Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/62

56 dug no ditch since the invasion of the Morattoes, at which time such a work was executed at the request of the Indian inhabitants, and with the knowledge and approbation of Allaverdy; that in the late war between England and France, the French had attacked and taken the town of Madrass, contrary to the neutrality which it was expected would have been preserved in the Mogul's dominions; and that there being at present great appearance of another war between the two nations, the English were under apprehensions that the French would act in the same manner in Bengal: to prevent which, they were repairing their line of guns on the bank of the river." Few in Mr. Drake's situation would have apologized in any other manner: nevertheless, considering the character of Surajah Dowlah, and the disposition of his mind towards the English at this juncture, the answer was improper; because it tended to make him believe that the impending war between the two nations would probably be brought into Bengal; and because it implied that he either wanted power or will to protect the English. Accordingly, when he received the letter on the 17th of May at Rajamahal, the perusal of it irritated him to a degree of rage which astonished all his officers, excepting one or two of his intimate favourites. He instantly changed his resolution of proceeding further, ordered his army to march back without delay to Muxadavad, and sent forward a detachment of 3000 men, to invest the fort of Cossimbuzar. On the 22d of May these troops arrived and surrounded it, but committed no hostilities; and on the 1st of June the Nabob himself came up with the main body of his army.

The fort was just strong enough to oblige an enemy to attack it with cannon: the bastions were small: the curtains were only three feet thick, and served as the outward wall of a range of chambers, which, with their terrasses, imitated ramparts, and were on all sides overlooked from without by buildings within 100 yards, and there was neither ditch, nor even a pallisade, to interrupt the approach to the very foot of the walls: perhaps the jealousy of the government would not suffer more; none of the cannon were above