The Siege and Capture of Fort William[]
Lieutenant General Richard Venables, Major General Richard Luther and Sergeant Nickolai Sharkhayes were
Venables Holds the Fortifications
Venables and Sharkhayes holding the line
standing on the battlements of Fort William watching the sun rise over the top of the Bay of Bengal. When suddenly, an almighty crash came from the courtyard. The British Troops ran to their stations preparing for battle when Nickolai shouted to Venables, "Look out sir," Sharkhayes and Venables were sent flying as a Cannonball screamed through the Battlements of Fort William.The storerooms of Fort William were ablaze and the Red Coated Marines and Sepoys were holding their own valiantly shoulder to shoulder. Venables, Luther and Sharkhayes ran to the Armoury and grabbed three rifles and cartridges and ran to the battlements and began pouring rifle fire into the Mahrattas. The Mahrattas, however, just kept coming and charging forward in huge black waves of screaming Indian troops. An English Minister stood at the gateway of Fort William shouting out at the
Venables Fighting the Mahrattas
Mahrattas with prayers to God. Suddenly, the doors of Fort William crashed in with a loud roar of gunpowder going off. The Minister was sent flying; his body a bloody mess of siwnews and crushed bones sticking out of the disfigured body.
Red Coats charged to the gate behind Venables and Luther, Sharkhayes was organizing them into ranks and opening intense fire onto the Mahrattas. But the Mahrattas just kept on coming, and, in turn, Luther was shot in the arm.
The Sepoys suddenly began to run, Venables roared at them to get back into the line but they were enraged and fearful. Some of the British Red Coats opened fire upon the Sepoys, who just kept running and jumping from the battlements.
The Mahrattas though had finally got into the fort and hand to hand combat ensured.
Inside the Black Hole
Venables and Sharkhayes helped Luther up and the three of them began defending themselves finally, though Venables decided enough was enough, and raised a flag of truce to the Mahrattas leader, with whom Venables made a deal that the fort and its garrison would surrender, but only if the survivors were not harmed.
Venables, Luther, and Sharkhayes get thrown into the Black Hole Prison
The Mahratta Leader agreed to Venables' terms, but later went against his bargain and confined the 157 British Troops in a 27x16 foot room with no food, water, or fresh air. Venables and Luther watched, and by the next day, only 24 of the men stired. Venables and Luther knew they had to escape, so, they devised a plan to penetrate the walls of the fort and eventually leave their imprisonment.
Escape[]
Venables and Luther waited for two hours until a Mahratta Soldier came in with a bucket of water, Venables and Luther Grabbed the man, whilst Sharkhayes grabbed his rifle. They knocked the Guard out and ran for the door, it was all clear! they ran to the edge of the court yard, where around ten troops were on guard.
Venables and his men ran around to the right, While Luther and his men ran to the left.
Venables, Luther, and Sharkhayes escape the Black Hole
When they got to the gate the slit the guards throat and ran for their lives as a Indian Guard saw them the 24 British Troops ran as fast as they could and quickly escaped to the top of a steep hill and watched as the Mahrattas chased "them" towards the south.
Venables and Luther began the long march to the nearest EITC base and alerted Sir Robert Clive of the Siege
Venables and the sikhs after the battle
Bengal was retaken at the battle of Plassey and Venables remained the EITC Lt General till 1767.
THE END