Clive by Robert Harvey

Author:Robert Harvey [Harvey, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781466878624
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2014-08-19T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Plassey

In this dismal encampment, far removed from the decadent baroque palace of Chandernagore, Clive had to make the most agonising decision of his life. Before him lay a branch of the Hugli river which he needed to cross if he was to attack the Nawab’s force at Plassey, halfway to Murshidabad, some 40 miles away. Ferrying his army in boats presented no problem; but retreating across it after a defeat would be to invite appalling carnage among his men, particularly if the river had been further swollen in the interval by the monsoon rains.

If the British were beaten, Clive faced the danger not just of a lost battle and orderly retreat, but a rout with his army caught like rats in a trap by the rising waters. The stakes were immense. It was rumoured that de Bussy was approaching Bengal with a considerable French force, and that Law was despatching men to help the Nawab.

A defeat for Clive would leave Calcutta virtually defenceless, except for the guns of Watson’s ships, and at the mercy of a second occupation by the Nawab. The French might join with the Nawab as his partners in Bengal while also attacking Madras, now so depleted of its forces.

Against that, there was only a colossal gamble: that Clive’s conspiracy would come off. In effect he depended upon the word of Indian princes, which Clive’s long experience in India had shown to be entirely untrustworthy – and nowhere more so than in Bengal.

Desperately, he sought to pin down Mir Jafar, now riding alongside the Nawab once again.

It gives me great concern that in an affair of so great consequence to yourself in particular that you do not exert yourself more. So long as I have been on my march you have not yet given me the least information what measures it is necessary for me to take, nor do I know what is going forward at Murshidabad.

Surely it is in your power to send me news daily; it must be more difficult for me to procure trusty messengers than you; however the bearer of this is a sensible, intelligent man, in whom I have great confidence. Let me know your sentiments freely by him. I shall wait here till I have proper intelligence to proceed. I think it absolutely necessary that you should join my army as soon as possible.

Consider the Nabob will increase in strength daily. Come over to me at Plassey or any other place you judge proper, with what force you have. Even a thousand horse will be sufficient, and I will engage to march immediately with you to Murshidabad. I prefer conquering by open force.

He heard nothing in reply. He was growing frantic, sending emissaries to any of the Nawab’s enemies he could think of – the Marathas, the Nawab of Oudh, the powerful prince on Bengal’s northern borders – in a desperate search for allies. Reports from scouts reckoned that Law and 300 or so Frenchmen were only three days’ march away.

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