Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/52

44 provinces, sold his stores of grain; of which they no sooner received intelligence than they set out from their camp at Sevegunga, and by very expeditious marches appeared in sight of Tritchinopoly before he could remedy the distress to which he had so unwarily reduced it.

They invested the city closely, and were attentive to prevent the introduction of any supplies or reinforcements; nevertheless the brothers of Chunda-saheb attempted to relieve it. Buda-saheb advanced from Madura with a large convoy of provisions, escorted by 3,000 horse and 7,000 foot: the Morattoes detached 20,000 men to intercept this reinforcement, which defended itself with bravery until Buda-saheb fell, when the death of the leader was followed by a general rout, as it always happens in the battles of Indostan: they cut off Buda-saheb's head, and sent it to Chunda-saheb as a confirmation of his brother's defeat. Another detachment attacked Saduck-saheb, approaching from Dindigul with 1,500 horse and 3,000 foot, who were likewise defeated after a sharp fight, which ended with the death of Saduek-saheb.

Chunda-saheb, notwithstanding these misfortunes, continued to defend the city with great resolution, and protracted the siege until the greatest part of his provisions was consumed, and a considerable number of his men, with some of his best officers, killed; the dread of famine had also caused many to desert: those remaining, worn out with fatigues, called upon him with one voice to surrender. He delivered up the city and himself on the 26th of March, 1741, after having sustained a siege of three months. The Morattoes placed him, with his son, and several principal officers, under the strictest confinement, intending to be well paid for the ransom of their persons. After some time spent in draining Tritchinopoly of all they could find valuable in it, they appointed Morari-row, one of their generals, viceroy of the kingdom, and leaving 14,000 of their best troops under his command, returned to their own country, where they confined their prisoners in a strong fort in the neighbourhood of Sattarah their metropolis. The Morattoes, by the possession of Tritchinopoly, were now become of enemies, allies to Subder-ally; and the imprisonment of Chunda-saheb at such a distance from the Carnatic, removed the