466 HISTORY OF INDIA. [Book III
AD. 1751. Mahrattas had actually arrived in the neiglihourhood, and captured a quantity of ammunition going to the besiegers. Rajah Sahib, now awake to the danger of further delay, and encouraged by the effect of his south-west batter}', which had made a still larger breach tlian that on the north-west, determined to
The assault, storm. The day selected was the 14th of November, one of the greatest of Mahometan festivals, commemorative of the murder of Hoasein, the chief of the Fatimites. During its celebration, every son of Moslem falling in battle against unbelievers, is understood to pass at once to paradise without enduring the delays and pains of intermediate purgatories. Taking advantage of the enthusiasm which such a period excites, and heightening it by inebriating drugs, Rajah Sahib, as soon as morning broke, gave the signal for assault. Every part of the fort was threatened ; but the principal attack was made in four divisions, two directed against the breaches, and two against the gates. Clive, after making his arrangements, had gone to sleep, and on being aroused found the garrison at their posts. The ditch in front of the north-west breach was ford- able, and the division allotted to this part of the attack rushed across it. A large number immediately sat down with great composure underneath the wall to act as a reserve, while the rest hastened up to the breach, filled it, and had even passed, before the defenders gave fire. It was most deadly, and continued without a moment's inteiTuption, those behind supplpng loaded muskets to those in front as fast as they could discharge them. The two cannons planted on the roof of the house opposite the breach did fearful execution, and the assailants were forced to retire. Fresh bodies, however, again and again renewed • the assault, but were driven off as before. Meantime, those seated under the wall were not forgotten, and a few bombs with short fusees thrown from above obliged them to decamp. At the south-west breach, the attack was made in a different manner. The ditch under it not being fordable, the assailants brought forward a raft, which was large enough to carry seventy men. These embarked upon it, and, though fired upon by two field-pieces, one on each flank, were nearly across, when Clive, observing the bad aim of the gunners, took the management of one of the pieces, and in two or three dis- charges caused such confusion that the raft was overset, and those upon it who escaped drowning swam back to the opposite side.
Its failure. The assault had lasted nearly an hour. As soon as it ceased, the assailants
employed themselves in carrying off" their dead. They might have been pei-- mitted to discharge this duty of humanit}' undisturbed; but the fire of the garrison was not slackened, and they were obliged to desist. An act of heroism, on the part of a native, is not unworthy of being recorded. The leader of the sepoys at the north bridge, after greatly distinguishing himself, had fallen. He was greatly beloved by his men, and one of them crossed the ditch for his body. Though the attempt exposed him to the fire of forty muskets, he had the good fortune to escape unharmed with his honourable burden. The whole
