Manak Chand ordered his cavalry to charge, but just as he did so, a
cannonball from one of Clive's field pieces passed close to his head.
The sensation was so unpleasant that he at once changed his mind. The
order for retreat was given, and the beaten army fell back, in
disorder, to Calcutta.
Chapter 21: The Battle Outside Calcutta.
After the defeat of the enemy, who had surprised and so nearly
annihilated him, Clive marched at once towards the fort of Baj-baj. On
the way he met Major Kilpatrick, who was advancing, with a force which
had been landed from the ships when the sound of firing was heard, to
his assistance.
The fleet had, at daybreak, opened a heavy fire upon the ramparts; and
by the afternoon effected a breach. As his men were greatly fatigued,
and had had but an hour's sleep, Clive determined upon delaying the
attack until the morning; and a party of two hundred and fifty
sailors, with two guns, were landed to take part in the storming.
Many of these sailors had drunk freely before landing, and as night
fell, some of them strolled towards the fort. One of the number, named
Strahan, moved along, unobserved by the enemy, to the foot of the
breach, climbed up it, and came suddenly upon a party of its defenders
sitting round a fire, smoking.
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