out
difficulty, securing booty which was estimated at fifteen thousand
pounds, and destroying some large and valuable granaries. They had also
planned an expedition to Dacca, the capital of Eastern Bengal, when they
learned that the Nawab was again marching upon Calcutta with a large
force. A battle ensued on February 5th, in which Clive, with 1350
Europeans, 800 Sepoys, and 7 field-guns, beat the Nawab's force of
40,000 men, including 18,000 cavalry, 40 guns, and 50 elephants. The
greater part of the battle was fought in a dense fog, and Clive's men,
losing their way, came under the fire of their own guns and of those in
Fort William. At one time the position of the troops was very critical.
The English loss was heavy, amounting to 57 killed and 117 wounded, of
whom 39 and 82 respectively were Europeans, and it included Clive's
aide-de-camp and secretary, who were killed by his side. But the battle,
although attended by this heavy loss to the English, was even more
disastrous to the Nawab's troops, whose casualties amounted to 1300,
among whom were 2 noblemen of high rank and 22 of lesser note.

Clive's account of this engagement is contained in the following letter,
addressed by him, a few weeks after it was fought, to the Duke of
Newcastle. It has been for many years deposited among the manuscripts in
the British Museum, whence, by the kindness of Dr. Richard Garnett, a
copy has been furnished to the writer of this memoir. It is believed
that the letter has not been published before.

"_From Lieutenant-colonel Robert Clive to Thomas Pelham Holles, Duke
Of Newcastle, First Lord Of the Treasury_:

"May it please your Grace: The countenance your Grace was pleased to
shew me when I left England encourages me to address you on the
subject of the East India Company.

"No doubt your Grace hath been acquainted with the capture of the
Town of Calcutta and Fort William by the Moors, the principal
settlement in the Kingdom of Bengall and of the utmost consequence
to the E. India Company. The loss of private property only is
computed at more than 2 millions sterling.

"When this unfortunate news arrived at Madrass, the President and
Council aplyed to Vice-Admiral Watson for assistance in recovering
the rights and possessions of the Province of Bengal, and for the
same purpose ordered a large body of land forces to embark under my
command; and I have the pleasure to