A History of Assam c14.24

c14.24

Accordingly, in September, 1792, six companies of sixty sepoys each were sent to Goālpāra under the command of Captain Welsh, with Lieutenant Macgregor as adjutant, and Ensign Wood as surveyor. The commandant's orders were to proceed to the town of Goālpāra and, after making careful local enquiries, to submit a full report to the Governor- General, on receipt of which, he was told, detailed instructions would be given him. The modern district of Goālpāra had become a British possession in 1765, when the whole of the Muhammadan possessions in Bengal were ceded to the East India Company. At the time of these events, it formed part of the district of Rangpur. The town from which it derives its name was the great emporium of trade with Assam. There was a military outpost at Jogighopā on the opposite bank, but there was no resident civil officer, and the place was but seldom visited by the Rangpur officials. The only European inhabitant was Mr. Raush, who had been there since 1768. Captain Welsh reached Goālpāra on the 8th November 1792. He obtained from Mr. Raush a long account of the troubles that beset the Ahom king, and further details were supplied by Bishnu Nārāyan, the fugitive Raja of Darrang.* He thus learnt that matters were far more serious than had been supposed when he left Calcutta and that, if he was to be of any assistance, prompt measures were called for. He decided to proceed at once to the Raja's relief without waiting for further instructions from headquarters.