History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c40.45

v2.c40.45

Mīr Ḥabīb did not permit ’Alīwardī Khān to rest for any length of time. So ’Alīwardī advanced to Katwa at the end of the rains and then proceeded to Medinipur through Burdwan. In the meanwhile the Marathas had occupied the whole of Orissa and sent their troops into barracks. ’Alī Qulī Khān, the commander of Sirāj-ud-daulah’s troops, was appointed the *faujdār* of Medinipur and ’Alīwardī desired to employ that prince against the Marathas. The latter sent forth Mīr Qāzim Khān and Dost Muḥammad Khān in advance and followed with the main army. Dost Muḥammad caught the Marathas and fought a skirmish after which the Marathas fled. Sirāj-ud-daulah advanced as far as Balasore and stopped there. ’Alīwardī now tried to put Mīr Ḥabīb between his own troops and the advance guards under Sirāj-ud-daulah. He sent orders to the latter to retire and they joined hands at Narayangarh. Both armies then retired to Medinipur. A quarrel broke out about the accounts of the army, and two officers named Khwājah ’Abdul Ḥādī Khān and Saiyad Muḥammad Yasāwal detected the frauds and were introduced to ’Alīwardī by the superintendent of the audience hall. They pointed out that on account of the collusion between the Accountant’s office and the Paymaster of the Army the musters of the troops were false and in reality less troops were borne upon them. In fact, only one-fourth of the number borne on the musters were to be found on parade. It was found on examination that an officer who received pay for 1,700 horse could not muster even 70 troopers. This defection caused great dissatisfaction in the army, specially at this troublesome time. Many of the commanders fled from the camp at Medinipur to Burdwan. At this time news was received that the Marathas were advancing swiftly upon Murshidabad. When 'Aliwardi came to Burdwan he learned that the Maratha army had again retired towards the hills of western Bengal. After attempting to pursue them for some time he retired to Burdwan and waited there for some certain intelligence about the Marathas. Here, the arch-traitor Mīr Ja'afar 'Alī Khān appeared before him from Murshidabad and was taken to task for his embezzlements and false musters. He was ordered to dismiss his own brother (? cousin) Mīr Isma'il and to appoint Khwājah 'Abdul Hādī Khān as Deputy Pay-Master (Nā'ib Bakhshi) of his own troops and he complied with a bad grace.¹