Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/501

Book XI the situation of the city, and 14 in breadth from north to south. From the beginning of the rains in July, until the end of September, the whole is spread over with water, excepting 60 or 70 small islots, on which the inhabitants remain; but during the rest of the year the whole is dry and passable, and in many places highly cultivated. The army, and for the first time any of the English troops, marched across the lake, and on the 3d of March encamped near a small fort, called Concale, in which the French had left a serjeant with 13 Europeans, and two companies of Sepoys. Captain Maclean, with six companies of Sepoys, were sent to attack and even escalade the fort: the garrison had the day before received assurances from Du Rocher, the commander of the army of observation, that he would arrive to their assistance on the 28th; relying on which, they manned the walls, and seemed resolute to defend themselves. Much firing of musketry passed with much loss to the assailants, who nevertheless twice attempted to break through the wicket of the gate, for want of better implements, with iron crows; but were each time beaten off; on which Captain Macleane sent to the army for a reinforcement of men and two guns; they arrived in the evening, and the guns were immediately applied, and beat open the gates. The detachment rushed in without mercy, and in the first onset killed all they met, who were only Sepoys; for the Europeans hid themselves until the firing and slaughter ceased. A few hours after, a native brought intelligence, that a party of forty Europeans, with some Sepoys, from the army of observation, were arrived within a few miles; on which Captain Macleane marched out to attack them. But they, hearing the fort was taken, had retreated. A small garrison of Sepoys, with a few Europeans, was left to secure the fort from surprize, and the army marched on towards Masulipatam, in sight of which they arrived on the 6th of March; and the same day received advices, that the French army under the command of Mr. Lally, had been obliged to raise the siege of Madrass.