Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757

Copy of the Articles of Agreement sent by Colonel Clive to William Watts, Esq; May 2, 1757

An Alliance offensive and defensive against all Enemies: The French Fugitives to be taken and delivered up to us; all their Factories to be delivered up to us, in order to be destroyed; the French never to be permitted to re-settle in this Subaship; in Consideration of which, the English Company will annually pay the Amount of Duties usually paid into the King's Treasury on the French Trade, or a Sum not exceeding Fifty thousand Rupees annually.

Restitution of the Company's Loss, by the taking of Calcutta, and their Out Settlements; also Restitution for the Losses of all Europeans by Ditto, as may be stated fairly by Admiral Watson, the Governor, Colonel Clive, William Watts, Esq; Major Kilpatrick, and Mr. Becher.

Blacks and Armenians are not included.

That the whole of our Phirmaund be complied with, and all other Grants made to us, particularly in the Treaty with Suraja Dowlat.

That the Bounds of Calcutta are to extend the whole Circle of Ditchdug, upon the Invasion of the Marattes; also Six hundred Yards without it, for an Esplanade.

The Inhabitants within our Bounds to be entirely subject to the English Laws and Government.

That we have Liberty to fortify and garrison our Factories of Cassimbuzar and Dacca, as we think proper, and a sufficient Esplanade be granted us round each.

That Convoys to and from one of our Settlements to another, be permitted to pass without Interruption or Molestation.

That the Moors shall erect no Fortifications within Twenty Miles of the River Side, from Hughley to Ingelee.

That a Tract of Land be made over to the English Company, whose Revenues shall be sufficient to maintain a proper Force of Europeans and Seapoys, to keep out the French, and assist the Government against all Enemies.

That whenever the English Troops are called to the assistance of the Government, that the extraordinary Expences of the Campaign be made good by the Government.

That an English Gentleman, in Quality of Envoy, be permitted to reside at Court, and be treated with due Respect.

Minutes of the Treaty, by Mr. Watts, May 14, 1757

I. That he will confirm all the Grants the former Nabob made us.

II. He will make an Alliance with the English, offensive and defensive, against all Enemies, either Natives or Europeans

III. Whatever French are in his Provinces of Bengal, Bahar, or Orixa, to be delivered up with all their Houses and Factories, and they never permitted to settle more in either of those Provinces.

IV. On Account of the Company's Loss1 1 Crore.

V. On Account of the Losses of Europeans 30 Lack.

VI. Ditto Jentoows 30 Do.

VII. Ditto Armenians 10 Do.

VIII. Ditto for Omichund 30 Do.

IX. Whatever Ground there is within the Calcutta Ditch, belonging to the Zemindars, to be given to the English, and Six hundred Yards without the Ditch all round.

X. A Tract of Land, whose Rents in the King's Books amounts to 100,000 Rupees Yearly, to be bought at a reasonable Value, from the Zemindary, and the Nabob to assist us in the Purchase, we paying the annual Piscash or Revenue, as usual, to the Nabob. Whatever Profit may arise from this Zemindary, is to go towards paying our Military.

XI. Whenever the Nabob wants the Assistance of our Troops, the extraordinary Expence to be paid by him.

His Plan of the Treaty was returned, with Alterations: Some of the Articles were modified, and a Blank left for the Company's Demand, that in case Meer Jaffeir should think it too extravagant, Mr. Watts might have Liberty to moderate it, and he was desired to get it carried into Execution; but it will appear in the Treaty itself, which will be hereafter given, that Mr. Watts got the Treaty executed, without any Deduction or Modification. This was a Work equally arduous and hazardous, as Things then stood, when every Look, every Word, every Motion of his was suspected, and which at the same time rendered the procuring its Conclusion expeditiously a Circumstance of the utmost Consequence. In all this, the Risk might be truly said to fall entirely upon himself; so that it is not easy to imagine, how any Man's Circumstances could be more critical than his actually were in this Conjuncture. We shall however see, that they really became so afterwards, and this in a very high Degree, and in very many Respects, from Causes that could not be avoided, and which produced a Train of unforeseen Events.

It was pretty early known, that Meer Jaffeir had entertained no very favourable Notion of Omichund, but there was a Necessity of employing and trusting him notwithstanding, of which though the former did not complain, yet he did not dislike him the less. In the midst of these arduous Transactions, and when every one else had their Hands and their Hearts full, it came into Omichund's Head to practise a little upon Suraja Dowlat, probably that he might be sure of somewhat, however Things went. He mentioned to Mr. Watts this very fine-spun Project, to which, that it appeared wild and strange, was by no means the strongest Objection. It was, however, in vain to make any: there was Money he thought to be got, and, if it was possible, he was resolved to get it. On the Sixteenth of May he went to the Palace, where, exerting his admirable Faculty of magnifying the Utility and exalting the Credit of the Advice he had to give, and having first alarmed the Suba's timid Mind, by touching many Subjects he knew were disagreeable, and in the Close, when he saw him sufficiently amazed, condescended to hint, that he had found means, with great Difficulty, to come at a Secret of the last Consequence, and for the revealing of which he was sure to lose his Life, if it was so much as suspected that he had penetrated and disclosed it. Promises of every kind were made, and at length out it came, that the English had discovered all his Negotiations with Mr. Bussy, some Circumstances of which he mentioned; that, upon this, they had sent two Gentlemen to confer with, and to convince him, how much more it would be for his Interest to concur with them; and that they had made, or were upon the Point of making, a Peace; which, without doubt, must be at his Expence. As strange as it may seem, Omichund prevailed over a Man's Foibles, which he had studied, and deluded him into a firm Belief of all he said, and, in consequence of this, he procured a Perwannah, that is, an Order from the Suba to the Burdwan Rajah, one of his Officers, for the Payment of Four Lack of Rupees which he owed him, and the full Restitution of the remaining Part of the Money, and all the Goods, of which he had been despoiled at Calcutta. This he took wonderful Care to have immediately executed, for fear of Accidents, that very Night; neither did he remain within the Suba's Reach long after. He left Traces, however, behind him, that sufficiently justified Meer Jaffeir's Suspicions, and exerted that Power of perplexing, which he possessed in full as eminent a Degree as that of persuading. This was one principal Cause of those new Difficulties, to which Mr. Watts found himself exposed, when he thought the whole Stock of his Abilities small enough to deal with the old ones.

When the Agreement came to be offered to Roydoolub, one of the Suba's principal Ministers, but, notwithstanding that, one of the Parties to this Treaty, he made a Doubt as to the Possibility of complying with it. He said, the Treasury, since the Death of the Old Suba, Aliverdy Cawn, had been much drained, and that though Suraja Dowlat was indeed very rapacious, yet he managed his Affairs so ill, by keeping his Forces so long in the Field, as to have impoverished himself by a vast, and at the same time useless Expence. He also suggested, that possibly in the Confusion that commonly attends every Revolution, the Suba's Treasury might be plundered, and then they should remain bound, without having it in their Power to pay. But to remove these Difficulties, he proposed it as an Expedient, to divide whatever was found in the Treasury with the English. Mr. Watts, who understood these People perfectly, consented to sign the Treaty with such a Clause, subject to the Approbation of the Select Committee at Calcutta. But when Roydoolub reflected, that upon such a Division he could pretend to no Commission, as he might on Money issued in virtue of the Treaty, of which he had Hopes given him; when Things came to a Crisis, he relinquished his own Proposal, and resolved to sign the Treaty as it stood. It appeared, that the Apprehensions which occasioned these Disputes, and this Delay, were infused into Roydoolub by Omichund, who gave him to understand, that if once the English Army took Possession of Muxadavad, they would not leave it again in three Years. This old crafty Man was not satisfied with giving this Proof of his Skill in embarrassing; he went much farther; and as soon as he was himself out of Danger, divulged the Secret, which brought Mr. Watts, as well as Meer Jaffeir and the rest, to the very Brink of Destruction; while at Calcutta he represented the whole Design as become desperate and impracticable, because it was discovered. It was, indeed, wonderful, all Things, and more especially his Behaviour, considered, that it was not so. However, this Effect these Rumours had, that Confusion increased, Discontent spread itself more and more in the Suba's Camp, and the Divisions between him and his principal Officers grew daily wider and wider. Meer Jaffeir was fallen into open Disgrace, removed from his Office of Buxy, or Paymaster; upon which he withdrew, and continued in his Quarters with his Troops, and came no more near the Suba. A Circumstance that rendered it next to impossible for Mr. Watts, who was sensible that he had many Spies upon his Conduct, to have an Interview with him, whose House was entirely surrounded by the Nabob's Forces, without its being known; and this had given the Suba an Opportunity of executing his Threats, and if that had been a Thing he regarded, without much injuring his Reputation. The Matter, though so much embarrassed, being still absolutely necessary, and the time pressing, Mr. Watts went to him, in a covered Dooley, the Manner in which Women are conveyed in that Country, by which means he escaped Notice, and saw the Treaty which had been signed, sealed, and sworn to on the Koran, and upon his Son's Head, by Meer Jaffeir, with all the Solemnity imaginable, in the Evening of the Fifth of June. When this was once done, and authentic Advice received of its being done at Calcutta, it removed all Surmises, silenced every Suspicion, and by giving entire Satisfaction, made way for the taking those Measures which were requisite for carrying it into Execution.

But before we proceed farther, it will be proper to look upon this Treaty, which with such indefatigable Diligence Mr. Watts planned, prosecuted, and brought to bear, in despite of the Suspicions, Spies, and insidious Contrivances, of all his Enemies; by which the Company's Commerce, and all their Establishments in this Part of India, were secured, the Losses which the Inhabitants of those Places had sustained, repaired, and the Honour of the Nation vindicated.

Translation of the Treaty made with Meer JaffeirWrote with his own Hand

I Swear by God, and by the Prophet of God, to abide by the Terms of this Treaty, as long as I have Life.

Mir Jaffeir Khan Bahadar,

Servant of King Allumgeer.

Treaty made with the Admiral, Colonel Clive, and the other Counsellors, Mr. Drake and Mr. Watts

I. WHATEVER Articles were agreed upon in the time of Peace with the Nabob, Suraja Dowlat, Munsurah Mimalek Shaik Kouli Khan Bahadar, and Hybut Jung, I agree to comply with.

II. The Enemies of the English are my Enemies, whether they be Indians or Europeans.

III. All the Effects and Factories belonging to the French, in the Provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Orixa, shall remain in the Possession of the English; nor will I ever allow them to settle any more in the Three Provinces.

IV. In Consideration of the Losses which the English Company have sustained, by the Capture and Plunder of Calcutta, by the Nabob, and the Charges occasioned by the Maintenance of their Forces, I give them One Coroe of Rupees.

V. For the Effects plundered from the English Inhabitants of Calcutta, I agree to give them Fifty Lack of Rupees.

VI. For the Effects plundered from the Gentoows, Mussulmen, and other Subjects of Calcutta, Twenty Lack of Rupees shall be given.

VII. For the Effects plundered from the Armenian Inhabitants of Calcutta, I will give the Sum of Seven Lack of Rupees. The Distribution to be made of the Sums allotted the Natives, English Inhabitants, Gentoows, and Mussulmen, shall be left to the Admiral, Colonel Clive, Roger Drake, William Watts, James Kilpatrick, and Richard Becher, Esqrs. to be disposed of by them, to whom they think proper.

VIII. Within the Ditch, which surrounds the Borders of Calcutta, are Tracts of Lands belonging to several Zemindars, besides which, I will grant to the English Company Six hundred Yards without the Ditch.

IX. All the Lands lying to the South of Calcutta, as far as Culpee, shall be under the Zemindary of the English Company, and all the Officers of those Parts shall be under their Jurisdiction; the Revenues to be paid by them in the same Manner with other Zemindars.

X. Whenever I demand the Assistance of the English, I will be at the Charge of the Maintenance of their Troops.

XI. I will not erect any new Fortifications near the River Ganges, below Hughley.

XII. As soon as I am established in the three Provinces, the Sums as aforesaid shall be faithfully paid.

Dated the 15th Ramzan, in the

Fourth Year of the present Reign.

The perfect Harmony that subsisted between Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, and the intire Confidence reposed in them by the Select Committee, was upon this Occasion, as it had been often before, the principal Source of that Alacrity, with which every thing was undertaken. A Train was immediately provided, a Detachment of Fifty Sailors, with a full Compliment of Officers, appointed to assist those who had the Direction of it; and Instructions were given for stationing a Twenty Gun Ship above Hughley, to keep the Communication with the Army open. These Steps were absolutely requisite, and others of a like Nature were prudently contrived, and chearfully performed, by the Officers in the King's and in the Company's Service; the Select Committee did their Business in Silence; and though there was a warm Spirit of Emulation, yet the least Spark of Envy or Jealousy never appeared, though so many Corps of different Kinds were serving conjunctly in the Expedition. This, as it was truly singular, was also remarkably happy; for no Exploit of this Consequence was ever begun or prosecuted in a more critical Situation, or where any untoward Accident might have more easily occasioned a Disappointment. The Forces that were to be employed, tho more numerous than in the preceding Operations, yet were but a Handful, in comparison of the Suba's Army. Meer Jaffeir, who had separated his Corps of Troops, was again joined with the Suba, but without any real Reconciliation on either Part: Yet this, however, was sufficient to raise a Doubt, how far any Dependance could be formed upon his acting; and what followed, plainly shewed that Suspicion was not ill founded. There was no small Danger of being surrounded by these superior Troops, and if the Communication with the River had been intercepted, the greatest Difficulties might have ensued. Besides these, the rainy Season was just coming on; so that, all Things taken together, and the Hazard that was to be run being maturely weighed, the Moors embarked in this Design had not the smallest Reason to repine at the Price they paid for our Assistance; as on the other hand, their own Safety, and the large Stake for which they fought, being considered, the English had great Encouragement to exert themselves with that steady Intrepidity which they did. Mr. Watts, from what he knew of the Suba's natural Disposition, and what he had observed with respect to his Forces, and those who commanded them, formed so true a Judgment of all that might happen, and had previously acquainted the Select Committee with these Sentiments, that there scarce fell out any Thing in the Progress of this Expedition which was not foreseen, and in regard to which therefore the proper Precautions had not been taken.

After finishing his Negotiations with Meer Jaffeir, and taking all the Measures requisite for executing his intended declining from the Suba in time of Action, and, if a favourable Opportunity offered, seizing his Person, there seemed to be no farther Necessity for Mr. Watts to continue under the Eye of a provoked and capricious Prince. But this very Circumstance rendered it expedient; to distract his Thoughts, to give him a Diffidence of the Informations he received, and to afford Leisure for the Preparations making at Calcutta. His House was surrounded with Spies, who watched not only his Motions, but his Words and Looks. It may be, the strong Assurances they gave, that he could take no Method to withdraw, but they must have previous Intelligence, contributed to his Safety. However, his Condition was most unhappy; a sudden start of Passion in the Suba had in a Moment brought him to a violent Death, at least; perhaps, to Tortures. At Calcutta they had so true a Sense of his Danger, that it was more than once reported, Suraja Dowlat had cut off his Head, and set it upon a Pole. There was likewise Doubts as to the Means of his escaping. He chose to do it with the rest of the Gentlemen on Horseback, the Manner least suspected, because of the Length of the Journey, and the extreme Heat of the Season, which rendered it excessively fatiguing, and not a little dangerous. But when he understood from Colonel Clive, that every thing respecting the Expedition was completed, he happily deceived the Spies of the Suba, and on the Eleventh of June made his Escape, though not unpursued. It was not to Calcutta he directed his Course, but to the Army, in which he continued, and was present at the decisive Action which brought on the Completion of his Treaty, and thereby restored Peace to Bengal. Let us now resume the Operations of the British Forces.

All things being in Readiness, the Army, which consisted of One thousand Europeans, Two thousand Seapoys, Fifty Seamen, under the Command of a Lieutenant, with Seven Midshipmen, and Eight Pieces of Cannon, began their March from Chandenagore towards Cassimbuzar on the 13th of June. The very same Day Mr. Watts joined the Colonel, to whom he imparted all the Lights, and gave the best Intelligence in every Respect that was in his Power. On the Nineteenth the Town and Fort of Cutwa, situated on the same Side with Chandenagore, of that River which forms the Island of Cassimbuzar, was attacked and taken. This was an Event of some Importance, as it opened a free Passage, which could not have been easily forced, if it had been properly defended. The Army halted there for two Days, in order to receive some Accounts of the Enemies Strength, as well as to gain certain Advice of what might be expected from those who were entered into the Party with, and engaged to support, Meer Jaffeir; which, when it arrived, was far enough from being satisfactory or explicit. The Colonel, however, was so well informed by Mr. Watts, as to the real Causes of this seeming Backwardness, and had from his own Experience and Penetration so just a Notion of the Moors Mode of acting, which, without such previous Acquaintance with their Temper and Manners, might probably have confounded any other Officer in his Station, that on the Twenty-second of the same Month he passed the River, and continued his March directly towards Plaissy, where the Army arrived, and took up their Ground about One the next Morning, without meeting with any Disturbance or Molestation on their March.

This Post was extremely well chosen for that Country, and for the Method in which those People make War. It was a Grove, covered on every Side by Mud Banks, in the midst of a Plain. At Day-break, on the Twenty-third, the Suba's Army advanced within a very small Distance, and with a manifest Design to attack the English Forces. He had about Fifteen thousand Horse, and between Twenty and Thirty thousand Foot, with upwards of Forty Pieces of heavy Cannon, which were managed by Frenchmen, upon whose Skill and Courage he greatly depended. The Van was commanded by Roydoolub, and the left Wing by Meer Jaffeir. About Six they began to cannonade pretty smartly on every Side, and this Distribution of their Cannon gave them two great Advantages; First, as they were much larger, and carried a heavier Weight of Metal, they did Execution where the English Artillery was of no Use; and in the next Place, being thus separated to a considerable Distance from each other, it was impossible to make any Attempt to seize them, and therefore all the Colonel could do was to take the Benefit of his intrenched Posts, and leave his Troops as little exposed as possible. If the Suba, or any of his Officers, had understood well what they were about, they might certainly have prosecuted their Scheme, and have completely invested the English Army, and then the Colonel must have waited the Approach of Night, in order to have forced a Passage through the Camp, which he in reality had designed. But the Enemy, on the contrary, upon the falling of a smart Shower about Noon, withdrew their Artillery within their Camp. Upon this, a Detachment marched with Two Field Pieces, and took Possession of a Tank, covered with high Banks, from whence the Moors had fired with Success. They then would have brought out their Artillery again, but were prevented; and this encouraged the sending Detachments to possess two other Eminences, very near an Angle of their Camp, covered by a double Breastwork; and from thence, as well as from another Eminence, which still remained in their Possession, they kept up a pretty smart Fire with their Small Arms. They several times endeavoured to bring up Cannon to those Posts, but our Field Pieces were so happily posted, and so well served, that they could never effect it. At length the English stormed that Angle and Eminence at the same Instant of time, though the former was defended by Forty French, and a very numerous Body of the Suba's Troops, who had likewise in that Post Two Pieces of Cannon, and the latter by a considerable Corps of Foot and Horse. Some Persons of Distinction being killed immediately before, or at the Beginning of the Attack, the Enemy being dispirited by that, quickly gave way, and both the Posts were forced with a very trifling Expence to us, though they suffered severely. On this the right Wing and Center fled, abandoning their Camp and Artillery. Their Loss in this Action fell little, if at all, short of Five hundred Men, and between Forty and Fifty Pieces of Cannon. Of the English Forces, there were Twenty killed and Fifty wounded, the greatest Part of which were Seapoys. The Flight of the Enemy was so precipitate, that the Suba, mounted on a Camel, with the better Part of the Army, arrived at Muxadavad, which was Twenty Miles distant, by Twelve at Night. The Colonel, after pursuing them Five or Six Miles, halted his Troops, and disposed of them in the best Manner he could. Such was the Battle, such the decisive Victory of Plaissy!