n to sally out and fall upon the British; but
at this moment, the party which had been sent forward along the road,
hearing the fray, came hurrying up and poured their fire into the
jungle.

Surprised at this reinforcement, the enemy paused as they were issuing
from the wood, and then fell back upon their cavalry. The British
artillerymen ran out, and seized the guns, and opened with them upon
the retiring infantry. Clive now formed up his troops in line, and
advanced against the enemy's cavalry, behind which their infantry had
massed for shelter.

Manak Chand ordered his cavalry to charge, but just as he did so, a
cannonball from one of Clive's field pieces passed close to his head.
The sensation was so unpleasant that he at once changed his mind. The
order for retreat was given, and the beaten army fell back, in
disorder, to Calcutta.

Chapter 21: The Battle Outside Calcutta.

After the defeat of the enemy, who had surprised and so nearly
annihilated him, Clive marched at once towards the fort of Baj-baj. On
the way he met Major Kilpatrick, who was advancing, with a force which
had been landed from the ships when the sound of firing was heard, to
his assistance.

The fleet had, at daybreak, opened a heavy fire upon the ramparts; and
by the afternoon effected a breach. As his men were greatly fatigued,
and had had but an hour's sleep, Clive determined upon delaying the
attack until the morning; and a party of two hundred and fifty
sailors, with two guns, were landed to take part in the storming.

Many of these sailors had drunk freely before landing, and as night
fell, some of them strolled towards the fort. One of the number, named
Strahan, moved along, unobserved by the enemy, to the foot of the
breach, climbed up it, and came suddenly upon a party of its defenders
sitting round a fire, smoking. Strahan immediately fired his pistol
among them, with a shout of, "The fort is mine!" and then gave three
rousing cheers.

The enemy leaped to their feet and ran off for a little way. Then,
seeing Strahan was alone, they rushed back and attacked him, firing as
they came. Strahan, drawing his cutlass, defended himself vigorously
for some time; but his weapon broke off at the hilt, just as a number
of Sepoys and men of the 39th, who had been awakened from their sleep
by the shouting and firing, came running up. Reinforcements of the
garrison also joined their friends, but these were dispirited by the
sudden and