Chap. V.] THE SIEGE OF ARCOT. 461
on hearing this report lost all heart, and under the combined influence of super- a.d. 1751. stition and cowardice, abandoned the place a few hours before the detachment arrived. The city being without walls or defences was immediately entered, and Clive and his 500 men, marching in triumph under the gaze of 100,000 specta- tors, took possession of the fort. It was inhabited by 3000 or 4000 persons, who were permitted to remain, and contained goods which had been deposited in it for security to the value of £50,000. The goods were judiciously and generously restored to the owners without ransom ; the artillery, consisting of eight pieces of cannon, from four to eight pounders, and a large (quantity of lead and gun- powder, were all that remained to the captors.
Clive anticipating a siege made it his first business to provide the necessary ciive pur- stores, and then, m order to strike new terror into the garrison, set out in quest garriaon of of them with the greatest part of his men and four field- pieces. They were ^^ ' found about six miles to the south-west, near the fort of Timery, but though drawn up as if they meant to make a stand, they only continued firing a single field-piece, managed by two or three Europeans, and made off" for the hills before they could be brought within musket-shot. Two days after Clive again marched out of the fort, and, as before, found the enemy, now increased to 2000, within gun- shot of Timery. They were posted in a grove inclosed by a ditch and a bank, and having about fifty yards in front a large tank almost choked up and dry, with a bank much higher than that of the grove. As the detachment advanced, the enemy fired smai-tly from two field-pieces, and killed three Europeans. On this the detachment advanced rapidly, and the enemy, leaving the gi'ove, hurried into the tank, where they were so well sheltered, that they inflicted some loss with- out sustaining any. Clive removed his troops behind some buildings, and sent out two platoons to attack two sides of the tank. Both gained the banks, and at the same instant let fly a double volley among the crowds within. They made no attempt to retm-n, and fled, while Clive gained possession of the pettah or village under the walls of the fort. This he immediately summoned to sur- render, but the garrison, discovering that he had no battering cannon, refu.sed, and he had no alternative but to retreat, the enemy's cavalry hovering around him at a siife distance till he reached Arcot.
The next ten days were employed on necessary works within the fort ; and Prepamtion« the enemy, increased to 3000 men, acquired new courage and began to talk of fence of besieging. Tliey were allowed to lull themselves into security, and on the 14th "*"**■ of September, two hours after midnight, were surprised in their sleep. Clive, with the gi-eater part of his troop.s, beat up their camp from end to end without the I0.SS of a man, while they fled on all sides with slu'ieks and confusion. When day broke, not a man of them was to be seen.
Two eighteen- poimders with some military stores had been asked from The siege. Matlras, and were on the way escorted only by a few sepoys. In hope of intercepting them, a large detachment of the enemy occupied the pagoda of
