16 CONQUEST OF BENGAL. 



of the factory at Cossimbuzar, they gave up all hopes of ac- 

 commodation, and thought only of increasing their means 

 of resistance, which were very slender. The garrison did 

 not muster above 514 men, of whom only 174 were Euro- 

 peans, and of these not ten had ever seen service beyond 

 the parade ; for even this duty had been enforced so negli- 

 gently that many, according to Mr. Holwell, did not know 

 the right from the wrong end of their muskets. The fort, 

 though of some extent, was defended by a wall only four 

 feet thick, which in many parts, as at Cossimbuzar, enclosed 

 chambers whence windows opened, and whose terraced 

 roofs formed the top of the rampart. Around the fort were 

 erected warehouses, clusters of buildings, and even little 

 streets ; some commanding the castle, others affording 

 cover for the operations of an enemy. Under these cir- 

 cumstances the officers determined to draw their defensive 

 line around the whole range of buildings, and endeavour to 

 prevent the enemy from penetrating into them. This plan 

 seems justly censured by Orme, since they had no force to 

 defend so extensive a circuit pervaded by so many avenues. 

 They ought to have demolished the houses round the fort ; 

 or, if time did not allow this operation, have removed at 

 least the roofs and upper floors, while a few buildings, that 

 were defensible and commanded the works, should have 

 been occupied by strong bodies of troops, and a ditch and 

 palisade then drawn round the whole. They might thus, 

 in our author's opinion, have kept their ground till the an- 

 nual fleet arrived, which would at least have secured their 

 retreat. They importuned the French and Dutch, in this 

 extremity, to make common cause against the Indian ty- 

 rant ; but they only received from the former the insulting 

 offer of shelter in (.'handemagore. 



Meantime the nabob marched upon Calcutta with such 

 furious ha6te that a number of his men perished from 

 6trokes of the sun, or other accidents occasioned by exces- 

 sive heat. Having lefl CoBsimbiuar on the 9th June, 1756, 

 he arrived on the 16th in view of Fort William. He was 

 arrested for some time by the Mahratta ditch, not being 

 aware that it extended round only part of the circuit. 

 Having overcome this obstacle, the Indians, on the morning 

 of the 18th, opened a general attack on the outposts, de- 

 fended by three batteries, which were for some time vigor- 



