Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/129

Book VII. to quit their arms, in order to get rest; every man laid himself down where he thought best, some in the village, others in the hollow; and from a security which no superiority or appearances in war could justify, the common precaution of stationing centinels was neglected. In a few minutes they were all asleep. It happened that Monickchund, the governor of Calcutta, had come the day before to Buz-buzia, with 1500 horse and 2000 foot. This officer had no courage, but much circumspection; and some of his spies had followed the English from Mayapore, and had observed all their motions in the morning.

About an hour after the troops had lain down to sleep, they were awakened by the fire of small arms on the eastern side of the village into which, at the same time, a multitude of matchlock men were discovered advancing with resolution. All the soldiers, wheresoever scattered, hurried on the alarm into the hollow, in which their arms were grounded, about 60 yards from the enclosures on the eastern bank; here they formed the line as fast as they could; but, unfortunately, the artillery-men, instead of repairing to the two field-pieces, which would have protected the whole, ran to seek protection themselves from the line. During this confusion, the enemy, meeting no resistance, advanced and took possession of the eastern bank; from whence, under the shelter of various covers, they kept up a continual, though irregular fire, wounding several, and killing an ensign. Colonel Clive, apprehensive of a panic, should he order the troops to march out of the reach of the enemy's fire, commanded the line to stand firm, and detached two platoons, one from the right, the other from the center, opposite to which the enemy's fire was strongest. Of the platoon from the center eight men were killed by one volley before they gained the bank; the rest nevertheless returned the fire, and then forced their way with their bayonets into the village; where they were joined by the other platoon, which had succeeded with the loss of only three men. This intrepidity quelled the enemy's courage, who no longer appeared in bodies but shifted in small parties from shelter to shelter, firing rarely, and with little effect; however, some officers on horseback exposed themselves