Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 22.3
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 22.3
- Language
- English
22.3.1
"Amidst all the dissensions of mighty Kings and proud Sovereigns, "We never heard that any injury has been offered to an embassador." The purport of the letter was this: "That if the murder had "been perpetrated by his own management, or that of his dependants, the punishing of it would, of course, be entered on his "and their account, but that if it had been done by orders from "their master, then let us see," said the writer, "what the Supreme Disposer of events shall bring to pass between the English "and the Navvab." As soon as the letter was dispatched, the Counsellors of Calcutta, all incensed to the highest degree, assembled in the Council chamber; and after several dialogues of the most inflammatory kind, they accused Vansittart, as being Mir-cassem-qhan's patron and protector; but as the latter happened to be out of order that day, and absent, Mr. Hushtin, a Member, with whom he had but one heart and one tongue, was desired to make an apology in his name, to the Council assembled, and to speak in his stead. But, on his taking his seat, and making the apology, the other Counsellors, already alienated, at once attributed this absence to the Governor's consciousness, and to his sense of shame. They loaded him with the bitterest reproaches; and, as they had come with full intention to declare war, and seemed exceedingly passionate and out of temper, they forgot themselves so far, as to drop some improper expressions highly injurious to the Governor and Mr. Hushtin.
22.3.2
The latter, otherwise a very quiet man, would not put up with such expressions, and high words of mutual reproach passed between him and Mr. Batson. Vansittart no sooner heard of this dispute, than he hastened to the Council in the very undress, and in that weak state of body, in which he happened to be; and, taking his seat, he asked them what they wished to be done, and what was their pleasure? The answer he received was unanimous. Those men, who all along had been so closely linked with his opposers; who were no less incensed against their own Governor, than against the Navvab; and, whose wounds had been lately besprinkled with salt, by Amyatt's murder, and Ellis's captivity; those men exclaimed out with one voice; and all, without minding either time or person, clamoured aloud, that their only wish was to revenge Mr. Amyatt's death on Mir-cassem's person, and to punish that vindictive man for his cruelty. In a scene of so much violence and animosity, Vansittart had the presence of mind to preserve his temper. He produced a note, in which he observed, "That Mr. Ellis, with a multitude of Englishmen, officers, civilians, and soldiers, being in Mircassem's power, no doubt could be entertained, but all these unfortunate men would be made away with, the moment the Navvab should know for certain that an army had come out of Calcutta for his ruin.
22.3.3
Is it not then proper and prudent, added the Governor, to endeavour to live upon some terms with that merciless sanguinary man, until the prisoners can be recovered out of his hands? After which, it would be time to proceed on projects of war and revenge." This reasonable speech made no effect; and, as the Counsellors greatly suspected their Governor, and thought themselves so certain of his being Mir-cassem's protector, that they ascribed to artifice and to design the temporising party he had just now proposed; they rose up in the utmost violence of passion, and taking the paper on which Vansittart had written his proposal, they added at the bottom of it. That were all the prisoners to a man killed by Mir-cassem, they would not for a moment recede from their proposed revenge, or ever come to terms of accommodation with him. After saying so much, they all put their names to it. The Governor having perused the paper, which proved in the sequel the main voucher that cleared his character, folded it down, and put it in his pocket. He added, that now that their party was taken, it was incumbent upon them all to go immediately to Mir-djaafer-qhan's lodgings, in order to proclaim that Prince, as enthroned in Mir-cassem's stead; after which, it would be expedient to send him up to Moorshoodabad with the English army.
22.3.4
This said, he got up, and taking all the Members with him, he went to Mir-djaafer-qhan's, and offered him the Sovereignty of Bengal, and the services of the English forces. The Navvab, after some conversation on the subject, consented to resume the Sovereignty, but it was under several conditions; and these with several respective stipulations were set to writing, and confirmed by oaths on both sides. A few days after, the English army having made all its preparatives, came out of Calcutta, and marched against Mir-cassem-qhan, whose fortune, from that moment, seemed to verge to its decline, notwithstanding the considerable advantage he had gained over Mr. Ellis. This unfortunate man was now sent to Monghyr, with all his followers, and all the artillery, arms, and effects that had been taken, either in the factory, or in camp, or at Backy-pur, and the Navvab made him over to Ferhad-aaly's care, but took the soldiers and other people under his own management, after having confined them in a place adjoining his own palace. As to the other English seized all over the country, and whom he had ordered to be put to the sword everywhere, the order was not literally executed; for numbers of them were spared, and their fate remained in suspense, until the Navvab's people finding that the English army was acquiring a superiority, dismissed every one of them underhand;
22.3.5
but some of the Navvab's officers, who lived far towards the east, and at a distance from the English army, executed the order rigorously; and like men blinded by fate, they put their unfortunate prisoners to death. As to those confined at Monghyr, they were all under the care of Sheh-ferhad-aaly and Gurghin-qhan, and watched with the greatest attention. One day Doctor Fullarton, who was one of them, sent me word, requesting my interest with the Navvab, as he suffered hardships in confinement. The man had certainly a right to avail himself of my credit, such as it was, not only as being my particular friend, but also as having conferred favours upon me in his time, and rendered me important services; it even became a piece of policy in me to speak in his behalf, as I doubted not but the Navvab was by this time informed that the Doctor's man had been with me; and it was certain that unless I prevented his suspicions, by informing him of the motive of the message, he would make a mighty affair of it. I therefore went to Court, and supplicated that Prince on the Doctor's behalf, explaining my own case at the same time. I have no objection, said the Navvab, to your interference; it is for a friend. There is no harm in your taking notice of his distress at such a time as this. The Navvab spoke this indeed, but it was from the lip outwards; for he thereby reflected obliquely on my connections with the English.
22.3.6
I answered, "My Lord Navvab, the Doctor is still more a friend of your Highness than he is of mine, and you were studious to oblige him. It is for that reason, I have supplicated you in his behalf. Please your Highness to inform me what favour you choose to confer upon him, that I may act accordingly. If he be your culprit, I have nothing to say to him; do with him as you shall think best." At these last words he smiled, and calling for Sheh-ferhad-aaly, he looked at him full in the face, and then taking a serious air, "the Doctor," said he, "has sent a message to Gholam-hussein-qhan; and as that nobleman is my friend, he has of his own motion given me notice of it. For aught I know, he may have sent a hundred such messages to a hundred more persons; and you, that have him under your charge, know nothing of the matter, nor do you mind what is before and what is behind. Be more upon your guard, and take care that your prisoners suffer no hardship, either in their victuals, clothing, or any thing necessary; take care, also, that no messages of theirs, or of his, go through the army, for fear they may in time produce some mighty mischief." Finding that the conversation took such a serious turn, I did not add a word, and the poor English continued to be strictly guarded and watched, to the time when the Navvab went to Azim-abad. Meanwhile, the two armies from Calcutta, and from Morshood-abad, were approaching each other.
22.3.7
Mahmed-taky-qhan, who was really a man of talents, and worthy of command, could not be much pleased with seeing himself under the orders of Seyd-mahmed-qhan, Deputy Governor of Morshood-abad, a man incapable, and of little understanding. But indeed, how could he submit to such a man? The one was of a liberal generous temper, whilst the Deputy Governor was of a mean, sordid disposition. Hence the Governor was constantly blowing with his breath, the fire of enmity between that General and his colleagues, whilst himself lay roasting on the blazing fire of envy and jealousy; for he was unable to bear the General's high character and great reputation. The latter was under the necessity of asking many necessaries, such as artillery, tackle, and carriages, which the other constantly refused, although, by his position in the city, and his being at the head of the treasury, he had a command over all those necessaries. He furnished them with slowness and reluctance, like one that wished no good to the success of his campaign, and would be glad to see him defeated. Nor had he common sense enough to feel all the consequences of such a conduct, and how ruinous it would prove to his master's affairs, and at last to his own.
22.3.8
Matters went on at that rate, until the troops, destined to reinforce Mahmed-taky-qhan, arriving from Monghyr, took their route through Mdrshdd-abad, where, there is no doubt, but the envious Deputy Governor engaged the Commanders to assert their own independence of that General, and by all means to procure his shame and defeat. This much is certain, that those Commanders who had orders to join the General, and to remain under his command, seemed to stand upon punctilioes. Instead of encamping with him, and acting in concert, as he requested them to do, they had the folly to go on the other side of the Bagraty, and to encamp there by themselves, but with the strong detachment they had brought. The next day, intelligence was brought that two English Battalions of Talingas had set out of a certain town where that nation had a factory; on which intelligence, the new arrived Commanders, who intended to attack them, sent word to Mahmed-taky-qhan, requesting to be assisted with some of his musqueteers. It must be observed, that this General's musqueteers had acquired a character all over the country; he had raised their pay to ten rupees per month; divided them, as they do in Iran, by tens, hundreds, and thousands, with a Commander at each of those divisions; had increased the salary of those officers from fifteen to twenty, sixty, and a hundred rupees per month;
22.3.9
had constantly exercised them himself, by making them fire at a mark under his own eyes, and had kept them himself in daily motion, and under constant training. To prevent their repining in long marches, he used to assist them with oxen, camels, and sumpter-horses, for their baggage; so that they were loaded only with their Djezairs, or muskets of large bore, and with their ammunition. These troops of his being so armed and accoutred, were constantly kept in readiness, and prepared for immediate service, being all young, stout men, of his own choosing and picking. The request then was founded on reason; but although Mahmed-taky-qhan had no cause to be satisfied with those Commanders, that now applied for his assistance, yet, out of regard to his own character, and to his master's service, he sent them a body of five hundred such men, under the command of Feramorz, a slave of his own breeding, who was their principal officer. Sheh-haibet-ollah then, and the other Commanders, having received this reinforcement, marched against the two battalions of the enemy; and, chiefly by the valour and perseverance of the brave Feramorz's, he pushed the English Talingas back, after a sharp engagement, as far as the town and factory from whence they had set out. The environs of it were immediately secured, so as to prevent the enemy's retreat.