Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/256

250 and is an open town. The Morratoes, contrary to their usual warfare were as eager for a decisive battle as the Pitans. It was fought on the 24th of September with much fury, and ended with the death of the Nabob of Cudapah; the city fell a prey to the conquerors, who plundered every thing, and found a valuable booty. Balaventrow soon after received, with the request of the presidency, an order from Balajerow, to assist the English, and immediately detached 1000 horse to Arcot; but they did not arrive until Chittapet was taken; and the subsequent motions of the French threatening no forts of importance, which it was in the power of the English force to protect without risquing a general battle, the presidency spared the expence of taking this cavalry into their pay; which however did not join the French, but remained with Armetrow at Arcot until the 5th of December; when he proceeded with them and his former escort to Velore, where they remained qietly until the end of January, waiting the orders of Balaventrow.

The only attempt made by the French troops, after the retreat of their army into Pondicherry, was against Palamcotah near the Coleroon, which they invested, in the beginning of December, with 100 Europeans, some field-pieces, and 500 Sepoys, from the garrison of Chilambarum, but, having no battering cannon, they were only able to get possession of the pettah, from whence they collected the revenues of the lands dependant on the fort, which, as we have said in a former part of our narrative, were an appanage of the Nabob of Cudapah, and were commanded by one of his near relations. The death of the late Nabob did not alter the dependance, and as he had been for some time on friendly terms with the Euglish, 30 Sepoys, with as much ammunition as they could carry, were sent from Fort St. David, and found means to get into the fort. Whilst Mahomed Issoof was waiting the decision of his return from Tritchinopoly to Madura, Hyderally had marched from Dindigul, took the fort of Sholavanden without resistance, and entered the districts of Madura without opposition. He continued several days under the walls of the city; but, finding it much stronger than he expected, contented himself with plundering the country, sending