Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/502

 468 HISTORY OF INDIA. [Book ITI.

A.u. 17.11. give battle. Clive on liis part did not decline it, and awaited the attsick in an advantageous position — the Mahrattas occupying a grove of palm trees on the left, the sepoys a village on the right, and the Europeans an open ground in the ciive'8 centre between the two. In front were swampy rice fields, with a cau.seway Aiiiee. leading through them to the village. The French, with about 1 500 of theii- sepoys and their artillery, advanced along the causeway, while the horse, with the remaining sepoys interspersed with them, moved forward on the grove. Here a spirited action commenced, and the Mahrattas displayed much gallantry, making five successive charges, though only to be repulsed. The division advancing along the causeway were more successfully opposed, and were so galled and enfiladed by the English field-pieces that all but the artillerymen with the cannon quitted the causeway and made for the rice fields. Their position was not thereby improved, and a general alarm spreading over their whole ranks they commenced a retreat. Clive followed close in pursuit, but night coming on they made their escape with comparatively little loss, crossed tlie river and entered Arnee. So much, however, were they dispirited that they did not venture to remain, and quitted it in disorder, followed by the Mahrattas, who, now entirely in their element, overtook them, and captured Rajah Sahib's military chest, containing 100,000 nipees. In consequence of this defeat, many of the enemy's sepoys deserted and offered their serdces to Clive, who enlisted 600 of those who were best armed. He captures DuHng the sicge of Arcot, the French, by occupying Conjeveram, had inter- rupted the communication with Madras, and captured a party of disabled men who were proceeding thither. Some of them they are said to have atrociously murdered in their litters, but Lieutenant Revel and Ensign Glass, ah'eady men- tioned, obtained quarter, and were living as prisoners in Conjeveram when Clive appeared before it and summoned it to surrender. The French comman- der so far forgot himself as to threaten that, if he were attacked, he would expose these English officers on the walls. Clive paid no regard to this unworthy menace ; and on receiving two eighteen-poiuiders from Madras, began to batter in breach at the distance of 200 yards. On this occasion he made another of those remarkable hairbreadth escapes, of which we have already seen several instances, an officer who accompanied him while i-econnoitring being shot dead by his side. The breach would soon have been rendered practicable, but the French commander, dreading the resentment which he knew he must have provoked, did not venture to stand an assault, and abandoned the place in the night, leaving his two prisoners behind. After ruining the defences of Conjeve- ram, Clive sent 200 Eviropeans and 500 sepoys to Arcot, and returned with the rest to tlie presidency, to give an account of his triumphant campaign. stratagem of Rajah Saliib's scattered troops, seeing the field again clear by the departure torarpHse ^^^ ^.lie British, re-assembled, and moving down toward the coast, ravaged part Arcot. ^-^^ ^1^^ Company's territory around Madras and in the vicinit}' of St. Thom^.