Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s2.19

v1.c8.s2.19

Alivardi, therefore, decided to make a night march in light equipment with a select force, surprise the Marātha cordon, and cut his way through it. The success of this plan depended entirely on his being able to move with strict secrecy and superior mobility, and he failed in both respects. When he led his army out of his camp, ordering the countless servants and other non-combatants to remain at Bardwān, they feared that the Nawāb was running away with his escort, abandoning them to the mercy of the invaders without any means of defence. Every one in the camp, therefore, pressed close on the detachment and it soon became a noisy, unwieldy and slow-moving body. The projected surprise entirely failed.