Kashi Ram's Detailed Breakdown: Afghan Forces at Panipat (October 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Complete Afghan Army Composition

Abdali's Core Force: 24 Battalions

The Structure:

• 24 battalions total
• 1,200 cavalry per battalion
• Total: 28,800 cavalry troops
• Elite formation soldiers
• Professional military organization

The Named Commanders:

• Shah Wali Khan
• Jahan Khan
• Shah Pasand Khan
• Nasir Khan
• Baluch
• Barkhurdar Khan
• And many other leaders
• Deep bench of experienced generals

The Personal Guards: Abdali's Slave Force

The Inner Circle:

• 6 of the 24 battalions = Abdali's personal slaves
• Completely loyal to Abdali personally
• Fiercely protective of commander
• Deadly force composition
• Operating within 1-mile radius of Abdali's tent

Their Role:

• Guard duty around Abdali's tent
• One-mile protective perimeter
• Prevent any infiltration
• Ensure Abdali's safety
• Highest loyalty tier

The Artillery Arsenal: Diverse and Mobile

Jamburak Guns: The Heavy Mobile Artillery

The Design:

• Large diameter guns (bigger than standard)
• Camel-mounted weapons
• Two soldiers per camel
• Facing opposite directions (180°)
• Mobile while mounted on camel

The Quantity:

• 4,000 Jamburak guns total
• Requires ~2,000 camels (2 guns per camel)
• Significant camel corps needed
• Logistical challenge for movement
• Constant repositioning possible

The Advantage:

• Can move with army
• Can rotate 360° for targeting
• Lighter than ground-mounted cannons
• More flexible positioning
• Afghan military specialty

Fixed Cannons: Limited Range

The Limitation:

• Fixed cannons present
• Short range (~500 meters or less)
• Can't hit Marathas without being hit
• Dependent on position
• Less effective at distance

The Implication:

• Can't engage French artillery (2 km range)
• Must wait for Marathas to approach
• Must rely on mobile artillery
• Defensive positioning necessary
• Range disadvantage critical

The Coalition Forces: Multiple Allied Armies

Suja Uddaula's Contingent

His Force:

• 2,000 cavalry
• 2,000 foot soldiers
• 20 cannons of various sizes
• Secondary military power
• Doab region commander

His Role:

• Supporting Abdali
• Supplying through Doab
• Providing local knowledge
• Contributing fighting force
• Trapped ally status

Najib Khan's Rohila Warriors

The Force:

• 6,000 cavalry
• 20,000 foot soldiers
• Some missile weaponry
• Significant fighting force
• Rudimentary missile technology

The Internal Tension:

• Dunde Khan and Hafiz Rehmat Khan
• Disliked Najib Khan
• Considered him an upstart
• Not fully unified command
• Rivalry within coalition

The Perception:

• Najib = Abdali's agent in India
• Trusted advisor to Abdali
• Close relationship with commander
• But local Rohila leaders skeptical
• Created internal stress

Ahmad Khan Bangush's Force

The Smaller Contingent:

• 1,000 cavalry
• 1,000 foot soldiers
• Some cannons
• Minimal contribution
• Symbolic presence more than combat power

The Total Afghan Forces: Detailed Breakdown

Kashi Ram's Accounting

His Calculation:

• Abdali total: 80,000+ fighting forces
• Maratha total: 70,000 fighting forces
• Direct observation/documentation
• Professional historian accounting
• Contemporary record

The Details:

• 41,000 cavalry (Abdali's core)
• 38,000+ foot soldiers
• ~70 cannons (various types)
• ~2,000 camels (with Jamburak)
• Slave guards and officers

The Reserve Forces

The Uncommitted Troops:

• Four times larger force than battle army
• Came to Panipat but not committed to battle
• Inferior weapons and animals
• Could be called upon if needed
• Secondary-tier fighting force

The Implication:

• 80,000+ committed fighters
• Additional 240,000+ reserve forces (if numbers scale)
• More likely: additional 40,000-50,000 reserves
• Overwhelming numerical advantage
• Ability to sustain losses and continue

The Durani Advantage: Superior Horses and Physiology

The Durani People

Their Characteristics:

• Afghan tribal group
• Sturdy and stout build
• Tall stature naturally
• Adapted to mountain warfare
• Superior physical conditioning

The Physical Advantage:

• Bigger horses (Durani horses)
• Longer-distance capability
• More powerful animal genetics
• Used to harsh terrain
• Better adapted to climate stress

The Horse Superiority

Indian vs. Durani Horses:

• Indian breed: smaller stature
• Indian breed: shorter distance capability
• Durani breed: larger and stronger
• Durani breed: can travel farther daily
• Different genetics from different environments

The Trade-offs:

• Indian horses: more fuel-efficient
• Indian horses: adapted to heat
• Durani horses: stronger for combat
• Durani horses: better for sustained campaigns
• Each has advantages/disadvantages

The Complete Afghan Order of Battle

Core Leadership Structure

Abdali's Army (28,800 cavalry):

• Multiple named generals
• 24-battalion structure
• 6 battalions = personal slave guard
• Organized command hierarchy
• Professional military system

Allied Forces:

• Suja: 4,000 fighters
• Najib's Rohilas: 26,000 fighters
• Ahmad Khan: 2,000 fighters
• Total allied: ~32,000 fighters
• Adding to Abdali's core = 60,000+

The Weaponry Summary

Cannons:

• Jamburak: 4,000 (camel-mounted, 360° swivel)
• Fixed cannons: limited number (short-range)
• Suja's cannons: 20
• Najib's cannons: some
• Ahmad Khan's cannons: some
• Total: ~100+ cannons/Jamburaks

Other Arms:

• Cavalry sabers/swords
• Infantry spears/swords
• Muskets (some)
• Missiles (rudimentary)
• Traditional Afghan weaponry

The Quality Assessment

First vs. Second Tier Forces

First Tier (Abdali's 28,800):

• Professional cavalry
• Well-trained soldiers
• Proven in Afghan wars
• Loyal to Abdali
• High-quality fighting force

Second Tier (Allied forces):

• Decent fighting capability
• Regional forces
• Some experience
• Variable loyalty
• Competent but not elite

The Hierarchy:

• Abdali's slaves = elite guards
• Abdali's cavalry = professional soldiers
• Allied cavalry = experienced warriors
• Allied foot soldiers = trained infantry
• Clear quality gradation throughout

The Logistical Reality

The Numbers and Sustainability

The Force:

• 80,000 committed fighters minimum
• 20,000-50,000 reserve fighters
• 100,000+ total personnel with support
• 2,000+ camels
• 30,000+ horses

The Supply Needs:

• Food for 100,000+ people
• Food for 30,000+ animals
• Fodder for horses/camels
• Water for all
• Ammunition and powder

The Challenge:

• Traveling from Afghanistan
• Dependent on supplies from Doab
• Can't manufacture locally
• Must sustain in hostile territory
• Limited local support (Muslim population only helps so much)

The Comparative Assessment

Against Maratha Forces

Abdali's Advantages:

• More cavalry (28,800 vs. Maratha equiv.)
• Durani horses superior
• More experienced generals
• Proven battle record
• Unified command structure

Abdali's Disadvantages:

• Fewer cannons (100 vs. 200)
• Shorter cannon range
• Mobile artillery less effective at distance
• Away from home territory
• Supply line stretched

The Overall:

• 80,000 vs. 70,000+ (slight advantage)
• But quality advantages offset some numbers
• Composition more experienced
• Better physical conditioning
• More cohesive command

Kashi Ram's Documentary Value

What He Provides

The Evidence:

• Direct observation of forces
• Named commanders documented
• Specific troop counts
• Weapon descriptions
• Organizational structure

The Reliability:

• Professional observer
• Bilingual capability
• Access to all camps
• Trained documentation
• 19 years later written (reflection time)

The Significance:

• Only detailed breakdown we have
• Only observer in all three camps
• Validates historical estimates
• Provides specific numbers
• Creates baseline for comparison

Where This Leads: Kashi Ram's documentation gives us precise numbers: Abdali with 80,000+ fighters of high quality, superior horses from Afghanistan, deep command structure, and diverse weaponry. The Afghan forces are professional, experienced, and equipped with both traditional and newer weapons. The Durani heritage means superior physiology and horses. But the 2 km range disadvantage vs. Maratha artillery is critical. Abdali knows he can't win a long-range artillery duel. He must close to close combat where his experience, numbers, and warrior culture give advantage.

Kashi Ram counted every soldier. 28,800 cavalry in core force alone. Six battalions as personal guards—that's 7,200 men whose only job was keeping Abdali alive. Four thousand Jamburak guns on camels—mobile firepower moving with the army. Durani horses bigger and stronger than anything in India. Eighty thousand fighters total. He wrote the numbers down. And he knew what they meant. Abdali wasn't just invading. He was bringing a professional, experienced, well-equipped military machine. Not a horde. A disciplined force.