60 ISLAM AT WAR
The French meddled in the politics and intervened in the disputed suc-
cessions of Hyderabad and Arcot. The French and English naturally sup-
ported rival candidates, which led to the defense of Arcot by the English
General Clive in 1751. The French and British, each with their Indian
allies, began a struggle for the possession of India. In 1760, Coote won
the decisive victory of Wandiwash over the French General Lally and then
starved Pondicherry into capitulation in January 1761.
After the successful surprise attack by the Mahrattas, which led to the
legendary horror, the Black Hole of Calcutta,^1 Clive and Admiral Watson
pulled together their forces. Clive, leading some 900 Europeans and 2,000
sepoys (cavalrymen), supported by 8 guns, faced a Muslim army said to
have consisted of 35,000 foot, 15,000 horse, and 50 cannons in the Battle
of Plassey (fought July 23, 1757).
At daybreak the Muslim army left its camp and moved against Clive’s
tiny force. At six, the Muslims began to attack with heavy cannon sup-
ported by their whole army, firing on the British for several hours. The
British, who were positioned in a large grove fronted with thick mud
banks, stood the fire easily from such a strong position. The Muslims’
artillery proved ineffective; their guns were poorly placed and their bom-
bardment not concentrated. The British stood behind their defenses wait-
ing to attack the enemy camp at night.
Around noon the Muslim artillery was withdrawn to their camp. The
British sent forward two guns supported by two companies to seize a
position 300 yards from the point from which the Muslim artillery had
directed much fire on them. The British move provoked a renewed ad-
vance by the Muslims, but they made so little serious effort, that the British
resumed their advance and took possession of two further rises much
closer to the Muslim camp.
The Muslim army responded strongly to this, but the well-directed British
artillery wrought much havoc on their ill-organized attacks. So successful
was the British fire that the Muslims were thrown into confusion and the
British stormed the corner of the Muslim camp, provoking a general rout.
The British pursued the Muslim army about six miles, capturing upwards
of forty pieces of cannon and a multitude of abandoned baggage wagons.
The nineteen-year-old Suraj-ud-Dowlah escaped on a camel, and upon
reaching Moorshedabad early the next morning, sent away what jewels and
treasure he could and then followed them with only two or three attendants.
The battle cost the Muslim army about 500 killed and the British 21 dead
and 50 wounded, mostly among the sepoys. The Battle of Plassey was short,
but decisive. The British took control of Bengal and the British Empire in
India was solidly settled, built on the ruins of the Moghul Empire.