36 CONQUEST OF BENGAL. 



four of the ringleaders, he ordered them to be blown from 

 the mouth of a cannon, — a fate which they met with in- 

 trepidity. No disposition to mutiny was thenceforth mani- 

 fested. Monro then marched against Sujah Dowlah, whom 

 he found strongly intrenched at Buxar on the Soane. The 

 difficulty of attacking the enemy in this position was ob- 

 viated by their advancing against the British at eight in 

 the morning of the 23d October ; when, after a combat of 

 three hours, they were defeated. They made their retreat, 

 however, without being pursued to any great distance, only 

 losing a great quantity of stores, and 130 pieces of artillery. 

 The emperor had already made overtures to Major Carnac, 

 which that officer did not think himself authorized to ac- 

 cept ; these he now renewed, complaining that Sujah 

 Dowlah treated him with indignity, and detained him as a 

 mere state prisoner. Major Monro gave a favourable an- 

 swer, and only delayed the final acceptance of his proposals 

 till they should receive the sanction of the presidency, 

 which was readily granted. Even before it arrived, the 

 Mogul had come over with the corps personally attached 

 to him, and begun to march under the banner of his allies. 



Sujah Dowlah, having retreated into the interior of his 

 dominions, obtained the aid of a body of Mahrattas under 

 M ulnar Rao, and of Ghazce-ud-Dien, who, as we have 

 seen, were once the most powerful adherents of the Mogul 

 throne. With these auxiliaries he hoped to make a stand 

 against the victorious English. Sir Robert Fletcher, how- 

 ever, who held the temporary command, laid siege to Alla- 

 habad, which surrendered as soon as a breach had been 

 effected. Major, now General Carnac, who then succeeded, 

 advanced immediately to attack the army of the vizier, 

 which, with scarcely an effort, was completely dispersed ; 

 whereupon that prince was obliged to abandon all his do- 

 minions. 



The British had now certainly made one of the most 

 splendid campaigns which occur in the annals of any nation. 

 They had gained five victories against much superior 

 forces ; they had reduced every strong place which at- 

 tempted to oppose them; they had vanquished the Mogul 

 emperor and all his principal feudatories ; and in short, had 

 made themselves the virtual masters of the great central 



