River at Haldi was ordered to march down upon the enemy so as to draw them from their camp and induce them to march up that river and by this diversion to keep them occupied until the two divisions of Babur and Muhammad Zaman under cover of the fire of the artillery and matchlock men could be transported across. The whole army was accordingly put in motion Askari's four divisions marched for Haldi. The batteries both on the Ghaghara River and Ganges were constructed and commenced their fire. The Bengali army behaved with great bravery and pushed parties across to attack the Emperor's troops both above and below the junction of the rivers. At length after various movements Babur received notice that Askari had effected a passage over the Ghaghra River at the Haldi Ghat and was now ready for action and that he had been strengthened by the defection of Shah Muhammad Maaruf an Afghan nobleman of the highest rank and consequence who had deserted the confederacy with his followers and now joined his camp. The general attack was therefore fixed for the next morning but in the meantime, there was some fighting between the vessels in the river. On the morning of May 6, 1529, as soon as Askari's army was known to be in motion the Bengali troops moved up to meet him whereupon Babur ordered both his division and that of Muhammad Zaman to cross over without delay. This was affected bravely though not without sharp resistance. The troops got across some in boats, some by swimming, some floating on reeds. They were met with equal gallantry on landing but kept together formed and made repeated vigorous charges. As Askari advanced north-west towards the enemy, the Bengali army finding themselves surrounded and driven in on three sides finally quit the field in confusion. Aftermath This victory was decisive in its consequences. Numbers of the Afghans who till now had been refractory having lost all hope of re-establishing an Afghan government in the East submitted and Sultan Jalal ud-Din Khan Lohani the late King of Bihar whose escape from the Bengali camp has been mentioned arrived with many of his principal Amirs and acknowledged Babur. Other chiefs imitating their example petitioned to be received into the Emperor's service. 7000-8000 Lohani Afghans had already joined him and were now rewarded and employed. The feuds between the Lohani and