Plassy (Seven Years' War).
Fought 1757, between the British, 3,000 strong, with 8 guns, under Clive, and the army of Surabjah Daulah, Nawab of Bengal, aided by a small force of Frenchmen. Clive was encamped in a grove of mango-trees, where he was attacked by the Nawab. He beat off the attack, and then stormed the Nawab's lines, totally routing his army, which fled in panic, with a loss of about 500. The British lost 72 only.
Platæa (Third Persian Invasion).
Fought B.C. 479, between the Greeks, about 100,000 strong, under Pausanias the Spartan, and 300,000 Persians, with 50,000 Greek auxiliaries, under Mardonius. The Persians fought bravely, but were overborne by the superior discipline and heavier armour of the Greeks, and Mardonius falling, a panic ensued, and they fled to their entrenched camp. This was stormed by the Athenians, and no quarter was given, with the result, it is said, that with the exception of a body of 40,000 which left the field early in the battle, only 3,000 Persians escaped.
Platæa (Peloponnesian War).
In 429 B.C., this city, held by a garrison of 400 Platæans and 80 Athenians, was besieged by the Spartans, under Archidamus. All the useless mouths were sent out of the place, only 110 women being retained to bake bread. The garrison repulsed numerous assaults, and the siege soon resolved itself into a blockade, but provisions becoming scarce, an attempt was made to break through the enemy's lines, which half the garrison succeeded in doing, with the loss of one man. The remainder held out till 427, when being on the verge of starvation, they surrendered. The survivors were tried for having deserted Bœotia for Athens, at the outbreak of the war, and 200 Platæans, and 25 Athenians were put to death.
Plescow (Russo-Swedish Wars).
This fortress was besieged by the Swedes, under Gustavus Adolphus, August 20, 1615, and defended by a Russian garrison. It is notable as marking a departure from the established practice of surrounding a besieged city with walls of circumvallation. For these Gustavus substituted a series of entrenched camps, communications between which were maintained by strong patrolling forces. Little progress was made, owing to a delay in the arrival of the Swedish breaching guns, and through the mediation of England, negotiations were opened with Russia, and the siege raised, October 14, 1615.
Plevna (Russo-Turkish War).
Four battles were fought in the course of the siege of Plevna, the first three being attacks on the Russian defences, and the fourth, Osman Pasha's final attempt to cut his way through the besieger's lines.