Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/656

 622

lIl.ST(Jlt^' Ol INJJlA,

[Book II :

A.D. 17.W.

blunder.

¥AKJ)I¥ASH

N 1759

The Madras [)resi(lency were no sooner made aware how LalJy had vohiiiUirily weakened himself than they resolved to lose no time in commencing the «im- pai<^n. This they were able to do under the most favourable auspices. Colonel Ooote profitB (Joote, with the remainder of his rej'iment, had anived at Madras on the 27th of October, and, in the exercise of the discretionary power with which he had been intrusted, decided to remain in the Canaatic. On the 21st of Novembei- he set out for Conjeveram, where the larger pait of the troops of the presidency were in cantonment ; and, immediately after assuming the command, assembled a council of war, at which it was decided that, in the di ded state of Lally's forces, an attempt should be made to capture Wandiwash. To conceal this intention, and leave the enemy in doubt as to the place on which the blow was about to fall, Coote sent Captain Preston M-ith a detachment to remain at Chin- gleput, and Major Brereton with another to attack Trivatore, while he himself moved with the mam body on Arcot. He exjjected to find the enemy encamped there, and learned with surprise that they had removed to Chittapet. His

future coui-se had not been detemiined, when an express arrived from Major Brereton with the gratif3'ing intelli- gence that, besides taking Tri- vatore, he had mai'ched on Wandiwash, and made him- self master of its suburbs. Coote at once determined to follow up this succe.ss by a forced march. On an'idn<; he found that Brereton had al- most completed a battery for two eighteen-pounders, erected so as to bear on the south-west angle of the fort. In the course of the night another batter}- to bear on the same angle was commenced. On the following day, the 29th of November, both batteries opened their fire, and before noon had made a practicable breach. The fort was commanded by a native officer, who had 500 horsemen and foot under him, but he had accepted the assistance of a body of French troops, consisting of 68 Europeans and 100 sepoys. When the garrison was summoned to surrender, two answers were retunied — one by the French officer, who declared his determination to hold out to the last, and the other by the native governor or killedar, who sent to ask what teims would be given him. Coote promised to continue liim as a dependant of the Company in the government of the fort and the rent of the districts, but required an answer by a specified hour. Shortly after the expiry of the time, the French appeared on the wall and called out that they were ready to surrender This change of mir.d on their part was doubtless produced by the known intention of the

Captiu'e of ■Wandiwash.