Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 25.12
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 25.12
- Language
- English
25.12.1
General Monro having quitted the field in so disgraceful a manner, did not fail to be accused both by friends and foes, who covered him with shame. But this news had not yet reached Calcutta, where, meanwhile the fire of dissension, which had been raging with so much violence between the Governor-General and Mr. Francis, had now risen to such a height, that from bad words, and disputes, they had proceeded to fighting with guns; and at the end of Redjeb or the beginning of Shaaban, both parties according to the established custom of the nation, went out by themselves, and fought with pistols. The Governor, being befriended by destiny, came off harmless; but Mr. Francis was wounded. As he was predestined to live a great deal more, the pistol ball, although it entered at his right side, did neither break the bone, nor even rend the curtain; it stopped between bone and flesh; and in a few days he was cured. It was justly at this time that General Coote, a King's servant, who had succeeded General Clavering, as Commander-in-Chief of all the forces in India, arrived from Lucknow, whilst Mr. Doocreel, (Mr. Ducarell), arrived from Bardvan. These two men, who had connections with both parties, interposed their good offices, and became mediators of forgiveness and peace between the Governor and Mr. Francis. They brought them together, and made them take their seats at the Council-board; and it was about this time that the intelligence of Monro's defeat arrived at Calcutta.
25.12.2
The letters mentioned that the enemy grew daily more powerful, and that General Monro had fled from the field of battle. News came likewise of General Godard's having come out of Surat, and of his now besieging the town of Bessi (Bassain), which is one of the strongest fortresses in the Marhatta dominions. It was likewise at this time that an Englishman of some consequence arrived in a Packet-ship from Bombay, which means in English a Courier-ship; and God knows what news he brought with him. He found the Governor-General with all the principal English of Calcutta overwhelmed with sorrow, but busy in contriving expedients to raise a great sum of money, and to form an army. The Governor after borrowing upon interest, from the wealthy Bengalies of Calcutta, so great a sum as one coror of rupees, engaged General Coote to repair to Mendradj, and to take the command of the army there. It was in those times of calamity and distress, I arrived at Calcutta, where I paid a visit to the Governor-General. That Viceroy, who has a vast fund of innate goodness in his nature, condoled much with me, and promised that I would one day see the accomplishment of my wishes; but he was so overwhelmed with public business, that he could not afford to give me many hearings, or to remember his promise. As to General Coote, he both objected to the scarcity of men and of money, until both being remedied, he consented to go to Mendradj with three or four battalions that had been brought together;
25.12.3
and these being joined to the six or seven regiments now shut up in the fortress of that name, the whole with some other troops then in those parts, would form a body of ten or twelve regiments: a force which was thought sufficient to fight Haider-niac in the field. For the English trusted much to the goodness of their troops and to the talents of their Commander; nor do they admit any interference of the deity in the affairs of this world, but attribute their repeated victories, and numerous conquests, to the good conduct of their officers, and to the bravery of their troops; nor do they ascribe the defeats given to General Carnac, and to General Monro, to anything else but to the misconduct of those two men, whom they loaded with imprecations and obloquy, as the principal authors of those disasters that had disgraced their nation. There is no doubt, indeed, but that wisdom and prudence bear a great sway in the direction of the affairs of the world; but not so much neither, as that the Original Mover of all events, He that has created and bestowed that wisdom and prudence, should remain idle himself, and as it were out of office; or that the affairs of the world, for want of apparent solidity and permanency, should be wholly and entirely in the power and disposal of human wisdom, and foresight.
25.12.4
Be it as it may, General Coote, who commanded in chief all the troops in the Company's service in India, and had under his care all the affairs of war, as his particular province, consented to repair to Mendradj. Urged by a thorough sense of the critical situation of affairs both in Mendradj and in Decan, he embarked, in the middle of the blessed month of Ramazan, of the year 1194, on board of a ship, and repaired to that fortress. As to myself, perceiving that the Governor could not pay any attention to my affairs, and that I had no chance for any assistance at Calcutta, I returned to Moorshood-abad, being very uneasy on account of a threatened invasion from the Marhattas of Cateck, and on account of my having left my children and family like so many forlorn souls, in a city that had no Governor and no Ruler, that might partake of the distresses of families, and watch over their safety. For both the Nazem, and his Lieutenant were perfectly free from such cares; nor could much be expected from the English themselves, who had in most places bestowed the offices of Rulers and Lieutenants on some principal Indians, who trusting to their interest with their masters, paid little attention to the situation of the people of this land. I arrived at Moorshood-abad the seventeenth of Shavval, and remained there till the 25th Zilhidj, of that same year; and all the while I was hearing accounts that differed from each other.
25.12.5
Nevertheless whatever was most confirmed, has been inserted in these sheets; and it amounts to this much: that General Monro having, as has been already said, retired in that shameful manner within the fortress of Mendradj, had become a standing stock for the shafts of reproach from every one of his countrymen, as well as from the enemy. But as Haider-naic's troops had taken possession of everything without the walls, and even of the city itself, as far as the precincts of the fortress, the English shut up within the place, resolved to fall by surprise upon those bodies of the enemy that were encamped close to their walls, in hopes of making an impression upon them. For this purpose there came out of the fortress at day-break, nay before day-break, two battalions of Grandils (Grenadiers), which word signifies in their language, picked men, tall and stout, and of tried bravery. But as Haider-naic is fully acquainted with the particular turn of genius of the English in war matters, and is indefatigable, and always thoroughly informed of the motions of his enemies, he never suffers his people to be supine, or off their guard, or negligent in their duty. His troops therefore proved to be ready for the enemy's reception. A furious combat commenced;
25.12.6
and troops being continually sent to the assistance of those engaged, the two battalions in question were surrounded, and finding no way open for a retreat, they continued fighting heroically, until they all rushed into eternity, leaving to Haider-naic's troops a full possession of the victory. It was after this disgrace that the news of General Coote's coming became public. General Monro seemed struck with the intelligence; and fearing for both his life and character, should that Commander land unexpectedly at Mendradj, he resolved to exert himself in recovering his honor. With this view, he came out with all the troops he could muster, leaving only such a small number as might guard the gates, and the Company's magazines. He had with him a great train of cannon and mortars, with every necessary for some important expedition. On the other side, Haider-naic's son, with an army of disciplined troops, and a good train of artillery, advanced to meet the enemy, and a mighty battle ensued. But again destiny would have it so, that Haider-naic's son gained a complete victory; and General Monro being vanquished again and defeated, was forced to retreat within the fortress with the shattered remains of his army, where probably, he is safe from an attack.
25.12.7
For it is reported that Haider-naic does not care to fight against walls and fortresses, and has been heard more than once to say, that it would be a folly to expose the lives of so many brave men for the sake of acquiring the possession of three or four thousand yards of ground; and that, provided God Almighty would give him the open country, and victory against the English, he did not care to dispute walls and brick-bats with them. This much is certain, that he must have known how little they could hold in a place destitute of every thing. He knew that as the fortress of Mendradj is seated by the sea-side, it has no sweet water at all; and although provisions of it are daily imported from abroad, it was impossible that they should answer the necessities of twenty or thirty thousand persons of all professions and sexes, which were shut up within its walls, and that too for a space of three or four months. Add to this that Mendradj is not really a fortress; it is only a wall drawn round the habitations of an infinity of merchants and other numerous people residing there. These men daily import their own water from without the walls, where there is a city apart. But even supposing that in times of full peace, they should have formed an aqueduct or a rill that should carry a supply of water up to their habitations, still such a contrivance would prove of little avail, as an approach to that rill is now opposed and full of danger.
25.12.8
Now as it is certain that they can no more import provisions than their water, it becomes altogether incomprehensible, how that multitude can have subsisted all this while without suffering every extremity. It is a pity that the English do not mention such matters, and the like details publicly. They never talk of them to such people as we; and I cannot get any sure intelligence from any one else. But for that reservedness of theirs, we should have set down all those events with a full detail.