manders; and justly was it said by Major Lawrence[1] that he was "born a soldier." He was admirably seconded by his troops, both European and native; and an instance of self-denial on the part of the latter redounds greatly to their honour. When provisions became scarce, and there was ground for apprehending that famine, would compel a surrender, the Sepoys proposed that their diet should be restricted to their gruel in which the rice was boiled, and that the whole of the grain should be given to the Europeans, as they required more nourishment.
On the evening of the same day a detachment arrived from Madras; and Clive, leaving a garrison in the fort, took the field on the 19th of November, with two hundred Europeans, seven hundred Sepoys, and three field-pieces. Intelligence being received of the approach of an European party from Pondicherry, Clive, being reinforced by a small body of Mahrattas, by a forced march of twenty miles came in sight of the enemy's troops, and, notwithstanding a great disparity of numbers, defeated them, by which he and his allies gained a considerable booty. He next attacked the great Pagoda of Conjeveram, where the French maintained a considerable garrison, which enabled them to interrupt the communication between Arcot and Madras. On receiving some heavy guns from Madras, Clive opened a fire on the walls of the pagoda, and breached them in three days; upon which, the French abandoned the place in the night preceding the assault, and the British marched in without opposition.
Meanwhile, Chunda Sahib and his French allies were labouring for the reduction of Trichinopoly; but their works were constructed without skill, and their labour and ammunition expended with little effect. Mahomed Ali, whose troops were inferior in number to those of his opponent, applied for assistance to the Court of Mysore, and received it; upon which, the Rajah of Tanjore also
- ↑ Narrative of the War on the Coromandel Coast.
