Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/197

Book III. by which ensign Glass was getting into the fort, broke, and he was by the fall rendered incapable of farther duty; so that, at the beginning of the siege, the garrison was deprived of the service of four of the eight officers who set out on the expedition; for one was killed, two wounded, and another returned to Madrass; and the troops fit for duty were diminished to 120 Europeans and 200 Sepoys: these were besieged by 150 Europeans, 2000 Sepoys, 3000 cavalry, and 5000 Peons.

The store of provision in the fort was only sufficient to supply the garrison sixty days, which rendered it necessary to send away all the inhabitants, excepting a few artificers, and the enemy permitted them to pass through their guards without molestation: amongst those who remained was a mason, who had for many years been employed in the fort; he gave information that there was an aqueduct under ground, known to very few, but which, if discovered by the enemy, would enable them to drain the only reservoir of water in the fort: the man was rewarded for this seasonable intelligence, and employed to prevent the mischief, by choaking up a part of the aqueduct within the walls. For 14 days, the enemy, not yet furnished with battering cannon, carried on the siege by firing from the houses with musketry; and a bombardment from four mortars. The bombardment did little damage, and to avoid the effect of the musketry, none of the garrison were suffered to appear on the ramparts, excepting the few immediately necessary to prevent a surprize: but notwithstanding this precaution, several were killed, and more wounded: for the enemy, secure in the houses, and firing from resting places, took such excellent aim, that they often hit a man when nothing but his head appeared above the parapet; and in this manner three Serjeants were killed, who at different times singly accompanied captain Clive in visiting the works. Mortiz-ally, a few days after his arrival, pretended to be dissatisfied with Raja-saheb, and removed his troops to a different part of the city, from whence he sent a messenger, inviting the garrison to make a sally on the quarters of Raja-saheb, in which he offered to assist them with his whole force. Captain Clive mistrusted his professions, but considering the advantage of keeping such a number of the enemy's troops inactive, pretended to approve