Robert Orme

“ At sun-rise the English troops advanced to the assault. The 300 Sepoys marched first; the company of Coffrees next; the Europeans in the rear. The enemy fired briskly as the line was approaching, and more especially from the tower on the left of the breach, that Col. Forde ordered a six-pounder from the battery, which, at the distance of a hundred yards, kept up a constant fire on the parapet of this tower, more indeed with the hope of intimidating, than the expectation of doing any detriment. ”

“ Conviction of the assistance which each might derive from the qualities of the other, cemented them as much as the relation of blood, in the most inviolable friendship. This powerful and uncommon union seemed to command fortune; for in a few years they raised themselves to the highest offices in Sujah's court and army; Hodgee Hamed becoming his prime minister, and Allaverdy the general of his troops. ”

“ Two or three however ventured, and got to the vessels before sun-set. Their appearance and the dreadful tale they had to tell were the severest of reproaches to those on board, who, intent only on their own preservation, had made no efforts to facilitate the escape of the rest of the garrison: never perhaps was such an opportunity of performing an heroic action so ignominiously neglected: for a single sloop, with fifteen brave men on board, might, in spite of all the efforts of the enemy, have come up, and, anchoring under the fort, have carried away all who suffered in the dungeon. ”

“ The town of Pondicherry beheld the storm and its effects as a deliverance sent from heaven. The sun rose clear, and shewed the havock spread around. It was proposed by some to march out immediately, and attack the English army; but this operation was impracticable; because no artillery could move through the inundation nor could the troops carry their own ammunition dry; otherwise three hundred men, properly armed, would not, for three hours after day-light, have met with 100 together in a condition to resist them. ”

“ The commerce of Bengal more especially became the object of their attention: the subordinate factories of Cossimbuzar, Dacca, and Ballasore, which had been abandoned, were now resettled: the exports and imports were doubled in value and in quantity; and the garrison of Calcutta was augmented to 300 men: all which the government of Bengal, contrary to its usual maxims, beheld without repugnance, and even without demanding money as the price of its forbearance and favour. ”

“ In some, which with care would rear the cocoanut, the eastern palms prevail, a few of which, rising to their full growth, spread their seeds with the wind, which in a succession of time cover the whole extent with plants, that strangling one another by their multitude, remain stunted, and create the stubbornest of thickets. ”

“ Lally, putting himself at the head of the European cavalry on the right, set off with them, and taking a large sweep on the plain, came down, intending to fall upon the horse of the English army, which made their third line. The black horse, who were nine-tenths of this body, pretended to wheel, in order to meet the enemy's, but purposely confused themselves so much, that some went off immediately, which gave a pretext to the rest to follow them, and the 80 Europeans were left alone, who faced and drew up properly to receive the charge, relying on better assistance. ”

“ Mr. Lally received information, that the detachment had been paraded, and suspected the service for which it had been intended. Such a proof of the opinion which the English army entertained of their own superiority, convinced him that it would soon be followed by some real blow of equal detriment, if they were not immediately convinced, that his own was capable of more than acting on the defensive. He resolved to attack their camp by surprize on the night of the 4th, and his dispositions were made with much skill and sagacity. ”

“ It is so rare in the manners of Indostan that any indecorum of words or gesture passes amongst equals, and still more from an inferior, that the officers present in the durbar formed sinister conjectures of these animosities amongst the brothers; and although the few, who reason before they believe, imputed the musket-ball to chance, and the confession of the man to subornation, yet the troops even in Salabadjing's camp were persuaded that he had been employed, if not by Shanavaze Khan, at least by Hyder Jung. ”

“ The next day he renewed his march in open day, in full sight of the enemy, who soon broke and dispersed his infantry, but were not able to make impression on his cavalry. The Pitans were commanded by an officer named Mustapha Khan, whom they not only revered as their hereditary chief, but loved as the bravest soldier amongst them: Allaverdy himself, his nephew Zaindee Hamed, Meer Jaffier his brother-in-law, and all the other officers of distinction, continually presented themselves against the most dangerous onsets; and such examples could not fail to animate their followers. ”

“ From this place all the Mysore cavalry, now 1500, set off for Pondicherry, driving a multitude of cattle, but unaccompanied by any troops on foot, even their own, that, if interrupted, the horse might be free to force their way, or retire. The rule of these countries had so often been shifted to and fro by the fortune of war, and they had suffered so much, as well from the ravages of hostility, as the concussions of unsettled government, that they regarded both the English and French at least as tyrants, when not enemies ”

“ But at this time, when the English settlements seemed on the point of emerging from continued difficulties to a state of prosperity, the erection of a new East India company, in opposition to the old, renewed all their former evils. The new company established their factory at Hughley, and the competition between the respective agents was carried on with the same animosity as exasperated their principals in England, which exposed the concerns of both to the impositions of the Nabob, and of the merchants of Bengal, who took every advantage of this rivality. ”

“ Colonel Coote, in answer to Mr. Lally's memorial, said, that "the particulars of the capture of Chandernagore were before his Britannic Majesty, which precluded any discussion on this subject, neither had it any relation to the surrender of Pondicherry." "That the dispute concerning the cartel remaining undecided, precluded his consent that the troops in Pondicherry should be deemed prisoners on the terms of that cartel; but that they must surrender prisoners of war, to be treated at his discretion, which should not be deficient in humanity." ”

“ The husbandman would be dishonoured by employing his mattock excepting in the field he is to sow; and even lower races have their distinctions, insomuch that the cooley, who carries a burden on his head, will not carry it on his shoulder: distinctions likewise prevail amongst the soldiery, for the man who rides, will not cut the grass that is to feed his horse; nor at this time would the Sepoy dig the trench which was to protect him from a cannon-ball: hence the numerous train of followers and attendants which always accompanies a camp in India. ”

“ As soon as the massacre was finished, a signal was thrown out, on which the army of Bengal advanced against the Morattoe camp, and were joined in the way by Allaverdy, and his officers from the tent, who led them to the attack. The Morattoes fled on every side in confusion; but reassembled again to the westward, and renewed the war with redoubled devastations and barbarity.
Practice and encouragement at length brought the Nabob's cavalry to fight the enemy in their own way, and every day produced a combat or skirmish in some part or other of the country. ”

“ The harvest ripening in the beginning of November, Murzafabeg took post with 300 Sepoys levied by himself, and other force, in the fort of Trivatore, which, standing midway between Outramalore and Arcot, was the most central situation to protect the districts under his own management: the fort being strong enough to resist a sudden assault, parties detached from it frequently beat away those of the enemy, sent to levy money from the villages for the redemption of their grain in the field, until the enemy invested the fort with 800 Sepoys, joined by some Europeans, with three field-pieces. ”

“ Still the garrison had nothing to fear; for the Sepoys had a ditch to pass, and a very imperfect breach to mount: but the commanding officer held out a flag of truce, and opened the gates to a detachment of Europeans, who hastened up on the first sight of the flag. They immediately raised the English colours on the rampart, and turned the guns against the French and Mysoreans, who were advanced along the river-side within the random reach of cannon-shot. The change was received with the curses of every man in the French army. ”

“ Nothing, it was reasoned, if all advantages are taken, can save Pondicherry, excepting the arrival of their squadron in force sufficient to cope with the English; or the lucky introduction of troops and money by divisions of their ships, if the whole do not venture: whatsoever is gained in the mean time will require so much effort to recover, should the enemy be reinforced; and if they are not, will be so much accomplished towards the ultimate object. The enterprizing sagacity of Colonel Coote lost no time in discovering and taking every advantage. ”

“ But sufferings which the hardiest cannot resist ensued: for the lower part of Bengal, between the two arms of the Ganges, is the most unhealthy country in the world; and many died of a malignant fever, which infected all the vessels.
But, instead of alleviating their distresses by that spirit of mutual good-will, which is supposed to prevail amongst companions in misery, every one turned his mind to invidious discussions of the causes which had produced their misfortunes; although all seemed to expect a day when they should be restored to Calcutta. ”

“ The French cavalry were advancing before their infantry; and it was the intention of Calliaud, that his own should wait until they came in a line with the flank fire of the field-pieces at the swamy-house: but when they were within 1000 yards, where the ground began to take an ascent towards the garden walls, although scarcely perceptible in a less space, the whole body of the black cavalry with Calliaud set off scampering, shouting, and flourishing their sabres. The French cavalry came on to meet them at a round trot ”

“ Suffraze Khan now assembled his troops, and ordered them to rendezvous on the plain of gheria, which lies on the west side of the river of Cossimbuzar, about five miles to the north of Muxadavad. Here he had scarcely formed his encampment, which consisted of 30,000 men, horse and foot, when Allaverdy appeared in sight, with an equal number, but of better troops; for amongst his cavalry were 3000 Pitans, the bravest of the Mahomedans in Indostan; and his infantry, levied in Behar, were much stouter than those in the army of Suffraze Khan, who were mostly natives of Bengal. ”

“ A few months after his arrival at Catteck, two brothers, natives of Tartary, came to his court with strong recommendations from Delhi, in compliance with which Sujah received them into his service: appointing the elder, Hodgee Hamed, to attend his person as a domestic, and the other, Allaverdy, to command a troop of horse. They were both employed according to their talents. For the elder was calm, supple, wily, provident, but void of natural courage: the younger, stern, active, intrepid, sagacious, but too high-minded to submit to the compliances necessary in an Asiatic court. ”

“ The spot chosen to be attacked was the first tower on the left hand of the western gateway, being the only part where the fausse-bray was clear of the thick thorny bushes, which had not injudiciously been suffered to over-run it in every other; but the garrison, trusting to this defence, had entirely neglected the ditch, which, by continual drifts after rain, was almost choked up to the level of the plain. The party allotted to the attack were 100 Europeans, and 200 Sepoys; the rest of the troops remained in the watercourse, ready to support the event. ”

“ Who should command the land forces? What should be the extent of his authority in military operations, and in negotiations with the Nabob? In what dependance or relation he ought to stand to the late governor and council of Calcutta? How far their authority as a presidency ought to be maintained or impaired? ”

“ Bussy should march with a detachment to join Bassaulut Jung, and conclude the negotiation, when the French squadron sailed away from Pondicherry, where news arrived the same day of the action at Vandiwash, on which Mr. Lally, as a complete victory, fired a hundred guns round the ramparts of Pondicherry, and wrote magnificent accounts of the success to every man of consequence within or near the province. ”

“ The fieldpieces were, one a twelve, the other a six-pounder, both of brass; and Captain Robert Barker, although he commanded the whole of the Company's artillery, had come up with, and now served them himself: the effect answered the good-will and dexterity; the fire was directed amongst the Morattoes; and every shot was seen to overset men and horses, which stopped their career, but not before they were within reach of the musketry of the Sepoys; and some of them on the wings had even rode in amongst the outward of the English cavalry during their evolution ”

“ The only attempt made by the French troops, after the retreat of their army into Pondicherry, was against Palamcotah near the Coleroon, which they invested, in the beginning of December, with 100 Europeans, some field-pieces, and 500 Sepoys, from the garrison of Chilambarum, but, having no battering cannon, they were only able to get possession of the pettah, from whence they collected the revenues of the lands dependant on the fort, which, as we have said in a former part of our narrative, were an appanage of the Nabob of Cudapah, and were commanded by one of his near relations. ”

“ The assailants admired, for no Europeans had ever seen such excess of courage in the natives of Indostan, and continually offered quarter, which was always answered by the menace and intention of death: not a man had gained the rampart at two o'clock in the afternoon, when another cessation of the attack ensued; on which Rangarao assembled the principal men, told them there was no hopes of maintaining the fort, and that it was immediately necessary to preserve their wives and children from the violation of Europeans, Europeans, and the more ignominious authority of Vizeramrauze. ”