In the course of the year 1764, intelligence was received at Calcutta, that the forces of the Vizier and Caffum Ali, with fome few troops attached to the King, had penetrated into the vicinity of Patna; whither our troops, on the approach of the combined army, had precipitately retired. The enemy being afterwards repulsed in affaulting the European trenches, retreated towards the river Soane, where the Vizier made pacific advances to the English officer, who had been authorized to negociate, but pointedly directed to demand, in the preliminary articles the surrender of Sombro, and the European deferters.* The purpose of the Vizier, in the defire he had shewn of obtaining a peace, was only to procure a cessation of hoftility, that he might recruit his army. It has been even said, that he endeavoured to bring over to his cause Jaffier Ali Khan, whom the English, on the expulfion of Caffum, had a fecond time advanced to the government of the provinces. The Vizier, at á future period, did not disavow this supposed correspondence, which appears to have been conducted on the part of Meer Jaffier, by Nundocomar, who gave the Vizier an affurance of his master's inclination to form a separate treaty. Shujah-ud-Dowlah had derived an essential advantage from the fears of Caffum Ali, now seriously alarmed by the repulse at Patna; and having first inveigled away his European and best native troops, he stripped him of the largest * About two hundred private Europeans had deferted to the Vizier. + The perfon who suffered death at Calcutta, by a fentence of the Supreme Court for forgery. VOL. I. T part part of his treasure, and military stores. The drift of the Vizier's negociations becoming notoriously manifeft, it was refolved that the English ar my should move towards his camp, and decide the conteft in the field; which after a gallant action of five hours, gave a complete victory to the English.* THE defeat at Buxar produced obftinate difficulties to the political and military career of the Vizier, who on that event was deferted by all his allies. Shah Alum, in a condition ill fuited to the title he bore, fought an afylum in the English camp, and loudly accufed Shujah-ud-Dowlah of having forced the royal authority into becoming an inftrument of his ambition, and a fanction of his hoftile designs against the English. This was the fecond time that the unfortunate Shah Alum had taken refuge in an English army. Here let me direct the view of the reader to the revolutions, which within no wide compafs of time, have affected the empire of Hindoftan where at the close he will behold, with an awe and wonder that must humble the proudeft of us to the duft, the illustrious house af Timur shaken to its foundation. In the reign of Aurungzebe,† it may, without any violation of truth, be faid, that Hindoftan, whether for its wealth, magnitude, The English army confifted of 857 Europeans, and 6215 native troops, of which, 101 Europeans, and 773 fepoys, were killed and wounded. The army of Shujah-udDowlah was computed at 40,000 men, 2000 of whom it is faid were flain in battle. The artillery taken by the English in the field, and in the purfuit of the enemy, amounted to 133 pieces of various fizes. + This prince died in 1707, having reigned near fifty years. or or military refource, was the most diftinguished empire in the Afiatic world. It must also be noticed, that the English, at that period, were not known beyond the sea coafts of India, where they occupied, under various restrictions, the profeffion of merchants. Behold the scene prefented in our day, of the feeble princes of Dehli, where a near fucceffor of the great Aurungzebe, impelled by the destruction of his fortunes, is feen foliciting, in a country fo lately under the dominion of his ancestors, maintenance and protection from an English fubject.* THE Vizier, who had now feverely felt the fuperiority of the English arms, fhewed a ferious defire of peace, but ftill refused to submit to the terms of the preliminary article, in the manner required by the Bengal Government. He refused to deliver up Caffum Ali, and Sambro, but promised to employ fome convenient inftrument in destroying the one, and to expel the other from his territories. This mode of qualifying the article, not being acceded to, Colonel Munro marched with the army to Benares, desertion of a party of Europeans, and the retreat of our troops towards Patna, on his entering the Bahar province, had given him fanguine hope of fuccefs, which were wholly diffipated by the defeat at Buxar and from that period, he began to model his army on a plan not before practised by the princes of India The The *This fact has been again exemplified in the person of Schamdhar Shah, the eldest fon of Shah Alum; who, by the interpofition of the Bengal Government, receives a penfion of three lacks of rupees out of the Oude revenue. author of a valuable manufcript, which has largely aided this compilation, fays, that the era of the real confequence and power of the Vizier may be dated from the battle of Buxar. Conformably to an usage not unfrequent in Hindoftan, this prince had collected a larger army than the fources of his country could maintain; and even where the funds are competent, military payments are ever distributed in the native armies with a griping hand; though the most pernicious effects are often produced by this fallacious fyftem. The ftrength of the Vizier's army, confifting of cavalry, and a cumbrous body of artillery, was compofed of many nations and tribes, but chiefly of Moghuls. These men, naturally violent and licentious, ill-brooked the failure of payment, and on every demand of arrears, either caufed dangerous tumults, or forced expedients that were injurious to the civil government of his country. Orders of payment were granted on the farmers, or managers of districts, on whom these foldiers lived at difcretion, until the amount was discharged; giving a loose to every fpecies of disorder, and barely leaving a fum fufficient for fupplying the other exigencies of the ftate. But the defeat he sustained at Buxar, relieved the Vizier from his embarraffments: for the Moghul cavalry, without making one spirited effort to sustain the battle, were the first of his troops that left the field; and confcious it should seem of their pufilanimous conduct, they never returned to his standard. THE English army advanced from Benares to invest ChunarGhur; but after making two unfuccefsful affaults it returned to Benares. Bulwunt Sing, the Hindoo Chief of the province, had accompanied the Vizier in the campaign against the English, with a party of troops, which were stationed on the north fide of the Ganges, oppofite to the Buxar plain. After the battle, he withdrew himself from the Vizier, and having effected an accommodation with Colonel Munro, he joined the English army: but, alarmed at the repulse of Chunar-Ghur, and the Vizier's approach, he fuddenly deferted Benares, and his new connexion. COLONEL Munro, refigning about this period* the command of the army, was fucceeded by Major Fletcher, who immediately. marched out of Benares, and pursued the Vizier, who had already. invested the town as far as Juanpour. He formed the army into two divifions, one of which, under Major Stibbert, reduced the fort of Chunar-Ghur, and afterwards penetrated into the interior parts of the Vizier's country:-the other divifion he led himself into the Allahabad diftricts, which were fubjected. The Vizier, not able to oppose the success of these parties, called in a body of Mahrattas, who entered his country on the fide of Corah,+ and were defeated by the English army, then commanded by General Carnac. The Mahrattas were attacked a fecond time by this This occurrence happened in the beginning of the year 1765. This district, which is fituated in the Allahabad territory, is bordered by the Jumna.- officer, |