Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/250

244 The news of this success determined the presidency to support the kellidar; they ordered the commandant at Arcot to send a reinforcement of Europeans and Sepoys with a supply of ammunition requested the Nabob to send what horse he had ready, and Armetrow, with his detachment of Morratoes, to join and accompany the reinforcement; and, moreover, promising to bear the expence, solicited Balaventrow to detach a larger body of Morratoes to harass the enemy's posts, and intercept their convoys. But the Nabob's horse seeing no ready money, would not expose themselves; Armetrow was gone to pay his devotions at Tripetti; and Balaventrow, with the main body of his army had left Cadapanatam, and was advanced several marches towards Viziapore. In this interval the French troops which had been kept back at Valdore, arrived before Chittapett, and with the former force were sufficient to invest it on all sides, and prevent the introduction of any succours.

By the 13th, the breach was practicable, when the French summoned the kellidar, who answered, that he waited the assault. In the ensuing night a party, in which were the grenadiers of Lorrain, concealed themselves near the great gateway, where the ditch was fordable, and at dawn of day the main body advanced from the battery to the breach, when the signal was thrown up for the other party to escalade, which succeeded beyond their expectation, meeting few to oppose them; for the greatest part of the garrison were assembled with the kellidar at their head at the breach, which they defended manfully, until he fell dead, shot by two musket balls: at the same instant the escalade had gained the terrace of the gateway, from which they proceeded along the rampart, driving all before them until they came in flank of the breach, where their fire and onset confounded the resistance against the main assault, which a few minutes after gained the rampart likewise, when the conqueror spared neither the prostrate nor the fugitive, excepting the English soldiers, who were nineteen, to whom quarter was offered, which they accepted. None of other the garrison escaped, excepting such as jumped from the walls, and gained the