i 1763. Major Adams marches against the Dabob. ed. CHAP. king's troops, a few of the company's two troops of EuI. ropean cavalry, ten companies of feapoys, with twelve pieces of cannon. By routing the enemy in two encounters, on the 11th and 14th of July, they cleared their way to Moorfhedabad, the capital of the province. The Indians, however, having drawn up their forces, to the number of ten thousand, on the oppofite fide of the river, a third engagement enfued, in which the English gained a complete victory: after which, as the rainy feafon began to fet in, the major pushed his way directly to the capital. He found the Indians again difpofed to obftruct his paffage, having strongly fortified themfelves betwixt him and the city, with intrenchments fifteen feet high, defended by a numerous artillery. It being impoffible, with his fmall number of troops, to force a place of this kind, the major made a feint, with a small body, againft that parti where the Indians had collected their principal strength; and, while the enemy were amused with this appearance, the main force of the army marched round their fortifications in the night, appearing by day-break at the oppofite quarter, where they had but a flight guard. This ftruck the Indians with fuch terror, that they abandoned their fortress and the city, without further refiftance. July 23. Aug. 2. Encouraged by fuch great fuccefs in the beginning of his enterprife, the major pushed on to feek Mir Coffim, who had indeed been very active in his own defence. Notwithstanding all his care, however, he had not been able to complete his foldiers in the European discipline in such a manner as to make them in any respect a match for those under the English commander, though the latter now found them oppofe him in a manner very different from what they had done formerly. The two armies met on the banks of a river called Nunas Nullas. The Indian commander had cnofen his poft with great judgment; his army was divided into brigades, with a good train of artillery well ferved, the fame accoutrements, arms, and clothing, and even much of the fame order and spirit with the English. entirely de- Yet, notwithstanding this fuperiority to what they were formerly, and their vast numbers in comparison with those of the English, the Indian army, confifting of 20,000 horfe and 8000 foot, were entirely defeated, with the lofs of all their cannon. Mir Collim feated. After this engagement, the Indians never chose to venture a pitched battle with the English, but contented themfelves with fortifying and defending ftrong pofts in the best manner they could. At a place called Auda Nulla, protected in the front by a confiderable fwamp, on one no I. 1763. fide by the mountains, and on the other by the river Gan- CHAP. ges, they had thrown up a great fortification, on which were planted 100 pieces of cannon, having in their front a deep ditch of 54 feet in breadth, and full of water in every part but that which was next the mountains; fo that place remained for the English to carry on their approaches, excepting a space of about 200 yards, lying between the fwamp and the river. A formal fiege of this place therefore commenced, and was continued, without any fenfible progrefs, from the 21st of Auguft to the 4th of September, when the Indians again, fuffering their attention to be drawn to the fide of the Ganges, where the principal force of the attack had hitherto been directed, were totally routed, and their intrenchments forced with prodigious flaughter; vaft numbers alfo being drowned by their throwing themselves into the Ganges. After this defeat, the Indians feem to have abandoned themselves to defpair, making no stand at any other place of defence, though they had feveral others betwixt Auda Nulla and Mongheer. Even this city, the refidence of Mir Coffim himself, and which he had been at the utmost pains oa. 11. to fortify, held out no longer than nine days, fo that now the only refource of the nabob was the city of Patna. Coffim. In the mean time, Mir Coffim, exafperated at the progress made by the English arms, which he was unable to prevent, according to the barbarity ufual among Afiatics, determined to revenge himself on the prifoners he had ta- Engli prifoners ken at Patna. These he caused to be murdered in the most cruelly inhuman manner; one Somers, or, as the Indians call him, murdered Soomeroo, a German deferter from the company's fervice, by Mir being the perpetrator of the villainy. The account of this execrable affair, fent by Major Adams to the fecretary of ftate, is as follows: "Soomeroo, having invited our gentlemen to fup with him, took that opportunity to borrow their knives and forks, to entertain them in the English manner. At night, when he arrived, he stood at fome diftance in the cook-room, to give his orders; and, as foon as Meff. Ellis and Lufhington entered, the former was feized by the hair, and pulling his head backward, another cut his throat; on which Mr. Lufhington immediately knocked down the murderer with his fift, feized his fword, with which he wounded one, and killed two more, before he was cut down himself. After this, the gentlemen, being alarmed by Mr. Smith, ftood upon their defence, and repulfed the feapoys with plates and bottles. Soomeroo then ordered them to the top of the house, to fire down on the prisoners, which they obeyed with reluctance, al 1763. CHAP. leging that they could not think of murdering them in I. that manner; but that if they would give them arms, they would fight with them; on which he knocked down feveral of them with bamboos. The confequence was, that all the gentlemen were either fhot, or had their throats cut. In this, or fome other equally inhuman manner, perished, in one house, forty-nine gentlemen, of whom twenty-five were in irons, with about fifty foldiers in irons; nine gentlemen, with the remaining part of the English who were prifoners, being put to death in other parts of the country, the whole number amounting to between two and three hundred. Dr. Fullerton was the only perfon who efcaped, having received a pardon from the tyrant a few days before this maffacre." Nov. 6. lah. Such monstrous cruelty did not long go unrevenged. Major Adams instantly set out from Mongheer to Patna, in order to drive the nabob from his laft refource. The event was conformable to the fuccefs which had all along attended the English arms. Though the Indians behaved with much greater fpirit than could have been expected flies to Su- from them, the place was taken by storm after a fiege of jah Dow eight days; the nabob, having loft all his fortified places, was obliged to fly for refuge to Sujah Dowlah, grand vizier to the Great Mogul, and nabob of a neighbouring province. By him he was kindly received, and protection granted to his perfon; but he refused to admit his army, or to take any ftep by which his own country might be rendered a feat of war. Thus was Mir Coflim entirely deprived of his dominions, and the English rendered unconditionally mafters of Bengal, an extent of territory not inferior to the moft celebrated European kingdoms. Major Adams, however, did not long live to enjoy the honour he had acquired, dying of a diforder in his bowels foon after the taking of Patna; but before that time he had refigned the command of the army to Major Carnac, with a defign to return to Europe himself. Dec. 9. The Mogul efpoufes the caufe of Mir Coffm. Correfpon dence with Sujah Dowlab Renewal of the war, and fucceffes of the English Sujah Dowlah furrenders him・Self-Death of Meer Jaffier, and transactions with the young nabob -Diffentions among the company's fervants ended, and a treaty concluded with the Mogul and Sujaḥ Dowlah by Lord Clive. Ο II. 1764. N the flight of Mir Coffim, a deputation was fent CHAP. from the governor and council of Calcutta, to propole an alliance with Sujah Dowlah, with promifes of affifting him against Mir Coffim, or any other invader; in return for which it was expected, that he would do his utmost to seize and deliver up the fugitive nabob with his effects. This defign was communicated to Major Adams on the 8th of December; but as he was to refign the command on the day following to Major Carnac, it v as recommended to the latter to watch the motions of Mir Coffim, and if he should be joined by Sujah Dowlah, or the Mogul himself, to advance with the army towards the banks of the river Carumnaffa, and oppofe any enemy that might attempt to enter the country. It could fcarcely be supposed that the embaffy above mentioned would be favourably received; and accordingly, in the month of February, Major Carnac received advice, February. that Sujah Dowlah had refolved to affift Mir Coffim in the recovery of his government. The prefident and coun. Corref cil on this, thought proper to write to Sujah Dowlah, the pondence purport of which letter was, "that they could not give cre- with Sujah dit to the report, confidering the former connections fubfifting between him and the chiefs of the company, and were perfuaded that he would not act in such an inequiVOL. V. E Dowlah. CHAP. table maner; but, if he really intended to take Mir Coffim II. into his friendship, they were refolved to keep Bengal free from troubles, by carrying the war into his own domini1764. ons." In answer to this, Major Carnac foon after received the following anfwer :-"Former kings of Indoftan, by exempting the English company from duties, granting them different fettlements and factories, and affifting them in all their affairs, beftowed greater kindnefs and honour upon them than either upon the country merchants or any other Europeans; moreover, of late, his majefty has graciously conferred upon you higher titles and dignities than was proper, and jagheers and other favours fince; notwithstanding thefe various favours which have been fhewn you, you have interfered in the king's country, poffeffed yourselves of diftricts belonging to the government, fuch as Burdwan, Chittagong, &c. and turned out and established nabobs at pleasure, without the consent of the Imperial court. Since you have imprifoned dependents upon the court, and expofed the government of the king of king's to contempt and difhonour; fince you have ruined the trade of the merchants of the country, granted protection to the king's fervants, injured the revenues of the Imperial court, and crushed the inhabitants by your acts of violence; and fince you are continually fending fresh people from Calcutta, and invading different parts of the royal dominions, and have even plundered feveral villages and purgunnahs belonging to the province of Illahabad;-to what can thefe wrong proceedings be attributed, but to an abfolute difregard to the court, and a wicked defign of seizing the country to yourselves? If you have behaved in this manner in confequence of your king's commands, or the company's directions, be pleafed to acquaint me of the particulars thereof, that I may fhew a fuitable refentment. But if these disturbances have arisen from your own improper defires, defift from fuch behaviour in future; interfere not in the affairs of the government; withdraw your people from every part, and fend them to their own country; carry on the company's trade as ufual, and confine yourselves to commercial affairs. In this cafe, the Imperial court will more than ever affist you in your business, and confer its favours upon you. Send. hither fome person of distinction to inform me properly of all circumftances, that I may act accordingly. If (which God forbid!) you are haughty and difobedient, the heads of the disturbers fhall be devoured by the fword of justice, and you will feel the weight of his majesty's displeasure, |