ABSTRACT
Meanwhile, the Bengali alliance of Mīr Qāsim, Shujāud-Dawlah, and Shāh Ālam had reached Vārānasī on March 7 and thrown a bridge of boats over the Ganges. The bridge collapsed with only half the force across, but their army finished crossing on April 2. With Bengali forces now uncom fortably close, Carnac's council of war recommended a re treat seventy-five miles to Patna, for which they departed on April 4. Bengali forces were close behind. After he reached
NEPAL
Bhutan
BANGLADESH
Buxar on April 9, Shujā-ud-Dawlah tried to cut off Carnac's retreat. On April 17 and 18 he crossed Son River. A chance encounter with an East India Company patrol on April 22 misled Shujā-ud-Dawlah, however, and he decided to aban don the attempt to cut off Carnac. The British reached Patna on April 25 and dug in. When the troops of the Bengali alliance arrived-now 40,000 strong, over half in calvarythey took up a position opposite Carnac's trenches, which were protected by the guns of Patna's fortifications.
