Under these impressions Clive wrote to the Secret Committee[150]: "The party I sent has taken Cutwa town and fort. Both are strong. Notwithstanding which, I feel the greatest anxiety at the little intelligence I receive from Meer Jaffier; and, if he is not treacherous, his sangfroid or want of strength will, I fear, overset the expedition. I am trying a last effort, by means of a Brahmin, to prevail upon him to march out and join us. I have appointed Plassey the place of rendezvous, and have told him at the same time, unless he gives this or some other sufficient proof of the sincerity of his intentions, I will not cross the river: this, I hope, will meet with your approbation. I shall act with such caution as not to risk the loss of our forces; and, whilst we have them, we may always have it in our power to bring about a revolution, should the present not succeed. They say, there is a considerable quantity of grain in and about this place. If we can collect eight or ten thousand maunds[151], we may maintain our situation during the rains, which will greatly distress the Nabob; and either reduce him to terms which may be depended upon, or give us time to bring in the Beer-Boom[152] Rajah, Mahrattas, or Ghazee-u-Deen.[153] I desire you will give your sentiments freely, how you think I should act, if Meer Jaffier can give us no assistance." On the 21st of June, two days after he had despatched this letter, Clive held a council of war[154], to which he proposed the following question:--"Whether in our present situation, without assistance, and on our own bottom, it would be prudent to attack the Nabob; or whether we should wait till joined by some country power?" A majority of the officers composing the council voted against an immediate attack; a minority for giving battle to the Nabob; and at the head of the latter was Eyre Coote, subsequently so distinguished in Indian history. Clive, though he had voted with the majority, appears, almost immediately afterwards, to have satisfied himself, that there was no other road to safety and honour, but by moving forward; and without consulting[155] any individual, much less the council of war he had so unwisely assembled, on the very evening of the day on which the council had been held[156], changing his purpose, he determined to march against the enemy, and accordingly gave orders for his army to cross the river the following morning. It is stated[157], that before he carried this resolution into effect, he had received a letter from Meer Jaffier, which, though it in some degree removed the doubts he had before entertained of the sincerity of that leader, confirmed him in his opinion, that the success of the enterprize must wholly depend upon the advance of the British troops.