Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/409

Book V. of Calacad likewise, which were soon after taken possession of by a detachment of 300 horse and 500 foot, sent by Maphuze Khan from Tinivelly. As soon as the English troops retired from before Nellitangaville, and it was known that they were recalled to Tritchinopoly, Moodemiah went to Travancore in order to encourage the king to recover the districts which his troops had abandoned; at the same time the Pulitaver, besides letting loose his Colleries to plunder, formed a camp ready to move and join the Travancores as soon as they should arrive. Maphuze Khan received intelligence of these schemes and preparations, on his return from Nattam and Madura, and immediately proceeded to Tinivelly. Besides the 1000 Sepoys belonging to the Company which were left with him by colonel Heron, he received 600 more, raised and sent to him by the Nabob; but these were in no respect equal to the company's, who had been trained in the campaigns of Tritchinopoly; and Maphuze Khan himself, having no military ideas, excepting that of levying troops, had augmented the force he brought with him from the Carnatic to 2500 horse, and 4000 foot. Five hundred of the horse, and a thousand of the foot, were left to defend the city of Madura and its districts; but the company's Sepoy'S proceeded with him to Tinivelly. Before he arrived there, Moodemiah had returned with 2000 Naires, and the same number of other foot, which the king of Travancore had entrusted to his command. They were joined by the forces of the Pulitaver near Calacad; where the troops stationed by Maphuze Khan in these parts, assembled, gave battle, and were routed: three hundered of the Nabob's Sepoys were in the action, who, to lighten their slight, threw away their muskets, which were collected by the Pulitaver's people, and regarded by them as a very valuable prize. Immediately after this success, the enemy invested the fugitives in the fort of Calacad; but before they could reduce it, the troops of Travancore returned home, pretending they were recalled by the emergency of some disturbances in their own country; however it is more probable, that they retreated from the dread of encountering the army, and more especially, the cavalry of Maphuze Khan, which were approaching. Moodemiah went with them, and the Pulitaver retired to his fort and woods, against which