Very slowly and wearily the time passed at Falta. The mists from the
river were deadly, and of the two hundred and thirty men whom
Kilpatrick brought with him from Madras, in July, only about thirty
remained alive; and of these, but ten were fit for duty when Clive, at
last, arrived.
The fleet left Falta on the 27th of December, and anchored off Moiapur
on the following day. The fort of Baj-baj, near this place, was the
first object of attack; and it was arranged that, while Admiral Watson
should bombard with the fleet, Clive should attack it on the land
side.
Clive, who now held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army, had
manifested great pleasure at again meeting the young officer who had
served under him at Arcot; and who had, in his absence, obtained a
fame scarcely inferior to his own, by the defence of Ambur and the
capture of Suwarndrug. A few hours after Clive's arrival, Mr. Drake
had made a formal complaint of the assault which Charlie had
committed; but after hearing, from Charlie, an account of the
circumstances, Clive sent a contemptuous message to Mr. Drake, to the
effect that Charlie had only acted as he should himself have done,
under the same circumstances; and that, at the present time, he should
not think of depriving himself of the services of one gallant soldier,
even if he had maltreated a dozen civilians.
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