Meanwhile Colonel Wood had been ordered to march from Trichinopoli to Trinomalai, where the Arcot Nawáb had assured the Madras Government that ample supplies would be provided. In point of fact hardly anything was procurable there, and the place itself was indefensible. Colonel Smith, after his first encounter with Haidar, proceeded to Trinomalai to furnish himself with ammunition, and effected a junction with Colonel Wood, their united armies comprising 1,030 cavalry, 5,800 infantry, and 16 guns. Haidar and the Nizám now advanced to attack the British troops, taking up a position about six miles from Trinomalai, where Haidar constructed a large redoubt. On Sept. 26, 1767, a hardly-fought contest ensued, which, in spite of their inferior numbers and the desperate charges made by the Mysore cavalry, resulted in a complete victory for the English, the allies losing more than 1,200 killed and 37 guns, while the loss on our side was inconsiderable.
On the cessation of the rainy season, Haidar recaptured Tirupatúr and Vaniambádi, and besieged the strong fort of Ambúr in the Báramaháls, but was gallantly resisted by Captain Calvert, who held out till relieved by a British force sent from Vellúr (Vellore) under the command of Smith. The English then attacked Haidar at Vaniambádi, which he evacuated. Learning however that a convoy with large supplies was on its way to join the English army, Haidar made a desperate attack upon it at Singara-
