Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s13.5

v3.c34.s13.5

Early in the morning of the 22nd, the English general crossed the Ganges at the ford of Rāmghāt, Shujā-ud-daulah having sent in the preceding night twenty pieces of cannon to cover the advance and some 5,000 Najib infantry to occupy a good post on the west bank. But the news of the intended attack had reached Visāji and he had precipitately fled fourteen miles behind, leaving there only a few Pindharis rummaging among the abandoned things of his camp. The English encamped on the ground so long occupied by the enemy; their General advanced eight miles westwards without coming up with the enemy; he found only small bands of Pindharis hovering afar off and a large force of Maratha horse that watched the English “from a respectable distance.” Hāfiz Rahmat Khan, who had so long maintained a dubious attitude towards Shujā, now came to the wazir’s camp, and so also did several of Najaf Khan’s officers who reported that the rest of their commanders would desert the infidels in groups of 20 or 30 at the time, as they found means of escape.