INSURRECTION AT BENARES. 
171 
In consequence of the suggestion of an intelligent 
native, who had accompanied Captain Blair in the 
actions of Ramnagur and Pateeta, and had rendered 
him very signal service upon both occasions, as well 
by his advice as by his local knowledge, it was re- 
solved to attack Pateeta and Lutteefpoor at the same 
time, with a force sufficiently strong to ensure their 
capture. The Hindoo mentioned a pass behind the 
latter fortress, with whose locality he declared him- 
self perfectly acquainted, and which, as he clearly 
showed, it would be necessary to secure before any 
operation could be successfully carried on against Lut- 
teefpoor. This pass takes its name from an adjacent 
village. He advised that an attack should be simul- 
taneously made upon the pass and the fort of Pa- 
teeta ; because such a divided attack, as he very 
discreetly suggested, would distract the enemy’s at- 
tention, and thus, by assaulting the pass when its 
defenders were quite unprepared to expect a foe, it 
might be gained without either much difficulty or 
loss ; and it would, moreover, give the captors the 
same advantage over Lutteefpoor, as the pass would 
have over the garrison if the former were taken 
possession of without securing the latter ; besides this, 
as the pass, if not secured, would have the command of 
every road, it would consequently render the posses- 
sion of Pateeta, if gained, of which indeed there was 
not much doubt, a very uncertain tenure. 
Major Popham, wisely appreciating the justness of 
these suggestions, saw in a moment that it was of 
importance they should be immediately acted upon ; 
he therefore determined to do so without delay, and 
