Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/264

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236
FOREIGN ADVENTURERS IN INDIA.

himself two years later. An old and respectable Frenchman, Colonel Saleur, then obtained the command. Under him the brigade increased to six battalions and fought at Assaye, losing there its four guns and many men. The Bígam herself lived till 1836.

Madoc had been a common soldier in the French army. The capture of Chándarnagar in 1767 threw him loose on the country. After some adventures totally unworthy of being recorded, he joined Sombre's brigade, and served under his orders at the several battles in which he was engaged under Mír Kásim. With him he transferred his services in 1764 to the Vizier of Oudh, and obtained at once the command of a separate brigade. At the battle of Baksar he rendered good service. His character was the very opposite of that of Sombre. He was rash, enterprising, and even imprudent. In 1765 he transferred his brigade, which consisted of five battalions, twenty guns, and 500 horse, to the Játs. Subsequently and as it suited his purpose, he took service alternately with them, with Mirza Najaf Khan, and with the Ráná of Góhad. In 1776, whilst in alliance with the first-named, he was attacked and his party almost destroyed at Biána by 1500 Rohillas, who surprised him during a storm of rain. On this occasion he lost twelve European officers killed and wounded, all his guns and baggage, and fled, but scantily attended, to Futtehpúr. Thence, however, he made his way to Agra, and succeeded in raising, in an incredibly short space of time, a force as strong in numbers, and