Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/412

388 had proceeded along the south side of the St. Thomé river, in order to attack a redoubt situated on the side of it near the sea. The guard was only one company of Sepoys, who, getting intelligence in time, retreated along the beach and arrived safe in the garrison. As soon as Colonel Lawrence came into the fort, the council of the Presidency assembled, and by an unanimous vote committed the defence of the siege to the governor Mr. Pigot, recommending to him to consult Colonel Lawrence on all occasions, and on extraordinary emergencies to assemble a council of the superior officers of the garrison. The French army immediately encamped on the ground which the English had quitted, but sent a detachment across the Triplicane river, which took post in the redoubt at Egmore. As the French army were advancing from the Mount, 300 Europeans, with two twelve-pounders, had been sent off under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Murphy, against Pondamallee. They arrived at noon, and Murphy summoned Ensign Crowley, with threats, as resisting in an untenable post, although the fort was of stone, and surrounded by a wet ditch. On Crowley's refusal, the twelve-pounders were employed until night, when 20 of the French detachment had been killed or wounded, and little damage had been done to the wall; but the Sepoys within, expecting neither succour nor quarter, began to waver; on which, Crowley marched with them out of the fort in deep silence at midnight, and passing where he was apprized the enemy kept slight watch, got out of reach before they were ready to pursue; and, knowing the country, came in the next morning by the north of the black town. The number was 500, in five companies, of which three were the garrison of Pondamalee, and two had retreated hither from the fort of Tripassore.

Their arrival brought in the last of the troops, stationed in distant out-posts, and completed the force with which Madrass was to sustain the siege. The roll of the European military, including the officers with 64 topasses, and 89 coffrees incorporated in the companies