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Rh and England were now at open war, it was dangerous to depart while the French held their fortified station of Chandarnagar, within a few miles of Calcutta. So Watson and Clive carried the place by assault; but the Nawab, who had at first acquiesced, at the last moment withdrew his consent to the attack, and was secretly inviting Bussy to march from Haidarabad to his relief. There could be no reasonable doubt that Siraj-ad-daulah would renew hostilities on the first opportunity, while, on the other hand, Lally's expedition must soon reach the eastern coast, and the Madras government was urgently pressing for the return of the troops.

The English in Bengal thus found themselves in a perilous dilemma, since the troops could not return to Madras until Calcutta had been in some way placed beyond danger from the Nawab. When, therefore, overtures were received from certain disaffected chiefs of the Nawab's court, Clive entered into a compact to dethrone Siraj-ad-daulah, and to set up in his stead Mir Jafir, one of the principal conspirators. He then marched up the country against the Nawab, whom he found entrenched at Plassey with about fifteen thousand cavalry, thirty thousand foot, and forty pieces of cannon.

The engagement began with some cannonading, in which a battery managed by Frenchmen gave much annoyance to the English. Early in the afternoon the Nawab fled from the field, and as his army began to fall back, an advance was made against the battery, which alone remained in position. So soon as the