Midford, Brown, Cowan, and others we hear of in command of troops, were only soldiers for the occasion.

So far back as 1676 the Directors had enjoined on their civil servants to acquire a knowledge of military discipline, that in the event of any sudden attack they might bear arms.

Clive was far from being the first of the Company's servants to lay down the pen for the sword, but he was the first to do so permanently.
The inferior quality of the Company's officers through the first half of the century is reflected in the fact that among the many who distinguished themselves in the hard fighting that went on from 1751 to 1764, we find only two who had not graduated in the King's service.

These were Clive, who entered the Company's service as a writer, and Preston, who was sent to India as a civil engineer.

Of the Company's purely military officers we hear little or nothing.
The men were worse than the officers.