1867.] Notes on Sirajuddaulah and the town of Murshiddbdd. 91 



a letter, which Col. Clive had written to him. Soon after, however, 

 from fear of his false courtiers and want of confidence in his own 

 army, he tried to pacify Mr. Watts by a khil'at, and wrote an excuse 

 to Clive. But the Colonel had already determined to commence hosti- 

 lities, and readily joined a conspiracy headed by Mir Muhammad 

 Ja'far to dethrone Sirajuddaulah. According to the author, the 

 conspiracy was planned by Mir Muhammad Ja'far, Amin Chand 

 Raura* and Khwajah Vazier, but according to the Siyar ul Mutaa- 

 kharin by Mir Muhammad Ja'far, Rajah Dulabh Ram and Jagat 

 Seth, who had each their representatives in Calcutta, Amin Chand 

 being merely Ja'far's vakeel. Khetht Begum, a daughter of Mahabat 

 Jang likewise assisted Mir Muhammad Ja'far. Clive treated with 

 the conspirators through Mr. Watts. 



The author then gives a description of Clive's double-dealings with 

 Amin Chand, as given in all histories of Bengal. 



Early in June 1757 Clive left Calcutta, reached on the 17th the 

 small town of KatAva, south of Plassey, and took possession of the 

 fort of that place. But neither did Mir Muhammad Ja'far join him, 

 as he expected, nor did Clive receive even a line from the conspirators. 

 Doubtful what to do, he wrote to the Council at Calcutta, who 

 advised him to return. *But Clive preferred to march on. On the 

 21st June, 4 o'clock p. m. he left Katwa, crossed the Hooghly and 

 pitched his tents, on the morning of the 23rd, in the fields of Plassey. 

 The Nawab's army was now in sight. Mir Muhammad Ja'far still 

 remained silent. A cannonade commenced. The English attacked 

 the tents of Sirajuddaulah, but were vigorously opposed by Mir 

 Madan,f one of the Nawab's faithful amirs. About 12 o'clock Mir 

 Madan was struck by a cannon ball and carried to Sirajuddaulah's 

 tent, where he died. The fighting was however continued, Jarneli;j; 

 Mohun Lai having taken Mir Madan's place. But nothing decisive 

 was clone. Afraid of a conspiracy, Sirajuddaulah sent for Ja'far, who 

 had not taken any part in the fight. After the most earnest solici- 

 tations on the part of the Nawab, Ja'far promised to fight the next 



* Generally called Omichund. 



' f Called Moodeem Khan in Thornton, Vol. I. p. 240 and Moodeen Khan at 

 p. 212. 



% Jarneli {i. e. general) was a name given to him. 



