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 Git

lILSTUitV «jr INJJIA.

[Book III.

Appoariiiice i)t Hjilal)iit J lint; with an iirmv

and tlio intrijTuers who were leajjued with him.

A.D. 1750. to regret the iiitermiiialjle delays to which he had heen subject, for intelHgence arrived that a new enemy was al>out to enter the fiehi

Coniians, after his defeat, had sent letters to Salaljut Jung earnest!}- uiging him to march with his army from Il^deraba^J to Masulipatam. There, Vjy uniting their forces, they miglit Ijoth destroy the British troops and punisli Anunderauz for his revolt. When the souhalidar received the.se letters, he had 1:)egun to reap the Ijitter fruits of Bassy's departure, and, indolent as he was, would gladly have made any exertion that might have the effect of inducing him to return. Such an event would have been most distasteful to Nizam Aii

At the .same time, they were anxious to take advan- tage of any change which might facihtate their re- covery of the ceded pro- vinces; and hence, after wavering as to the course to be pursued, became con%anced that Salabut Jung might be allowed to march with his army to Ma.sulipatam. Basalut Jung, entertainincr view.^ which made the Mend- ship of the French desir- able, brought a bodv of troops from his govern- ment of Adoni. After joining, near the Kistna, the united force mu.stered 15,000 hoi-se and 20,000 foot. Forde had thus the alarming prospect of encomiteriiig, instead of one, three armies. A soldier of less nerve would have paused before committing himself to a contest with such fearful odds. His courage and decision, on the contrary, rose with the danger, and he determined to proceed. On the 6th of March, he came in sight of Masulipatam, and on the same day received the gratifying intelligence that Lally had been compelled to raise the siege of Madi-as. Masxilipatam consisted of a town and a fort. The town, a place of great extent, occupied a rising ground between two morasses, and was separated from the sea by a narrow belt of sandliills. The fort, situated south-east of the town, and communicating with it across one of the morasses by a broad cause- way 2000 3'ards in length, formed an in'egular parallelogram 800 yards long fi'om north to south, and about 600 yards broad. On the west, north, and east

Ba.stions and Defences.

a, Francois,. . 8 guns.

b, Dutch, ... 5 „

c, St. John's, .18 ,,

d, Cameleon, .10 .,

e, Small gate, 8 ,,

f, Churchyard, 8 ,,

g, Great gate. .8 ,,

5 guns.

h. Ravelin, i, Pettah, ... 6 „ k, Engodour,. 8 ,, 1, Saline,. . 8 ,, m, St. Michael, 8 ,, n, Watergate, .4 ,, o, Battery on other side of the water to flank

English batteries, 4 guns.

The Attack. p, 2 guns 12-pounders. q. -^ „ 18 „ 2 „ 24 and 2 mortars, r, 2 guns 18-pounders, ■ and 2 guns 24 poimdera.

Miisidi- patam and its fort.


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 ("HAP XI.] OPEKATIONS AGAINST MASULIPATAM. 61. 5

it was inclosed by the morass, and on the south by a sound partly formed by ad its ■. the discharge of an arm of the Kistna. The only hard ground within a mile of the fort, on the north and west, was formed by a few patches of sand which rose above the morass, but on the east the belt of sandhills was only about 800 yards distant.

Conflans with his troops was encamped in the town, and might easily, by ^"^t" "^ throwing up an entrenchment on the hard ground between the morasses, have placed an insuperable barrier in the way of Fordes approach. Instead of this he only waited till the invading force appeared, and then retreated by the cause- way into the fort. Thus unobstructed, Forde took up his station on the sands to the north-east, while Anunderauz and the Zemindar of Narsipore, whom he had induced to join him, took possession of the town. The defences of the fort, though modernized by the French after they took possession of it in 1751, could not be considered strong. There was a ditch but no glacis ; and the walls, com- posed of mud faced with brick, were on the west, north, and east flanked with eleven bastions. The south side was considered to be sufficiently defended by its position in the sovmd. The gateway was at the north-west angle, facing the causeway, 1 20 yards of which was converted into a oaponiere, terminating in a strong ravelin.

The besiegers were far too few in number to make regular approaches to the ' <"'i^' '*=- fort, and determined to attack it by batteries erected on the sands on the east, besiege Ma- This position, besides being the nearest to the walls, had the advantage of giving ready access to the shore, on which the battering artillery which had been brought by sea was to be landed. Ultimately the whole artillery emplo3'ed in the attack consisted of fom* twenty-four, four eigliteen, and two twelve- pounders, mounted on three detached batteries, without the communication of trenches. It was certainly a very bold, not to say a rash attempt, to take such a place by such feeble means. Not only should the fire of the fort have been able to overpower that which was brought against it, but the garrison outnum- bered the attacking force. Conflans, however, was too ignorant and timid to turn his advantage to account, and remained cooped up within the walls, em- ploying his means of defence so im])erfectly, that dm-ing the eighteen days employed by the besiegers in erecting their batteries, the incessant fire from the fort killed only five men. While thus favoured by the pusillanimity of the garrison, Forde was beset with dangers. On the 19th of ^larch, six days before the batteries were completed, the whole of his Europeans broke out in mutiny and threatened to march away if they were not immediately paid the prize money already due, and assured that if they took Masuliiiatam the whole of the booty would be delivered up to them. The former demand could not be com- plied with as the military chest was empty, and the latter was in direct oppo- sition to the Company's regulations, which gave only the half of the booty to the captors. No sooner was this disgraceful mutin}- overcome by good temper

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 ■I /

UIG

lilriTOKV ut i:sUL.

[B^iOK J 1 1.

A.D. i7ao.

Tlie assault and capture of Masuli- pa tarn.

The storm- ing party.

Conflans surrenders.

and fiininess, and the batteries opened, than news airived that Basalut Juu^ with his army was only forty miles distant. Anunderauz and the zemindaj>> with him were so alanned, that in the course of the night, without a not<; of warning, they marched off with their whole forces, and could not be induced Uj return till it was made palpaljle to them that by their flight they were only rushing to destruction instead of escaping from it.

The batteries had kept up a hot fire from the 2.'3th of March to the 0th April On the evening of this day the engineers reported that it could only be continued for two days more, as by that time the ammunition would be expended. What was now to be done? Salabut Jung, and a body of French troops who had been scouring the surrounding country, were now so near that the retreat by land was absolutely cut off. An escape by sea was still possible, but Forde rejected it as disgraceful, and determined to storm. With this view the fire was main- tained with double vivacity on the 7th, and with so much effect, that three bastions, one near the centre, and the other two at the extremities of tlie eastern wall, were sufficiently ruined to admit of mounting. As the attack might thus be made from more places than one, the attention of the garrison was distracted ; and hence, while two feints were practised, the real attack made at the bastion of the north-east angle met with comparatively little obstruction. It was com- mitted to the Eiu'opean battalion, mustering in all, with the ailillerjTnen, and thirty sailors taken from the Rardwicke, 346 rank and file, and 1400 sepoys. One would willingly tell of the heroism of the assailants, but unfortunately very little was displayed, and success was not so much extorted by them as yielded by their opponents. When the storming party was about to move. Captain Callendar, appointed to lead them, was nowhere to be found. He aftei-wards appeared when the assault was understood to have succeeded, and met from a stray shot the death which he had in vain endeavomred to escape by cowardice. Even after the breach was mounted, and an advance made along the rampart, the cry of "A mine!" produced such a panic, that Captain Yorke, who was gal- lantly heading the storming party, found himself suddenly left with only two drummers ; and on hastening back to the breach, found all his men in confu.sion, some even proposing to make their escape. Partly by threats, and partly by persuasion, having induced a small band to follow, the otliers regained their courage, and the captm-e was achieved. Conflans, indeed, gave little fm'ther trouble. Seated in his own house, he continued receiTjig and sending contra- dictory messages, and was no sooner summoned than he hastened to surrender. To his disgrace it must be added, that when the prisoners were counted they considerably outnumbered the captors. Among them were 500 Em-opeans. Within the fort were found 1 20 pieces of cannon, abundance of militar}- stores, and much valuable plunder. The improbability of the assault is said to have been the pi'incipal cause of its success. The garrison had from the first treated the siege as a mockery ; and being in expectation of a reinforcement from Pondi-


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 Chap. XL] TREATY WITH SALABUT JUNG. CI 7

cherry were only waiting its arrival to sally out, and, in concert with the native ad. 1759 army now at hand, inflict signal punishment on the British for their presump- tion. The overweening confidence of the French was better deserving of punish- ment, and received it.

The expedition to the Northern Circars produced more brilliant results than Results of

•• if^ii T !!• 1 • capture of

the most sanguine could have anticipated. Salabut Jung and his advisers, Masiuipa- though surprised and vexed at the capture of Masulipatam, were not without tiie hopes of being able to recover it. With this view they advanced within nine miles, in hopes of meeting with the expected Pondicherry reinforcement. It did arrive ; but the ships which brought it hastened away without landing the troops, on finding that the place had fallen. After this new disappointment Salabut Jung's politics underwent a sudden change. Nizam Ali was openly- plotting his overthrow; and as the French, on whom he had previously leaned, seemed now unable to assist him, he became anxious to provide for his own safety by exchanging the French for a British alliance. A negotiation opened with this view was speedily followed by a regular treaty, by which Salabut Jung ceded to the Company, in absolute property, Musulipatam and other districts in the Northern Circars, forming a continuous tract of territory which extended eighty miles along the coast, and twenty miles inland, and yielded an annual revenue of 400,000 rupees. He engaged, moreover, not to allow the French to have either troops or factories north of the Kistna, nor to seek or accept of assistance from them. In return for these important concessions the Company only promised not to assist or give protection to any of the soubahdar's enemies. He appears, however, to have expected more ; and on finding that no direct assistance was to be given him against Nizam Ali, marched ofi" in great dis- pleasure.

Reverse after reverse had thus followed the French arms, and the Indian Active empire, which they at one time seemed on the point of establishing, was vanish interrupted ing like a dream. After raising the siege of Madras, Lally, who had retired upon Arcot, endeavoured to maintain his ground by a kind of desultory warfare, in which little advantage was gained by either side. The number of troops still under his command might have justified active operations on a larger scale; but their spirit was bad, and his funds being again exhausted, ho abinptly con- cluded the campaign by withdrawing from the field, and disposing his army in different cantonments. The main body, consisting of 11 00 Europeans, accom- panied him to Pondicherry, where he determined to wait till a long expected reinforcement and squadron should arrive. The Madras presidency were also ^expecting reinforcements, and hence, though the season would have allowed the [campaign to be protracted a little longer, thoy willingly availed themselves of [the interval of repose which Lall}' had offered; and imitated his example by [distributing their troops in a series of forts, which, commencing with Chingle- )ut, near the Paliar, continued northwards, so as to form a kind of cui've. Vol. I. 78


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Page:Strategy of the Communists - A letter from the Communist International to the Mexican Communist Party.pdf/8

 of the present situation and its possibilepossible [sic] developments is necessary. The election campaign has just begun and it is difficult to prophesy what are the intentions of the opposing groups. So far we are in possession of only two concrete facts: first that the "Sindycato de Agricultores," a body consisting of landowners, has constituted itself a political party; and second, that General Villa has been murdered. Beyond this, we have at our disposal some Mexican and American newspaper material, and the verbal report of your delegates on the general political situation. In spite of the sparseness of the data, we want to say a few words to you about the situation as we judge it.

The murder of General Villa is the prelude to Obregon's policy in the coming election. We do not think you can be in doubt as to what the tendencies of the present Government are. As the representatives of the young, national bourgeoisie, it is striving to effect a favorable compromise with the large estate holders and with foreign industrial and commercial capital. The hubbub over the creation of an independent national economic life is due to the mixed feelings caused by the immediate wish to develop a national capitalist system and the consciousness that capitalism in Mexico can develop only with the active participation of foreign, and especially of North American capital. The worst of it is that the United States is able at any time to cross the wide northern frontier of Mexico and defend her invested capital by means of close and long range artillery and poison gas. National industry in Mexico can develop only on the foundation of the development of agricultural conditions. But these are still very primitive. As a rule, the peasants are working with the same implements they used at the time of feudalism, and the land-owners, on account of the cheapness of labor power, have no interest in introducing agricultural technique. For the same reason, the Mexican large estate owners put out their money at interest, but do not in any way support the development of national industry. The unrest which has been prevailing in the country for years is forcing foreign capital to exercise the greatest caution; besides, the financial strength of Europe is so enfeebled, that nothing of any importance can be expected from this quarter. This does not at all mean that the Mexican bourgeoisie is abandoning the idea of the creation of an independent national industry. But under the present economic conditions of the world, it cannot undertake a struggle against the United States with any hope of success; it dare not even venture openly to exploit the conflicting oil interests of England and America against the latter, for it fears intervention.


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 (51 y JIlSTOkV OF IM^IA. [Bo.,K ill.

A.D. 1750. having Madras for its centre. While ^)<>i arrnies were thus in cuntoninent«, the only activity displayed was in sending out small i>arties to make piedatory incursions. In these the Corn[)any's troops were particularly expert, and suc- ceeded in driving off about 0000 head of cattle. iiiiiisUfKet On the 28th of April, 17o9, Admiral Pococke arrived with his squadron from leiiifoice- Bombay ; but, in order to keep to the windward of Pondicherry, and watch tiie

in,;iits.

expected squadron of the French, did not come farther north than NegHjiatarn. In the end of June, three of the Company's usual ships arrived from England They brought 200 recruits, and the promise of a much more important reinforce- ment by other ships. This was the 84th regiment of 1000 men, commanded by Coote, who was now its lieutenant-colonel, and had been appointed to the com- mand of the Company's troops in Bengal, with the option, however, of remain- ing with his regiment in the Carnatic, should his presence there seem more necessary, While general joy was diffused throughout the settlement by this intelligence, the governor and council were in possession of a secret which filled them with gloomy forebodings. The court of directors, dazzled b}' the bi-illiant prospects wlncn had been opened in Bengal, imagined that from it alone suf- ficient funds might be obtained to supply the wants of all the presidencies; and under that im})ression had resolved to send no more treasure till 1700. Thus at the ver}^ time when everything announced an approaching campaign, from which the most decisive results were anticipated, the presidency, alread}- almost overwhelmed with debt, were to be left to strucjcjle unaided ac^ainst a new and incalculable demand on their resources. Naval Admiral Pococke, misled by a Danish vessel which reported that a French

operations.

fleet of twelve sail had arrived at Trincomalee in Ceylon, immediately sailed for that port, and reached it on the 3d of July without obtaining any tidings of French ships. In returning, he cruised for a short time off the north extremity of the island, and had the good fortune to meet with four of the Company's ships having the first division of Coote's regiment on board, as well as provisions and stores for the use of his own squadron. He therefore proceeded with the newly an-ived ships to Negapatam, and after tran.shipping the supplies, allowed them to continue their voyage to Madras, wliere the troops were landed and detained for the use of the presidency. On the 20th of August he again sailed for Trin- comalee, and on the 2d of September descried the French fleet. It was com- manded, as before, by Count d'Achd, and, having obtained a large reinforcement both of ships and men, numbered eleven sail of the line and tliree frigates. The British squadron consisted of nine sail of the line, a frigate, two Company ships, and a fire-ship. Both fleets immediately prepared for action ; but their relative positions and the state of the weather did not allow them to come to close quarters till the lOth, when au engagement commenced which lasted two hours without producing any decisive result. The French, by retiring as they had done on the previous occasions, acknowledged themselves defeated, but sailed so


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 Chap. XI. J

AimiliAL POCOCKE AND COUNT D'ACHE.

bli)

Admiral Sir George Pococke.— From a portrait

engraved by Aligmet.

much better than the British as to liave no difficulty in eluding pursuit. The a.d kop. (liiy after the battle Admiral Pococke returned to JNegapatam, and Count d'Ach^ made the best of his way to Pondicherry. His arrival did little to improve the position of affiiirs. The whole troops lie had brought witii him were no more than 180 men; and the money, though doubled by the capture of an English East Indiaman, amounted in all to only £33,000. How was such a reinforcement to supply the serious loss of men sustained by recent re- verses? and how was such a paltry sum to meet either past arrears of pay or current expenses? Count d'Ach^, in- stead of troubling himself with such questions, had anxieties of a difierent kind which he thought sufficient to occupy his attention. He had heard that Admiral Pococke's squadron was about to be reinforced by four men- of-war, and as it was already too strong for him, what coidd he expect but Tinnanv of destruction if he should be forced to a new encoiuiter? So determined, therefore, aiimirTr ' was he to depart that he refused to go ashore, and gave orders to prepare for sailing in the course of twenty-four hours. This annoiuicement was received with universal alarm and indignation. All the civil and military authorities, together with the principal inhabitants, assembled at the governor's, and assum- ing the character of a national council, imanimously resolved that the precipitate departure of the squadron woidd be ruinous to the public interests. Count d'Acht? remaining inflexible, a protest was drawn uj), declaring that if he departed he wovdd be held responsible for the loss of the settlement, and compelled to answer for his conduct to the king and the ministry. He had actually departed, and was some leagues out at sea when one of the ships which had been accidentally detained reached him and delivered the protest, together with a copy for each of his captains. Staggered at this proceeding, he immedi- ately summoned a council, and, after a short delay, anchored again in the road of Pondicherry. The hopes thus raised were soon disappointed ; for a few days after, when he had an opportunity to engage the Briti.sh squadron, he declined it, and finally departed on the 30th of September, leaving behind him, however, as a kind of compromise. 000 men, of whom 500 were Eiu'opean sailors or marines.

When the campaign again opened, the presidency, in expectation of the Bntisu r--

.. ,... n ^ • • ^erse before

arrival of Colonel Coote with the reniainnig division of his regiment, were w.m.iiw.ish.


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 C20 JliSTORY OF IM>JA. [Bijok III.

A.D. 1709. averse to undertake any operation of importance. Major Brereton, on the contrary, Iiaving only an interim command of the troops, was anxious to signalize himself before he should be superseded, and by great urgency obtained] a wjnsent to attempt the capture of Wandivviwli. His whole force, consisting of 4080 in- fantry and 800 horse, 1 500 of the fc^niier and 1 00 of the latter European, marched from Conjeveram on the 2Gth of Septemljer, and arrived with little interruption

Breretonun j,^ ^lie viciuity of Waudiwasli on the 28th. The French having obtained intelli-

successfiil at '' o

wamiiwabh. gence of his motions, had considerably augmented their force; but he was not aware of the fact, and in the belief that they were only expecting, and had not received reinforcements, thought it good generalship to ad^ance to the attack with the least possible delay. Their Europeans he believed to be only 900, whereas they were in fact 1300. Confident in his supposed superiority, he deemed caution unnecessary, and the very next day after his arrival prepared to attack the enemy at midnight. Not only were their numbers greater, but their position within the forts and inclosures of a large town, and under the protec- tion of the guns of the fort, was far more formidable than he imagined. In these circumstances failure was almost inevitable, and a severe repul.se, which the enemy magnified into a great victory, was sustained, ilajor Brereton main- tained his position at Wandiwash till the ith of October, and then retired upon Conjeveram. Bussy, who arrived the day after and took the command of the French force.s, now amounting to 1500 European foot and 300 cavalr-, besides native troops, advanced to Conjeveram to offer battle, but Brereton, now as dispirited as he had previously been confident, had no inclination to risk a new disaster. Eussy, thus unopposed, sent back the main body of the arm' to Wandiwash, and proceeded with an European detachment of 400 horse and 150 foot to Arcot.

Fiench Basalut Juug, Salabut Jung's brother, who held the government of Adoni,

negotiations, ,. ,

with Basa- had amved on the northern frontier of the Caruatic, and made overtm-es which "°^' the French deemed so hopeful, that Bussy was on the way to join him and concert an alliance. With this view he had proceeded to Arcot, and continuing his journey had left it a day's march behind him, when his fui-ther progress was arrested by the intelligence that the army at Wandiwash had broken out in open mutiny. More than a year's pay was due to them, and they had a belief, well or ill founded, that much money which ought to have been employed in discharging their arrears had been intercepted and embezzled. The mutiny, at first only pait-ial, increased by the discipline employed to suppress it ; and the whole troops, leaving their ofiicers behind, marched out and encamped on the height which Major Brereton occupied before he made his ill-fated attack. The soldiers eventually carried their point, and did not return to duty till they received half a year's pay in hand, a promise of the rest in a month, and a general pardon. Bussy, by halting till the mutiny was suppres.sed, lost some precious time, and, on reaching Basalut Jung, had the mortification to discover


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 Chap. XI.] NEGOTIATIONS WITH BASALUT JUNG. 621

that he had changed his views and risen in his demands. The fact of the a.d. 1750. mutiny had not been lost upon him ; and he became doubtful whether he might not by an alliance with the French be only involving himself in a falling cause. His proposals — obviously dictated by a belief that the French were no longer in a condition to refuse anything — were: — That on receiving a present sum of four lacs of rupees for the pay of his troops, he would return with Bussy to Arcot, provided he were forthwith recognized as nabob of the province, and of Trichinopoly and its dependencies; — as the first step in this agreement, the French should at once surrender to his authority all the countries of which they had actual possession, he drawing the revenues by his o^vn dewan, but accomiting to them for a third of the amount ; — other countries which might be conquered by their united armies were to be his absolutely'', without being subject to the deduction of a third ; — ultimately, when peace should be made by conquering the British, or reducing them to terms, lie should become absolute lord of the whole Carnatic according to ancient usages, and the French cease to have any claim whatever to any part of the revenues. These proposals, accompanied with others in which Basalut Jung s pi'esent and future advantage was alone con- sulted, were too extravagant to be seriously entertained, and Bussy began to retrace his steps. He had been obliged to proceed as ftir as Kurpa, to which Basalut Jung had retreated ; and had thus, without securing any advantage of the least moment, performed a march of 100 miles in a direct line, and of not less than 300 miles by road, much of it over barren tracts and through the windings of mountain valleys. Before he returned new disasters had befallen his countrymen.

Lally's greatest difhculty had all along been the want of funds. The La"? ««"-

dicioiuly

revenues obtained from the lands ceded to them, or in their possession, had divides iiis never sufficed in the days of their gi-eatest prosperity to meet the expenses in **' the field ; and, now that a series of reverses had made it doubtful whether they would be able to maintain their ground, the zemindars and other parties liable in rent found many plausible excuses for withholding it. It was necessary, there- fore, in opening a new campaign, to make .some decided effort to procure funds. After various projects had been discussed, Lally became satisfied that the south was the most hopeful quarter. The country beyond Ootatoor had for some time suffered little from the ravages of war, and the island of Seringham in particular, which was still in French possession, woidd shortly reap a harvest, of which the share belonging to the government of Pondicherry was estimated at GOO, 000 rupees. Situated as Lally was, this seemed to him an object well worth fighting for; and in order to secure it, he determined to hazard the very dangerous step of dividing his army. He accordingly despatched M. Crillon to the south with a force consisting of 900 Europeans and 1 '200 native troops, with ten pieces of cannon, and concentrated the remainder of the araiy in the vicinity of Arcot, from which it might be moved on any place that was threatened.


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 622

lIl.ST(Jlt^' Ol INJJlA,

[Book II :

A.D. 17.W.

blunder.

¥AKJ)I¥ASH

N 1759

The Madras [)resi(lency were no sooner made aware how LalJy had vohiiiUirily weakened himself than they resolved to lose no time in commencing the «im- pai<^n. This they were able to do under the most favourable auspices. Colonel Ooote profitB (Joote, with the remainder of his rej'iment, had anived at Madras on the 27th of October, and, in the exercise of the discretionary power with which he had been intrusted, decided to remain in the Canaatic. On the 21st of Novembei- he set out for Conjeveram, where the larger pait of the troops of the presidency were in cantonment ; and, immediately after assuming the command, assembled a council of war, at which it was decided that, in the di ded state of Lally's forces, an attempt should be made to capture Wandiwash. To conceal this intention, and leave the enemy in doubt as to the place on which the blow was about to fall, Coote sent Captain Preston M-ith a detachment to remain at Chin- gleput, and Major Brereton with another to attack Trivatore, while he himself moved with the mam body on Arcot. He exjjected to find the enemy encamped there, and learned with surprise that they had removed to Chittapet. His

future coui-se had not been detemiined, when an express arrived from Major Brereton with the gratif3'ing intelli- gence that, besides taking Tri- vatore, he had mai'ched on Wandiwash, and made him- self master of its suburbs. Coote at once determined to follow up this succe.ss by a forced march. On an'idn<; he found that Brereton had al- most completed a battery for two eighteen-pounders, erected so as to bear on the south-west angle of the fort. In the course of the night another batter}- to bear on the same angle was commenced. On the following day, the 29th of November, both batteries opened their fire, and before noon had made a practicable breach. The fort was commanded by a native officer, who had 500 horsemen and foot under him, but he had accepted the assistance of a body of French troops, consisting of 68 Europeans and 100 sepoys. When the garrison was summoned to surrender, two answers were retunied — one by the French officer, who declared his determination to hold out to the last, and the other by the native governor or killedar, who sent to ask what teims would be given him. Coote promised to continue liim as a dependant of the Company in the government of the fort and the rent of the districts, but required an answer by a specified hour. Shortly after the expiry of the time, the French appeared on the wall and called out that they were ready to surrender This change of mir.d on their part was doubtless produced by the known intention of the

Captiu'e of ■Wandiwash.


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78 regarding them has been made by Hipparchus; and a different one still by Apollonius the mathematician. It is sufficient, however, for us, following the Platonic opinion, to suppose twofold and threefold distances from one another of the erratic stars; for the doctrine is thus preserved of the composition of the universe out of harmony, on concordant principles in keeping with these distances. The numbers, however, advanced by Archimedes, and the accounts rendered by the rest concerning the distances, if they be not on principles of symphony,—that is, the double and triple [distances] spoken of by Plato,—but are discovered independent of harmonies, would not preserve the doctrine of the formation of the universe according to harmony. For it is neither credible nor possible that the distances of these should be both contrary to some reasonable plan, and independent of harmonious and proportional principles, except perhaps only the Moon, on account of wanings and the shadow of the Earth, in regard also of the distance of which alone—that is, the lunar [planet] from Earth—one may trust Archimedes. It will, however, be easy for those who, according to the Platonic dogma itself, adopt this distance to comprehend by numerical calculation [intervals] according to what is double and triple, as Plato requires, and the rest of the distances. If, then, according to Archimedes, the Moon is distant from the surface of the Earth 5,544,130 stadii, by increasing these numbers double and triple, [it will be] easy to find also the distances of the rest, as if subtracting one part of the number of stadii which the Moon is distant from the Earth.

But because the rest of the numbers—those alleged by Archimedes concerning the distance of the erratic


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 er auvceiites.

Chap. XI.j MOVEMENTS OF COOTE AND LALLY. o23

killedar to accept the terms which had been oflered. It is admitted, indeed, a. a 1759. that he had signed his acceptance just as the British troops entered the fort, and yet, on the pretext that he was too late, all the stipulations made with him were shamefully violated. He was related to the family of Chunda Sahib, had long been connected with the French, and was held by Mahomed Ali to be so mveterate an enemy that he set more value on the possession of him as a prisoner than the reduction of the fort. On such irrelevant and miworthy grounds the Madras presidency became parties to an act of gross treachery, and the killedar, after refusing to disclose his treasures, or pay ten lacs of rupees for his ransom, was confined in a fort on one of the highest hills of Velloi'e.

Lally now discovered, when too late, that he had committed a fatal error in oti' dividing his army. Not only was he imable to relieve Wandiwjisli, but he could not conceal from himself that other forts were destined to share the same fate. Carangoly, a large fort situated twenty- five miles E.N.E. of Wandiwash, was next attacked, and fell like it, though not without making a better defence and obtaining better terms. Coote's attention was next called to Arcot. Con- sidered as the capital of the nabobshi]), the possession of it was naturally regarded as an object of primary moment, though in itself it was comparatively unim- portant. Preparatory to the siege of the fort, Coote ordered a detachment to move from Coverypauk and take post in the city. Tliis was accomplished without opposition — the garrison of the fort, which was only half a mile distant, looking on as unconcerned spectators, while possession was taken of the nabobs palace and the adjoining streets. It was not, however, to be supposed that Lally would allow the capital to be wrested from him without a struggle. The moment he saw it seriously threatened, he sent a peremptory order recalling Crillon with his force from Seringham. Bassy, too, arrived most opportunely from his long and fruitless visit to Basalut Jung, bringing with him not only all the troops he had taken away, but a considerable body of good horse whom he had induced to join him. The aspect of affairs was thus somewhat changed. The British detach- ment, after they had collected fa.scines and other materials, and even commenced the ei'ection of a battery, were obliged suddenly to decamp ; and Bus.sy's horse taking advantage of his departure for Pondiclierry, spread themselves over the country, and committed every species of devastation. At the same time a body of Mahrattas, who had been hovering on the western frontiers, prepared to descend into the low country to sell themselves to the highest l)idder. The Madras presidency deeming their terms too high, tried to lower them ; the Frencli agent gave a sum of 20, 000 rupees in hand, and thus obtained a body of 1000 horse who, without joining their camp, made their appeai-ance between Ai'cot and Conjeveram.

Coote with his army quitted Wandiwash on the 13th of December, and Motimi

1 •• I'l Till- • 1 inoveiiiente

next evenmg took up a position which enabled him to intercept the enemy s ofc.«.toani troops when moving towards each other, whether from .Vi'cot or from Chittapet. ^'"^'


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 ^■2^ IILSTOIIY OF INDIA. [Book III

A.D.1760. On the IGth lio advanced six miles nearer the former town. Meantime Busnys horse and the Malirattas continued their course of plunder to Huch an extent, that the inhabitants took refuge in the forts and woods, and ceased tfj Ijinng in any supplies of provisions to the British camp, which was in consequence threat- ened with starvation. To increase their difficulties, the rain began to fall in torrents. As the be.st alternative that now remained, Coote quitted liis position and placed his army in cantonments in Coverypauk and the adjacent villages. Shortly after Coote's retirement, Lally, who had Ijeen exerting him.self to the utmost, quitted Chittapet with a largely augmented force, and advanced to Arcot. This movement compelled Coote again to take the Held, and he took up a strong position at a point nearly equidistant from Arcot and CoverjT:»auk Here, with a large tank in front, a morass on each flank, and a rear accessible only along a causeway, he remained on the defensive, both becaase the enemy was far superior to him in cavalry, and he was waiting the result of a negotia- tion by which it was hoped that the Mahrattas might be gained over to liLs side. Lally, too, waiting for the return of the reinforcement which had arrived too late to save Masulipatam, and mistrusting the spirit of his European troops after their late mutiny, had good reasons for not assuming the offensive. Both armies consequently remained within their encampments. ^^"y In the beginning of January, 1760, the negotiation with the Mahrattas again

conjeTeram terminated in favour of the French. The Madras pre.sidency offered 00,000 rupees, but proposed to pay in conditional bills ; the French sent the same sum in ready money, and were of course prefeiTcd. On the 8th of January, Innis Khan, Morari Row's general, joined their camp with a new body of 3000 moiuited, and a greater number of foot plunderers. Lally's star seemed once more in the ascendant, and he quitted his encampment to commence active operations. Coote suspected that the recovery of Wandiwash was his object, and sent orders to the officer whom he had left in command to defend it to the last extremity. At the same time, sending off his baggage to Cover^q^auk, he began to move eastward along the north bank of the Paliar. Lally kept moving at some distance from the southern bank at a very slow pace. He had an object in view, and was pre- paring to gain it by a stratagem. He had been told that the British army derived its supplies of rice from large magazines of it stored at Conjeveram. In this belief he executed a series of dexterous manoeuvres to cover his design, and as soon as it was dark set out, taking nearly all the cavalry of his army and a body of 300 sepoys, with the utmost expedition crossed the Paliar, and after a march of fifteen miles, pounced suddenly upon that town at eight o'clock in the morning. He had no difficulty in entering it, but it was only to meet disap- pointment. His information had been false. The stores of rice were imaginary, and the plunder found within the town was almost wortliless. The pagoda, indeed, contained a stock of military stores ; but it was a place of some strength, occupied by two companies of sepoys under an English Heutenant ; and as he had


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 CiiAi'. XL I

LALLY BEFOllE WANDIWASR.

625

no means of forcing it, it only remained for him to make a hasty retreat, after levenging- himself on the inoffensive inhabitants by setting fire to their houses.

Lally, after this disapjwintment, was more anxious than ever to perform some exploit, which might revive the spirits and raise him in tiie estimation of his troops. He could not but know that the failure of most of his recent measures had suggested grave doubts of his capacity; and that the re])utation of Bussy, of wiiom he had always entertained an unworthy jealousy, had risen in ])ro])ortion as his own had sunk. These facts galled him to the quick, and made him so impatient that he was almost ready for any attempt, however rash. Bussy exerted himself to check this wild .spirit; and, when it was proposed forthwith to attempt the capture of Wandiwash, suggested a far more judicious course. The English, he said, would not lose Wandiwash without risking a battle to save it. That battle the French

A.D. 1760.

l-all.V

ra^^olves to attempt the capture of Wandiwiisli.

CoNJEVERAM. near to the Great Pagoda. —From the Mackpntle Drawings. East India Home.

would be obliged to fight under great di.sad- vantage. A large part of their force would necessarily be employed in the siege, and the main body thus weak- ened, being obliged to lemain where they could cover the siege, would hjive no choice of posi- tion. The better plan, therefore, would be not to engjvge in operations which might make it neces.sary to risk a general action, but to keep together on the banks of the Paliar, and employ the Mahrattas in ravaging the country and cutting off all sources of supply, so a.s to leave tiie enemy no alternative but either to fight when he would rather decline it, or be foi-ced to seek subsistence under the walls of Madras. This advice, which Lally would not have relished from any one, was most imi)alatal)le from Bussy, who, he was uncharitable enough to think, liad given it from unworthy motives. His determination, therefore, was to attenijit the siege of Wandiwash at all hazards. Coote, who had hastened off to Conjeveram on hearing of the unex- ])ected attack upon it, left it on the 14th of January, and having crossed the Paliar, encamped on the l7th near Outramaloor — a position which, besides being equidistant from Trivatore, where Bussy iiad been left with the main body of tlie French army, and Wandiwa.sh, at which Lally had now arrived in person 'ith a considerable detachment, had the additional advantacfe of securing the communication with Chingle[)ut, and through it with jMadra-s. Lally, after taking possession of the subiu'bs of Wandiwash, threw entrenchments across Vol. I. 79

Coote's

counter

luoveitiLiit.


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 626

IIISTOIIY OF INDIA.

[Book III.

A.D. 17C0.

.-Vproach of the two armies.

Coote out- maiiiEuvres Lallv.

the openings of the streets leading to the fort, and commenced a battery which, erected near the same spot which Coote had selected, was intended to fire upon the same angle which he succeeded in breaching. He waa shortly after joined by Bussy from Trivatore with the main body. Coote, though suffering from want of provisions, kept his position, watching his opportunity, which he knew must arrive, when the enemy prepared to as.sault, a.s he would then have an option of attacking the besiegers, or the division encamped in the plain to cover them. Bussy, thus confirmed in the view he had taken of Coote's probable tactics, reiterated the advice to keep the whole army together by desisting from the siege till a better opportunity ; but Laily, who had formerly rejected the advice, was now less inclined than ever to listen to it.

Coote, on learning that the battery had opened its fire, and breached the main rampart, quitted his encampment at Outramaloor, and advanced to Tirim- bourg, within seven miles of Wandiwash. In the vicinity of the latter a moun- tain of same name stretches above a league from north-east to south-west. Tiie French army was encamped opposite to the eastern end of this mountain, aVjout two miles from the fort. On the 22d of January Coote hastened forward at the head of two troops of European and 1000 native cavalry, together with two companies of sepoys. He was first descried by the Mahrattas, who were lying with their plunder along the north-east foot of the mountain ; and some skir- mishing took place between the cavalry. It was on the whole to his advantage, for he took possession of the ground which the enemy quitted, and saw the whole plain clear up to their camp. Shortly after, observing, about lialf a mile to the right, some gardens and other inclosures which might be used for .shelter on necessity, while the ground beyond was well adapted for the display and action of the whole army, he ordered the division he had brought with him to form upon it, and went back to the line of infantry, to whom he announced his intention to lead them on to a general encracrement. The announcement was received with acclamations by the whole troops ; and he led them on in battle array to the ground which the cavalry were already occupjTng. Here they stood in full view of the French camp, without perceiving any motion in it, or even hearing the sound of firing against the fort.

The day began to wear, and Coote proceeded with his army, stiU drawn up, towards the south side of the mountain, till he reached a tract of ground at its foot so covered with stones and fragments of rocks, that cavalry, in which the enemy's main superiority consisted, could not act upon it. Here he halted opposite to the French camp, at the distance of about a mile and a half, expect- ing that the defiance which he thus threw out would be accepted. After some time, perceiving that the enemy still remained quiet, he again moved, intending to skirt the mountain till he should arrive opposite to the fort, and then turn so as to have it on the right. The effect of this movement would have been to give him one of the strongest possible positions. While the tract of mountain


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 CiiAP. XI I THE CONTENDING FORCES. ^7

debris secured his left flank, he not only would have the protection of the tire a d. itoo. of the fort on his right, but could not be prevented from throwing into it any number of troops that might be deemed advisable. He might then, if necessary, by a sally of the garrison, when sufticiently reinforced, drive the enemy from their batteries in the town, and attack them with the whole army, either on the flank or iu the rear, thus rendering all the entrenchments and other defences which they had thi'own up iu front of their position entirely useless. Lally, though he had failed to anticipate this movement, no sooner saw it commenced than he penetrated the object of it ; and, as the only effectual means of now pre- venting it, determined no longer to delay the encounter. The camp, as if it had been suddenly aroused from a state of lethargy, beat to arms, and the troops were seen issuing forth to occupy the ground in front, which had previously been marked out as a battle-field.

The whole French force di*awn out consisted of 2250 Europeans, of whom Tiie Kreucu

force.

300 were cavalry and 1300 sepoys. Besides these, 150 Europeans and 300 sepoys continued at the batteries against the fort. The Mahrattas numbered 3000 horse ; but instead of taking part in the action, they considered it sufficient service to guard their own camp, and remain on the watch for an o])portunity of pillaging the British baggage. The Frencii order of battle was as follows: — On the right the European cavalry ; next, the regiment of Lorraine, musteiing 400 men ; next again, the Indian battalion, 700 ; and lastly, Lally's regiment, 400, whose left were under a tank, which had been retrenched, and in which were posted 300 men, chiefly miu-ines from Count d' Ache's squadron, or soldiers who had returned after failing to relieve Masulipatam. Another tank, in the rear of the retrenched one, was occupied by 400 sepoys, whom Bussy had brought from Kurpa. The rest of the se])oys, 900 in number, were ranged behind a ridge which ran along the front of the camp. At each extremity of this ridge was a retrenclnnent, guarded by fifty Europeans. Of the artillery, in all six- teen field-pieces, fom* were placed in the retrenched tank, and the remainder in sections of three each between the different bodies of troops forming the line.

The British army consisted of 1 900 Europeans, including eighty cavalry, ^he Brit:»ii 1250 black horse, and 2100 sepoys, and was ranged in three distinct lines. In the first were Coote's regiment on the right, the Company's two battalions iu the centre, and Draper's regiment on the left ; all these without their grenadiers. On the flanks of this line were 1800 sepoys, 900 on each. In the second line were all the grenadiers of the anny, amounting to 300, and having on each flank 100 sepoys. The third line was formed by the cavalry, the eight}' Euro- peans occupying the centre. Two companies of sepoys stood apart, with two field-pieces, a little in advance of the left of the first line. The artillery consisted of twenty-six field-pieces.

The action was commenced by Lally in pei-son. While the British were marcliing up, and before they were within cannon-shot, he put himself at the


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 G28 ni.sTon of india. |ii.K,K iii.

A D. iTio head of the European cavalry, and, after a large sweep of the plain, made a (lash at the third line. As soon as his intention "was perceived, the sepr>ys of the separate detachmerit, with their two guns, were ordered to fall back at an angle which woidd enable them to take the attacking cavalry in flank a.s they

L;iiij'8 were approaching At the same time the black horse, thus tiireatened to be

Wiiii.iiw.ij^i. attacked in rear, made a show of wheeling round to face the enemy, but only, and apparently of set pur]r)Ose, threw themselves into confusion that they might have a pretext for flight. The eighty Europeans, thus left alone, prepared not- withstanding to receive the charge. Fortunately for them it was unnece.ssary. The two guns of the sepoys, admirably managed by Captain Barkei*, opened with svich effect on the attacking party, that they galloped ofl' without having accomplished or even attempted anything. Lally, thus left alone, had no choice but to follow the fugitives. A cannonade had in the meantime com- menced. The sui)enority was decidedly with the British ; and Lally, on returning to his infantry, found them impatient under the loss which they were sustaining without being brought to close quarters. Their impatience was seconded by his own impetuosity, and he gave the order to advance. The engagement was soon general along the whole line.

The regiment of Lorraine, formed in a column twelve in front, advanced almost at a run against Coote's regiment, who by his orders reserved their fire till their assailants were within fifty yards, when they fired a volley with deadly effect both on the front and flanks. The colmnn though staggered did not stop, and in an instant the two reiriments were minted in dreadful conflict at the point of the bayonet. It did not last long, for the column, unable to sustain the shock, gave way and fled in disorder. About the same time a tumbril in the retrenched tank struck by a shot exploded, killing or wounding eighty men. Such was the consternation produced, that a large number of those posted in the tank immediately abandoned it. Their example was followed by the 400 sepoy.s.

Major To take advantage of this confusion, Coote ordered Major Brereton to advance

Brereton • i i

killed. With the whole of Draper's regiment and .seize the retrenched tank. He had just carried it with great gallantry when he fell mortally wounded. The posses- sion of the tank exposed the left flank of Lallys regiment, which, as soon as two field-pieces were brought to play upon it, began to waver. The day was now all but lost to the French, and Bussy, in making a gallant effort to retrieve it, was taken prisoner. The other wing and centre of the enemy's fine offered little resistance, and the sepoys who were posted behind the ridge, on being ordered to advance, refused to obey. Lally, now convinced that further resist- ance was useless, abandoned his camp, which the victoi-s immediately entered without opposition. Had Coote's black horse been worth an3^thing the French army must have been utterly dispersed ; but instead of charging they kept cautiously aloof, overawed by the steady front of the European cavalry, who anxious to redeem the disgrace of their early flight, enabled Lally to effect the

I


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 Chap. XI. J FURTHER SUCCESSES OF COOTE. 629

retreat in tolerable order. On passing the foi-t he was joined by the party ad, koo. left in charge of the batteries, and ha.stened off in the direction of Chittapet. Tiie whole loss of the French, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was coni- [)uted at GOO Europeans. The killed and wounded of the British amounted only to 190.

Lallv, continuing his retreat, committed the seiious blunder of quitting ^°^^

•^ ® 1 o captures

(.'hittapet without reinforcing it ; and Coote, on whom no advantage was ever chittai.et. thrown away, determined to capture it. In tlie meantime Captain Wood, who, commanded at Coverypauk, was ordered to advance with his garrison and invest the fort of Arcot ; and 1 000 of the black iiorse were sent south to ravage the country between Alumparva and Pondicherry, in retaliation for the previous devastations committed by the French and their Mahratta allies in the districts of the English Company. Both expeditions were successful. The black horse in particular, though they had proved wortldess on the field of battle, were excellent marauders, and returned with 8000 head of cattle, after having burned eighty-four villages. In giving such details one naturally thinks of the fearful amoimt of misery which must have been endured by the native peasantry, while thus involuntarily made parties to a war in the issue of which they had no interest. Chittapet was invested by a detachment on the 2(jth of January, 1 700, and made only a show of resistance. On the 29th, when the whole army encamped within cannon-shot, a battery of two eigh teen-pounders was com- menced and completed in the course of the night. At five the next morning the fire opened, and proved so efiective that the breach was nearly practicable by eleven. The garrison, consisting of only fifty-six Europeans and 300 sepoj's, had no idea of standing an assault, and surrendered at discretion. The same day Innis Khan, deterred at the com'se of events, quitted the Carnatic with all Ins ^iahrattas.

On the 1st of February Coote arrived before Arcot. Since the celebrated •^'■'^"^■ defence by Clive the works of the fort had been much imj)roved. The ditch, mostly in the solid rock, had been dug to an unifonn de])th of six feet ; a glacis and covered way had been carried entirely round ; and from the middle of the north side of the covered way, a strong ravelin, mounting six guns and commu- nicating with the fort by a gate with a drawbridge, projected. The siege imme- diately commenced, and the fire of three batteries was opened on the 5th. Owing to a want both of artillery and ammunition not much progi-ess was made. The approaches, however, were pushed on, and by the 9th not only had the sap reached very near the glacis, but two breaches had been made to within six feet of the bottom of the rampart. Still much remained to be done ; and the means of defence were still unexhausted, when Coote was greatly but agreeably surprised at receiving a voluntary offer of sin-render. The terms were soon an-anged, and the gi'enadiers of the army were allowed next morning to take possession of the gates. The garrison, consisting of 247 Europeans, and nearly


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as many sepoys, had not lost three men, and might have held out for ten days longer before the assault could have been risked. The prospects of the French were now gloomy in the extreme. Their resources were almost exhausted, and the schemes suggested for replenishing

the treasury did little more than revive bitter quarrels and recriminations between the civil and military authorities. Coote meanwhile continued to reap the fruits of his victory. Mortiz Ali, in Vellore, on hearing that the British army had, after the capture of Arcot, encamped in that direction, feared that he might be called to account for the suspicious, if not hostile course which he had for some time pursued, and sent Coote a sum of 30,000 rupees. He refused it, stating that he was not authorized either by the nabob or the presidency to levy tribute. Mortiz Ali replying that it was a present to himself, as a mark of homage to a great commander, according to the custom of the country, the money was accepted, but only to be added to the general stock of the prize- money of the army The honourable contrast which Coote's conduct on this occasion presents to that of the civil and military authorities in Bengal, when similarly tempted, will not be overlooked.

Coote marched from Chittapet on the 26th of February, and arrived on the 29th at Tindyvanum, a place of large resort, situated at the junction of several roads leading to Pondicherry, from which it is only twenty-five miles distant. The object of this march could not be misunderstood; and the French, who had commenced the war in the full confidence of establishing an undisputed supre- macy, became aware that their next struggle must be for existence. To prepare for the worst, they endeavoured to obtain possession of all the commanding posts in the vicinity. One of the most important of these was the fort of Permacoil, situated about eighteen miles north-west of Pondicherry, and capable both from its position and its strength of protecting the intervening territory. It had previously been in a great measure overlooked; but immediately after the defeat at Wandiwash, Lally saw the use which might be made of it, and induced the native governor to admit a party of French with some cannon into it. After the capture of Chittapet and Arcot, suspecting that he had committed himself to the losing party, he wrote Coote, pretending that the French had gained admittance by surprise, and offering to assist him in ousting them. It seemed worth while to put his sincerity to the test; and hence, when the rest of the army was on the way to Tindyvanum, Coote had preceded them with most of the cavalry, and two companies of sepoys, and advanced as far as Permacoil. It consisted, as usual, of a pettal or town, and a fort; the former surrounded with mud walls, and the latter crowning the summit of a precipitous rock, rising to the height of 300 feet at its narrow end, and gradually lowering to 200 feet at the other. The governor gave all the assistance he had promised; but it would have been of little avail had the garrison, though small, been properly provided for a siege. Shortly after the attack began their fire slackened from want of


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 Chap. XI.]

COOTE'S CONTINUED SUCCESSES.

631

ammunition. Still, however, they maintained the defence manfully at a consi- a.d. itoo. derable loss of life to the besiegers, and six days elapsed before they surrendered. Lally on this, as on many other occasions, was only a little too late. A large detachment was actually on the way to throw a considerable reinforcement of men and stores into the fort, when intelligence of Coote's approacii frustrated the design.

The reduction of the places still in pos- session of the French might now be considered as merely a work of time, and the British j)roceeded to attack fort after fort with MJmost unvarying success. It is affirmed, hideed, by Lally, that had they, instead of directing their attention to subordinate ob- jects, marched du'eet upon Pondicherry, they might liave made themselves masters of it in eight days. On such a subject he ought to be a good authority; but as he makes this statement when his object was to show how shamefully the authorities had acted in not providing better for its defence, it may he presumed that there was some exaggeration in it. Coote thought differently, and therefore acted more cautiou.sly bv not ^'^v*-^""

° ... . •' " (if places

attempting to take Pondicheny till it was rendered in a manner defence- aronn.i ron- less, by the capture of all the places from which it might have drawn assist- ance. Though the French squadron had long been withdrawn from the coast, and that of the British been reinforced to a strength which it had never before possessed, it was not impossible that, as a last resource, Count d'Ache, or some more enteqiri.sing naval commander, might make his appearance from the Mam-itius, or directly from France, and by throwing in supplies enable Pondicherry to maintain a protracted defence. It was desirable, there- fore, that all the places where such ships could rendezvous, and enjoy even a temporary protection, should be reduced. These places on the Coromandel coa.st were now only two: Alumparva to the north of PondicheiTV, and Carrical to the south. Coote, still suffering from a wound which he had received at Permacoil, intrusted the siege of Alumparva to Major Monson. It was invested on the 10th of March, and though a place of some strength. liaN-ing a fort solidly built of stone, and inclosed by a wet ditch, surrendered at discretion on the third day. Carrical being considered a place of more consequence, the prepara- tions made for besieging it were on a greater scale. As it was intended at the same time to maintam as large an army as possible near Pondicherry, in order to intercept all supplies from the suiTOunding country, some difficulty was

Sepoys, Bengal Army. — From Solvyn,

L«s Htndouf.

Ill


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IIISTOltY OF INDIA.

[Look III.

Captuiv of Ciirrioal

A.D. 1760. found in j)rocuring hucIi a force as was judged ade<juate. To Buj^ply tlie defi- ciency 300 marines were obtained from the fleet, J 00 European firelock.s, foity artillerymen, 1000 sepoys, and six field-pieces were l^rought from ^'ricliinf^ixdy, and the King of 1 anjore was refpiested to .send his army, and eveiy kind of assistance. Major Monson, who was again to c<^;mmand, having emljarked with a party of troops from Alumparva, anchored in the road of Can-ical on the 28th of March, and was joined, in the course of the same evening, by a squadron which had sailed from Madras with the artillery and stores. Considerable di.s- appointment was felt when it was discovered that the King of Tanjore had paid no attention to the request made to him, and that none of the expected rein- forcements had yet arrived. It was determined, notwithstanding, to effect a landing, and commence the nece.s.sary works. It sopn appeared that the means of defence had been greatly oveiTated. The fort, in the form of a parallelogram, was regularly constructed, but was of such limit'ed dimen.sions as to be rather a foii in miniature than one for actual service. Its whole length was 100, and its breadth only 50 yards. This, indeed, was exclusive of the bastion.s, one at each angle, but these admitted only three guns in their faces. To compensate this defect each of the four curtains was covered by a ravelin mounting six guns. On the 5th of April, ten days after the landing, a considerable breach had been effected ; and though much remained to be done before acce-ss to it could be obtained, the governor was summoned to suirender. Contraiy to expectation he expressed his readiness to do so, provided he were allowed to march out with the honours of war. "When this was refused he made no furtlier objection, and resigned the place without firing another shot. The besiegers could scarcely credit their success. Only three men had been killed in the attack, and five in the defence. "Never, perhaps," says Orme, "was .so great an armament prepared to succeed with so little lo.s.s, excepting when De La- bourdonnais took Madi'as in 1746." French Tlic Capture of these maritime places was followed by that of Yaldore and

treaty witii '■ ^ ^

Hyder Aii. others, SO that Pondicherry was in a manner hemmed in on eveiy .side ; and no places of any consequence, not in its immediate vicinity, I'emained in the French ]iossession, except the forts of Gingee and Thiagur. These, however, could not be any obstacle to the siege of Poudicheny ; and this task, which if accomplished would give the finishing blow to French power in India, was now to be com- menced in earnest. Lally on his part was not idle, and turned his attention to every quarter from which it seemed possible that aid could be drawn. Among other quarters, he thought of Mysore. Hyder AJi, destined to make an impor- tant figure in Indian warfare, had succeeded in u.snrping the whole power of the government. With him Lally opened a communication through the interven- tion of a Portuguese monk, who bore the title of Bishop of Halicarnassus, and was not unwillmg to employ the influence which he acquired in his religious cliaracter for political purposes. Through him the bargain which enlisted the


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Mahrattas in the French service had been concluded, and it was therefore not unlikely that he would be able to conclude a similar bargain with the Mysoreans. Hyder Ali, though virtual ruler of Mysore, did not feel perfectly secure, and was therefore anxious to possess some place of strength on the frontiers, in which he might always be certain of finding an impregnable asylum. Thiagur was just such a place ; and he was therefore easily induced to enter into a treaty by which he agreed that, in return for the cession of the forts of Thiagur and Elvanasore, which, with their dependencies, '• were to remain the property of the Mysoreans in perpetuity, as long as the flag of France existed in India," he wouhl immediately furnish a body of 2000 horse and 3000 sepoys, to be employed in the French service, and paid at the rate of 100,000 rupees a month. After the delivery of Thiagur he was to supply an additional 1000 horse and 2000 sepoys. All these forces, united with those of the French, were to be first employed in clearing the Carnatic, and afterwards in conquering Madura and Tinnevelly. These countries when conquered were to belong absolutely to Hyder Ali, who was, moreover, to receive nearly a half of all the Caniatic conquests.

The secret of this negotiation had been so well kept, that the Madras presidency heard of it for the first time on the 24th of May, while they were busy with the preparations for the complete blockade of Pondicherry. At first it was believed to be an idle rumour, which Lally had set afloat for some concealed purpose; but all doubt on the subject was set at rest by the actual arrival of the first division of the Mysore troops at Thiagiu- on the 4th of June. Meanwhile small parties had passed undiscovered from Pondicheny to Gingee, and thence to Thiagur. In this way 200 Europeans liad been assembled for the purpose of accompanying the M3^soreans in their future march to Pondicherry. Attempts were made to interrupt their progress, but they dexterously avoided an encounter by changing their course, and on the 23d of Jiuie arrived safely at Ariancoopan. They had been cumbered with an immense convoy of cattle, and succeeded in bringing 2000 head as far as Trivadi. In order to hasten on, the greater pait of them were here left behind, and ultimately not more than 300 arrived at Pondicheny.

The Mysoreans who had arrived were only 15,00 cavalry, and had been sent forward by Hyder Ali, not so much in fulfilment of the treaty, as to obtain a formal ratification of it. Lally had carried on the negotiation on his own responsibility; but as a rumour of his recall had become prevalent, Hyder Ali insisted that the treaty should be signed not only by him, but by Deleyrit the governor, and all the members of council. This placed them in a kind of dilemma. They professed to disapprove of the terms of the treaty, and yet were unwilling to lose the benefit of it. They therefore signed ; but at the .same time had recourse to the mean subterfuge of endeavouring to throw the whole responsibility on Lally, by drawing up a secret document, in which they protested against their own signature, and embodied all their objections. As soon as the treaty was


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 6.3 i

llItiTOKy Ol' INDIA.

[B«^oK Hi,

I

A.D. 1700.

Ci>ote captures Villenore.

Lilly's disappoint- v.iant.

signed, all the Mysoreans went away, {promising a Hpeedy return with their whole force and abundance of provisions. They were even better than tlieir word; for they not only arrived, but gained a victory by the way. Their f«.>rce, consisting of 1000 horse, 1000 sepoys, and 200 Europeans or topasses of the French army, witii eight pieces of cannon, had arrived within sight of Trivadi, when they were encountered by Major Moore, who had gone to intercept them at the head of 180 European infantry, 50 huasars, 1000 black hoi-se, and 1100 sepoys. The manifest inferiority of numbers should have made Moore paase before risking a battle ; but either because he was not in a condition to refase it, or from over- confidence, he attempted to stand liis ground, and owing to some unexplained mischance or misconduct, sustained a disgraceful and total defeat The Mysoreans were afterwards allowed to proceed without inten-uption, and on their arrival at Pondicherry were received with a long salute of cannon. They deserved it ; for, besides the troops, they brought, what was justly deemed ntjt less important, 3000 l^uUocks, carrying their baggage and drawing their artillery, and 3000 more laden with rice and other provisions.

When Moore met with the above disaster, Coote was encamped with his army at the foot of the hill of Perimbd, preparing for the siege of Villenore, a fort about five miles W.S.W. of Pondicherry, and now the only serious obstacle to the complete investment of it. Believing that Lally, as soon as the Mysoreans arrived, would make every effort to save this fort, he proceeded, with that happ}' union of enterprise and caution which charactei'ized all his movements, to strengthen his position by a redoubt and several retrenchments judiciously selected, so as both to protect his army in the event of an attack by superior numbers, and furnish a basis for offensive operations. His precautions were not unnecessary ; for after the Mysoreans arrived, Lally, detennined to lose no time in relieving Villenore, set out for that purpose at the head of the whole forces he could muster. His numbers were far superior to the British, and he had every prospect of compelling Coote either to raise the siege of the fort, or risk an action under vmfavourable circumstances in order to maintain it. Lally s bad fortune still attended him. The garrison, though few in numbers, and threatened every moment "with assault, might easily have stood out for two days. The commandant thought otherwise, and hung out a flag of truce, which was instantly followed by surrender. The event took both armies equally by sur- prise, but of course produced very different sensations. Coote, successful at the very moment when he least expected it, declared that during the whole course of his career he had never been so fortunate. Lally, who had arrived within cannon-shot, was horror-sti-uck when he saw the British flag flying on the ramparts, and hastened back to seek the protection of the guns of Aiiancoopan. Coote, shortly after the capture of Villenore, having been reinforced by 700 of the nabob's force, and 500 of his cavalry, marched up to the bound hedge with almost all his native troops, but without any Europeans. His object was to tr}" the


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 Chap. XI. J COOTE BEFORE PONDICHEEKY. 635

temper and courage of the Mysoreans by defying them to an encounter with ad. irco. tlieir own countrymen. Previous events had discouraged them, and they decHned the challenge.

The junction of the Mysoreans with the French was not so formidable in its ^'.vw.reaiiB

finally quit

direct as in its indirect consequences. The nabob's revenues could not be col- Pomudierr)' lected in the face of marauding parties, and yet there was no other source fi-om which the funds necessary to cairy on the war could be obtained, as the direc- tors at home had intimated their resolution not to supply them, and the Bengal presidency, instead of being able, as the directors imagined, to meet the wants of the other presidencies, had been obliged to borrow largely for its own necessities. Pecuniary emban'as.sments, however, was now the only danger to be feared, for reinforcements were arriving from different quarters, and in particular, towards the beginning of August, six Company ships amved, having on board 000 men drafted from regiments in England. The French, on the contrary, were rapidly becoming weakened. The Mysoreans, increased to about 10,000, were unable to render any service ecpial to the monthly pay for which they had stipulated ; and, notwithstanding their dexterity as marauders, ftiiled to bring in [)rovisions sufficient for their own consumption. No sooner was the pressure of want felt than they began to repent of their French alliance. Desertions in consequence became so numerous, particulai-ly among the sepoys, as greatly to thin their ranks. The horse, possessing better means of regaining their homes wiien they should deem it expedient, remained more steadily at their posts, but at last, when they found their communications with the open country gradually narrowed, the greatest })art of the whole body suddenly decamped in one night from the glacis of Pondicheny. . They were hotly pursued, and suffei-cd much from British detachments before they made their escape. A few nights after, those who had remained, as well as a division of oOO who had retraced their steps in order to elude pursuit, moved off, and in a short time not one M3'sorean remained.

The time seemed now arrived for establishing a oomi^lete blockade of Pondi- Prcimratioiis

_ for besieging

cherry both by sea and land. It was necessar}' for this purpose that the it. bound hedge, with its redoubts, should be in possession of the British army, and that the squadron should remain on the coast even during the approaching mon.soon. Coote thought it. moreover, necessary that the fort of Ariancoopan should be captured. The force necessary for this purpose was estimated at SOO Europeans; but it seemed doubtful whether such a number could be safely witiidrawn from the camp, which mustered in all, inclusive of garrison and detachments, only 2000 European and GOOO native troops. It was therefore determined, in order to prevent the army from being too much weakened, to employ the marines of the squadron on shore. They amounted in all to 422

I Europeans, and were landed at Cuddalore on the 27tii of August. Another seasonable reinforcement was obtained on the 2d of September, by the arrival I


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 G30

IIISTOllV OK INDIA.

[B^JOK III,

Cooto super xeduii in conniiaiiil by Coldiifl Muiisou.

AD 1760. of several Company ships, having on board part of a Highland regiment They were under convoy of three ships of war, two of them of sixty guns each. These joined to the other shi])s increased the whole stjuadron now before Pondicherry, under the command of Admiral Stevens, to seventeen sail of the line.

The joy caused by the arrival of tliese ships and troops was much damped l)y the commissions which they brought from the War Office, appointing Majors Jirereton and Monson lieutenant-colonels, with prior date to the commission of Colonel Coote. This distinguished officer was thus virtually superseded at the very moment when he was preparing to crown all his exploits by a final triumph. The injustice done him was, however, rather accidental than premedi- tated. Coote had been originally appointed to Bengal, and the commi.ssions had been issued under the belief that he was actually serving, or at least aVjout to serve there, as the new colonels were expressly ordered not to assert their com- missions while he remained on the coa.st. Major Brereton had, as we have seen, met a soldier's death at Wandiwash. Monson was still at his post, and might have done himself honour by continuing to serve under Coote as before. This temporary obscuration of rank, however, was too great a sacrifice, and the utmost which he could bring himself to propose was to retire to Madras. This could not be listened to, and Coote, immediately g'i^ng over the command of the army to him, prepared to sail for Bengal. As a matter of course he meant to take his regiment along with him, but generously consented to leave it beliind, when the presidency alleged that it could not be wanted, and Monson even declared that on its departure the blockade of Pondicherr}- would be raised He may have made this declaration the more readily in consequence of a bold attempt which LaUy made to take the British camp by surprise. Being per- fectly aware that he was in no condition to stand a siege, he mustered all his forces for an expiring effort. It was concerted with some skiU and so much secrecy, that Coote, though he had many spies in Pondicherry, was totally unaware till the attack actually commenced. On the 4th of September the whole of Lally's disposable troops, amounting to 1400 Eiu-opean infantrj^ 100 European horse, and 900 sepoys, ha'sdng marched out of the town, and passed the boundary hedge, approached the British camp in four divisions, to take possession of the post which had been previously assigned them. By some mistake, the division which ought to have been the most effective of all, as it was in the rear of the camp, did not an'ive in time to commence the attack when the concerted signal was given; and the other divisions, disappointed when the expected diversion was not made in their favour, were obliged, after a partial success, to retire.

The intended attempt on Ariancoopan had been abandoned in deference to the objections of Monson, who was now able to caiTy on tjie siege according to his own plans. His first object was to seize the four redoubts which were placed in the openings of the bound hedge, and commanded the leading avenues to

Monson

woundeil

■I


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 Chap. XL] OPERATIONS AGAINST PONDIUIIERRY. 637

the town. With this view a night attack was resolved, and would have com- ad. ireo pletely succeeded but for a blunder similar to that to which Lally had owed his failure. The rear of one of the leading divisions becoming separated by mis- management from the van, caused so much delay that daylight began to ap})ear, and enabled the defenders of one of the redoubts to open a murderous fire. The very first shot from a twenty-fom* pomider, double loaded with langi-age, killed eleven men and wounded twenty-six. Among the latter was Colonel Monson himself, struck with a piece of iron which broke both the bones of his leg. Notwithstanding this disaster two of the redoubts were carried.

&

Colonel Monson's wound might have been followed by fatal results to the C'>ote

. 1 ■» • rtstmiies the

i)esiegers. The officer next in command was a Major Rolert Gordon, who had commauii. more than once absented himself from his post in the hoir of danger, and was in other respects incompetent. Fortunately Coote had not yet sailed for Bengal, and readily consented, at the request both of Monson and the presidency, to resume the command, and finish the work which he had so well begun. He arrived only in time. Gordon, as obstinate as ignorant, had risked the recapture of the redoubts, by refusing to take the advice of a Miser officer than himself General discontent also, produced by a deficient supply of provisions and sick- ness, had begun to prevail. Under Coote's skill and vigorous command the gathering clouds disappeared. Of the two remaining redoubts in the bound hedge one was volmitarily abandoned by the enemy without a struggle, and the other forced, though not without some loss to the assailants. In consequence of these successes the whole of the bound hedge was in possession of the be- siegers, who were thus enabled to convert one of the main defences of the town into a new means of annoyance.

October had now arrived, and active operations were necessarily postponed in Ponaioiierry

^ . ^11 blocka.led.

the prospect of the approaching monsoon. This temporary cessation of hostilities, liowever, afibrded no real relief to Pondicherry Its worst eneni}' was within. Provisions had begun to fail, and unless new supplies could be obtained, famine must soon compel a sun-ender. To diminish the consumption, Lally proposed the immediate expulsion of the black inhabitants, but the general coimcil which be assembled to consider the subject did not see the necessity of the case so strongly as he did, and broke up without a decision. Many of the Eiu'opean families, liowever, obtained Coote's permission to pass without interruption to the Danish or Dutch settlements on the cocost.

The attempts made by Lally to obtain provisions general!}- failed. As a last Laii.v «eek»

. the aid of

resoui'ce he entered into a negotiation with the Mahrattas, who had again made theMnh their appearance, in the hope of turning the course of events to their own profit, (lingee, which had once belonged to them, was the great object on which their liearts were set, and Balajee Rao must have been strongly tempted when he Wiis offered 500,000 rupees in hand the moment he should appear with his anny. and the cession of Gingee as soon as the siege of Pondicherry' should be raised.


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 638 IIISTOIIY OF INDIA. [Book !li.

AD. 1700. Tlie Maliiiitta eliiel' was too cautions and wily to c(jJuiiiit liinisfclf at once, aii convert the hlockade of Pondicherry into a

iiient of tlie

natives. regular siege, and on the IGth of November a vessel laden with all the neces- sary stores arrived from Madras. Lally, seeing these preparations, could no longer consent to postpone the execution of the proposal he had made more than a month before, and turned out of the gates tlie whole of the natives, with the exception of a few retained as domestics, to the number of 1 400, of both sexes and all ages. They made their way to the boundary hedge, hoj>ing they would be permitted to pass, but it was only to meet with treatment more ruth- less than that of their expulsion. The British outposts drove them back ; and they gathered in despair at the foot of the glaci.s, imploring re-admi.ssion. When it was refused, some attempted to clamber over into the covered way, and were fired upon and killed. Seven days the wi-etched .survivors kept wandering between the town and the British posts without shelter, and with no food except the roots of grass which they picked up. The guilt of this honid inhu- manity was shared both by besiegers and besieged, but by no means in an equal degree. Lally could plead necessity for what he had done ; Coote could plead nothing but the advantage which he might gain by an act of horrid inhumanit}'.

Adisastniis Foiu" ricoclict battcrles, intended only to hai'ass the garrison by a cro.ss fire of ricochet shot along the streets and ramparts, were opened near midnight ot the 8tli of December, and continued their fire at intervals durins: the six following days. It did very little execution, and was scarcely worth the ammunition expended upon it, though it certainly had the effect of increasing tlie fatigue of the garrison when very little able to bear it. They had been put on an allowance of a pound of rice a day, with a little meat at intervals ; but even this limited consumption so much exceeded some casual supplies by sea, that by the end of December the public store did not contain provision for more than three days. At this time, however, they derived some relief from an unexpected quarter. On the very last day of the year 1 760, while the British squadron, in all twelve sail, were riding in Pondicheny Koad, a sudden hurricane arose. Six of the vessels foundered, or were driven ashore, and no fewer than 1000 Europeans belonging to them perished. The disasters were not confined to the sea. All the tents and temporary caserns of the camp were blown to pieces ; the ammunition brought out for immediate u.se was destroj'ed ; and the sea breaking over the beach, and ovei"flowing the whole tract as far as the boundary hedge, ruined all the batteries and redoubts w^hich the army had raised

Gloomy The inhabitants of Pondicherry, when the sun rose clear the next morning

prosjiects at

roii.iicherry. and sliowcd them the general devastation, regarded it as a deliverance from Heaven. Had only 300 men been able to march out three hours after daylight, they would not have found 1 00 of the besiegers together to resist them. This, however, was impossible. Though the garrison had suffered little, they could


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 Several comrades in the Central American and South American Parties have adopted the standpoint that it makes no difference to the working class whether it is exploited by domestic, native capitalism, or by the capitalism of the United States. No, it is not a matter of indifference for the working class.. The penetration and entrenchment of North American capitalism in the countries of Central America and South America means the consolidation of the entire capitalist system throughout the American continent. It is a favorite argument of the reformists of all economically backward countries, that such countries must go through the whole epoch of capitalism before they are ripe for the proletarian revolution. But these gentlemen (in the United States they are Gompers & Co.; in Mexico, Morones; in Argentine, Palacios, and such like) know very well that this is untrue; they are merely concerned with using the argument as a cloak for their treachery. The Russian Revolution has demonstrated that proletarian revolution is possible in a predominantly peasant country, but where there is a class-conscious, even if relatively small, industrial working class. By their very geographical and economic positions, Mexico and the countries of Central and South America have long ago come within the spheres of interest of international capitalism. In Mexico and in Argentine there exists today a strong and class-conscious revolutionary working and peasant class. There can be no doubt, therefore, that proletarian revolutions are possible in these countries, before capitalism "develops naturally into socialism." Besides, in the face of the massacres of workers in the United States, in Mexico, in Brazil, in Cuba, and in the countries of Central America, it would probably never occur to any class-conscious proletarian to believe that capitalism would be so good as to "develop naturally into socialism."

The working class throughout the American countries must struggle primarily against the capitalistic imperialism of the United States. The workers and peasants from Canada down to Argentine must proclaim the slogan of the united front of all the exploited masses of America against Wall Street, the heart and brain of the continental band of exploiters. From this point of view, the resistance of the individual national bourgeoisies to the domination of the United States is an essential part of the struggle against American capital in general.

In Mexico the efforts of the United States are directed toward industrializing those mineral fields of the north and those oil fields on the coast which its military forces can easily dominate. The American dollar has never entered Mexico in a "neutral" or "purely


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 Chap. XL]

SURRENDER OF PONDICHERRV.

639

not caiTy their ammunition dry, nor drag the artillery over inundated fields. They could, therefore, do little more than give utterance to earnest wishes that ships expected with supplies from Madagascar might arrive while the British ^s([uadron was dispersed or driven from the coast. Even these wishes soon failed them, and with

A.D. i:gi.

PONDICHKRRY

'^_ «N0 ITS I SVIROMS

Scidc

7 f.^->..y>»

a a a, Fii-st encampment. July 17. d d d, Hodoubts erected, July 18.

b b b. Second encampment. Sept. 10. c c c, Third encampment, Oct.

re- newed despondency they saw their road again blockaded by eleven sail of the line, consisting chiefly of tliose which had wea- thered the storm, and others which had e.scaped it by being at the time at sea be- yond its reach. The damaged works of the besiegers also were re- paired, while the gar- rison were so pressed I)}'" want that, when they had by a well conceived and executed attack carried a redoubt and taken a consideraljle number of prisoners, Lally, to save the additional drain on his store of provi- sions, was obliged to make an open confession of approaching famine by sending them back on their parole.

On the 10th of January a battery often guns and three mortal's opened its fire, and trenches were begun on the north side, just within the skirt of the Blancherie, or Bleaching Town, the houses of w Inch afforded good cover ; shortly after a battery was completed within 450 yards of the walLs. The garrison scarcely attempted to interrupt these works. They saw their approaching fate, and seem to have thought it useless to attempt either to ward it off" or to postpone it. Another battery was about to be commenced about 1 50 yards nearer the walls. It proved unnecessiiry. On the 15th, as the sun was setting, a flag was seen approaching from the town. It preceded a deputation, consist- ing of Colonel Durre, commandant of the royal artillery. Father Lavaur, superior of the Jesuits, and Moracin and Courtin, membei"S of the council, with an interpreter. They were the bearei-s of two memorials, one signed by Lally, and the other by the governor and council. The one by Lally wsis very charac- teristic, both in its style and substance. As if he had been about to dictate terms, not to receive them, he set out with a long and irrelevant preamble, in which he asserted that the " Engli.sh had t^iken Chandernagore against the faitii

Siege and surrender of Poi.dicherry


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 (iM) IIISTOKY UF INDIA. [Book III.

AD. 1761. of the treaties of neutrality which had always suljsisted between the Eiirojx-an

nations in Bengal, and especially between the English and French;" and that

" the government of Madras had refused to fulfil the conditions of a cartel con-

s.irroniier of eluded between the two crowns." Owing to this conduct it was "out of his power,

rondiiharry.

as responsible to the court of France, to propo.se any capitulation for the city of Pondicherry ;" but "the troops of the king and company surrender themselves, for want of provisions, prisoners of war to his Britannic majesty, conformably to the terms of the cartel." In consequence of this surrender " Mr. Coote rnay to-morrow morning at eight o'clock take possession of the Villenore gate ; and on the same hour the next day of the gates of the citadel; and, as he lias the force in his own hands, he may dictate such further conditions as he may think proper." This, strictly .speaking, finished Lally's part in the surrender ; but he continued as follows: — "From a principle of ju.stice and humanity alone, I demand that the mother and sisters of Rajah Saliib be permitted to seek an asylum wheresoever they shall think proper, or that they remain prisoners with the English, and be not delivered into the hands of Mahomed Ali Khan, still tinged with the blood of the father and husband, which he shed, to the shame indeed of those who delivered up Chunda Sahib to him, but to the .shame like- wise of the commander of the Engli,sh army, who ought not to have suffered such a barbarity to be committed in his camp." Lally's memorial concluded with his consent "that the members of the council of PondicheiTy make their own repre- sentations on what may more immediately concern their particular interests, and those of the colony." Terms of The govcmor and council seem to have determined that if they did not

capitulation. ...

obtain all they wished it would not be because they had omitted to ask for it. The requisitions of their memorial, accordingly, were of the following purport: — That the houses of the inhabitants be preserved, and " their effects and mer- cantile goods left to their own disposal;" that "in their favour the Roman Catholic religion was to be maintained ; the churches, the houses of the ecclesias- tics, and the religious orders, whether within or without the city, be preserved, with everything belonging to them ; the missionaries be free to go and come, and receive under the English ilag the same protection as they had under the French ; " and that " no buildings or edifices, and no -part of the fortifications be destroyed till the decision of their respective sovereigns." Coote returned a written answer to Lally's memoi-ial, declining discussion on the subject of Chandernagore as irrelevant, or to be bound by a cartel which was still the sub- ject of dispute, but offering to accept of the surrender at the time stated ; the troops becoming prisoners of war, "to be treated at his discretion, which should not be without humanity.'" As to the mother and sisters of Rajah Sahib, they "should be escoi-ted to Madras, wdiere proper care should be taken for their safety, and they should not on any account be delivered into the hands of the Nabob Mahomed Ali."


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 (HAP. XI.] THE BRITISH ENTER PONDICHERRY. +l

On the IGth of January the gi'enadiers of Coote's regiment took possession a.d itc.i

of the Villenore gate; and in the evening Lally, who was apprehensive of tumult, anticipated the period fixed by delivering up the citadel. On the fol- lowing morning the British flag was hoisted, and saluted by a thousand pieces U"i>oi>"i»

_ _ _ rity of Ijilly

of cannon, being those of every ship in the road, of all the posts and batteries, in Pondi of the field artillery, and of the ramparts and defences of Pondicherry. There cannot be a doubt that the surrender was inevitable, as the provisions would not have sufficed for two days more. No fault could therefore be found with M. Lally for not protracting an impossible defence, and yet it was too evident that the inhabitants generally regarded him as the prime cause of their disaster, and would willingly have wreaked their vengeance upon him. On the third day after the surrender, when he was about to depart for Madras, about 100 per- sons, mostly officers, and also two members of council, assembled at the gate, and the moment he came out in his palanquin, assailed him with hisses, threats, and opprobrious epithets. Dubois, the king's commissary, on coming out an hour after, was attacked in the same way. Stung at this reception, he stopped and said that he was ready to answer any one. The rash challenge was instantly accei)ted by a man of the name of Defer, who at the second pass laid him dead at his feet. It was a barbarous assassination, for Dubois was an old man and short-sighted; and yet such was the feeling of the bystanders that his death was regarded as a meritorious act, and not one of them would assist his servants in burying him. There is reason to believe that this inhumanity was, at least in some of those who manifested it, the result not merely of personal hatred. Dubois was known to have taken formal protests against the alnises and irregularities which he had detected in the leading officials, and meant to submit them to the home govern- ment. That the knowledge of this fact had something to do with his assassina- tion may, without any want of charity, be inferred from the conduct of the registrar, who, the moment the old man fell, came forward and seized his papers. They were never heard of afterwards.

The total number of European military taken in the town amounted to Dispute be- 2072 ; the civil inhabitants were 381 ; the artillery fit for service were 500 pieces aii.ithe of cannon and 100 mortars and howitzers. The arms, ammunition, and military presiaoucy. stores were in equal abundance. Great were the rejoicings at Madras on account of this most imj)ortant capture ; but amid all these rejoicings a delicate question arose, and threatened to mar the harmony between the civil and the militjuy authorities. To whom did Pondicherry belong ? It was surrendered by Lally to his Britannic majesty, and so accepted by Coote. Mr. Pigott understood the matter differently ; and on the fourth day after the surrender demanded that Pondicherry should be delivered over to the Macb-as presidency, as having become the property of the English Eiist India Company. Coote demurred, and submitted the demand to a council of war, composed of the leading officers of the army and navy engaged in the capture. Their opinion was that the demand Vol. I. 81