Recapture of Calcutta 1757
| Recapture of Calcutta 1757 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part of 3rd Carnatic War Seven Years War | ||
| Date: | 2 January 1757 | |
| Location: | Calcutta | |
| Presidency: | Bengal | |
| Co-ordinates: | 22.550293°N 88.339805°E | |
| Result: | British victory | |
| Combatants | ||
| British East India Company | Mughal Empire | |
| Commanders | ||
| Col Robert Clive | Suraj-ud-Daulah | |
| Strength | ||
| Casualties | ||
This was an event during the 3rd Carnatic War
Summary
On learning of the Loss of Calcutta an expedition was mounted under Robert Clive with a naval squadron under Admiral Charles Watson. The force left Madras on 15 October 1756. They reached Balasore on 5 December and Fulta on 20 December. There they met up with the refugees from Calcutta and the advanced force under Major Kilpatrick which had left Madras earlier. The combined force sailed up the Hooghly and reached Mayapore on 28 December where the army was disembarked. The ships continued upriver and the soldier struggled through swamps towards the fort at Budge Budge. After a night attack on Clive's camp was repulsed and the naval guns had silenced the Indian artillery, the fort was taken. The Indian general Manakchand retreated towards Calcutta. On 31 December the force took the fort at Tanna. At 5 am on 2 January Clive landed at Alighur and marched towards Calcutta while Watson's squadron bombarded Fort William. The Nawab's troops retreated and the British force took possession.
Clive's army
- 39th Regiment of Foot 250 men under Capt Grant
- Madras European Regiment 570 men under Capts Gaupp, Pye & Fraser
- 80 European artillerymen
- 1,500 sepoys
- Bengal European Battalion under Maj Kilpatrick
Watson's squadron
Biographies
Entries in the Dictionary of Indian Biography
Robert Clive (1725-1774)
Eyre Coote (1726-1783)
John Kilpatrick (17??-1787)
Suraj-ud Daulah (1731-1757)
Charles Watson (1714-1757)
External Links
Carnatic Wars Heritage History
3rd Carnatic War Wikipedia
British expedition against Calcutta www.kronoskaf.com
Recapture of Calcutta Google Books
West Bengal Wikipedia