Clive's whole army was now across the ditch, and it was open to him
either to carry out his original plan of attacking Omichund's garden,
or of marching forward into the fort of Calcutta. Seeing that his men
were fatigued, and worn out with six hours of labour and marching
under the most difficult circumstances, he took the latter
alternative, entered Calcutta, and then, following the stream, marched
back to the camp he had left in the morning.
His loss amounted to thirty-nine Europeans killed, and eighteen
Sepoys; eighty-two Europeans wounded, and thirty-five Sepoys; the
casualties being caused almost entirely by the enemy's cannon.
The expedition, from a military point of view, had been an entire
failure. He had carried neither the battery nor Omichund's garden. Had
it not been for the fog he might have succeeded in both these objects;
but, upon the other hand, the enemy were as much disconcerted by the
fog as he was, and were unable to use their forces with any effect.
Military critics have decided that the whole operation was a mistake;
but although a mistake and a failure, its consequences were no less
decisive.
The nabob, struck with astonishment at the daring and dash of the
English, in venturing with so small a force to attack him, and to
march through the very heart of his camp, was seized with terror.
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