Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 16.4.5

16.4.5

This arrival gave umbrage to Mir-habib, who had cantoned himself there. Little pleased with such a neighbourhood, he set his barracks on fire, saw the whole consumed, and then retreated with his army. The Viceroy on seeing this, passed the river Cossey without entering Midnipûr, and he encamped on the other side, after sending spies everywhere to take information. In a little time intelligence was brought that the Marhattahs were encamped in a woody tract of ground, on the other side of Midnipûr; upon which he immediately ordered Mir-cazem-qhan and Dost-mahmed-qhan with some other Commanders to pursue the enemy, and to draw some blood from their veins. These marched the whole night, and arriving before daybreak, they fell upon the Marhattahs, sabre in hand; and an engagement ensued, in which valorous actions were performed on both sides, until at last the Marhattahs gave way, and retired towards Catec with much loss and shame, always flying and always followed by the Viceroy, who tired of so hot a pursuit stopped at Balisser-bender, and encamped in that spot. There he learned that Mir-habib and Mana-dji with their Marhattahs and Afghans, not thinking themselves a match for the Bengal army, had fled farther, retiring into the woody mountainous tracts of the Oressa. The Viceroy continuing to advance, went beyond the river that goes by Badrac and Hadjipûr, where he encamped at a place called Bara, which is at about eighteen cosses distance from the city of Catec.