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NOVEMBER, 1899.)
THE LOSS OF CALCUTTA. IN 1756.
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and Corporals included; hardly a'Gun on the Ramports with a Carriage fit for Service. We had about 3 Years ago 50 Pieces of Cannon, 18 and 24 Pounders, with 2 Mortars, 10 and 13 inches, with a good Quantity of Shells and Balls for each ; but they been allowed to lay on the Grass, where they were first landed ever since, with out Carriages or Beds. Only the 10 inche Mortars we made shift to get ready by the time we where Attacked, but neither Shells filled nor Fusees prepared for Mortars or Cohorns, made as well as the rest of little use. Our Grape were eat up by the worms, and in short all our Amunition of all sorts, such as we had, in the worst Order; not a Gon with a Carriage fit be carried out of the fort for any use, except the two feild Pieces, which was sent us from your Settlement. What Powder we had ready, for want of care the greatest part was damp and the Season of the Year improper to dry it.
It's true, on the Receipt of ye Letters by the Delawar, there was orders given to repair the Line of Guns before the fort, and Carriages to be made for those 50 pieces of Cannon to be mounted upon, and likewise to repair the Carriages upon the Bastions ; but those things where just began when we received Intelligence of ye Loss of Cobeimbuzar and Contributed little to prepair us for what we expexted. The Military Captains were ordered to attend Council to give their Advice in Regard to what was Necessary to be done for the Defence of ye Place, 11s it was all along proposed to defend the Town as well as ye Fort. An Extensive Line was first form'd for that intent. So Little notion bad the People of any Vigorous attack, that it was estemed sufficient to bare a Battery of 1 or 2 Guns in each principal road to defend us from any attack of a Black Enemy; but the Consideration of our small number of Troop determined us to contract our Batterys to the places marked in the Plan. The Militia was formed in to three Companys : One of Europeans to the Number of 60 and the other two Consisted of Arminians and Country Portuguesse to ye Number of 150, exclusive of those 50 of the Companys Servants, and young Gentlemen of the Place entered as Volunteers in the Military Compauys and who) did duty in every Respect as Common Centinals and on every Occasion shewed the greatest Spirit and Resolution. Carpenters and Workmen of all sorts were taken into Pay to make Gun Carriages &c, and every thing else ordered to be got in Readiness that might be necessary for a Seige.
From the 7, when we reced the news of Cossimbuzars being lost and the Nabobs intentions to advance to march to Calcutta, to the 16th June was all the time we had to prepare every thing, from the defenceless state we where in to what was Necessary for the Reception of such a numerous Enemy; and such was the Nabobs Rapidity that in 12 days from his getting possession of Cossimbozar he was with us at Calcutta. The 4th, be march'd, with a numerous Army and a large train of Artillery upwards of 100 Miles cross Rivers and swampy Roads, to his first attack of Calcutta. The 16th, Messrs. Holwell, Macket, and Mapletoft were appointed Captains of the 3 Millitia Company, Mr. Frankland Lieutenant Colonel, and Mr. Manningham Colonel, with Subalterns in proportion. The Military Volunteers and Militia were disposed of, when the Batteries were finished and Carriages made for the Guns as you see in y® Plan, in which Situation we stood prepared to receive onr Enemy; tbo to the last scarce any cou'd be persuaded that he wou'd attack us in any other way than by forming a Blockade; till he obtained a Sum of Money and a Compliance with his demands.
On yo 16, he Attacked yo Redoubt at Porrin [? Perrins) with 6 pieces of Cannon; bat on the approach of a Reinforcement with 2 field pieces, they withdrew them and inclined to the Southward, where, taking Possession of a Top of a Wood, they fired very briskly from the Opposite side of a Ditch on a part of the Detachment, which was Advanced beyond the Bedowbt, kill'd one of ye Gentlemen Volunteers and 4 Europeans Soldiers. On the Enemy's Approaching still more to ye Southward, along ye great Ditch that Surrounded ye Town, and we baving Intelligence they had crossed it, and taking Possession of Onychaunds Garden and ye great road by it, the Reinforcement was ordered back from Perrins; and Ensign Piccard left in his post, as before: The Enemys Cannon bad play'd at ye same time on a Sloop
