: that Maulvi Rajab Ali  had come with 25 Sikh Sawars to the Tomb and that Hodson Sahib would come to meet the King.

Having reassured the King, and having started him and the Queen off, we went off too. The Maulvi [Rajab Ali] presented his nazr outside the Arab Sarai, and reassured the King, and when the cavalcade neared the city, having caused the palki to be put down, he wrote informing Captain Hodson that the party had got so far.   ‘Be pleased to come in person.’ After a while he came, and I, having got down from the elephant, advanced to meet him and saluted him. He came near the King, took off his hat to him, and taking the party along with him came to the Delhi Gate of the city: Thence we arrived in front of the Fort. He told the Queen’s party and all if us to go away and took the King with 8 or 10 men inside the Fort, by the Lahore Gate, to meet the General. “  

(I.O. Home  Misc. 725, pp. 138-147. hakim Ahsanullah’s account.)