Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/513

Book XI garrison in all other parts of the fort ceased, and soon after came a message from Colonel Forde, ordering Fischer's division to cease likewise, as Mr. Conflans had surrendered. He had sent a message offering to capitulate on honourable terms; to which Forde answered, that he would give none, but at discretion, nor even this; but would put every man to the sword, if all did not instantly surrender. On the return of the officer, Mr. Conflans sent orders round for the troops to quit their arms, and repair to his quarters at the arsenal, which is a spacious enclosure. As soon as all was quiet, the English troops assembled on the parade, under the bastion of the gate-way; and 100 Europeans, with two guns, and two companies of Sepoys, were detached to remain on guard over the prisoners until the morning; when, whatsoever troops were at the ravelin, and the battery at the inlet, and had not escaped, came into the fort, to become prisoners with the rest of the garrison. The whole number exceeded the assailants, being 500 Europeans; of whom 100 were either officers or inhabitants of better condition, and 2537 either Coffrees, Topasses, or Sepoys. Of the assailants, 22 Europeans were killed, amongst them the Captains Callender and Mollitore, and 62 wounded. Of the Sepoys, who behaved with equal gallantry as the Europeans, as well in the real, as at the false attacks, 50 were killed, and 150 wounded. The Rajah's people likewise suffered more than was expected from them; but nothing in proportion to the English troops. The fort was furnished with 120 pieces of cannon, and abundance of military stores. The plunder of other effects was likewise valuable; and all that was not merchandize was given back to the prisoners; half the rest was divided amongst the English army, and the other half reserved for them according to the promise they had received.

The improbability of the attempt was the principal cause of its success, for the garrison from the beginning had regarded the siege with mockery, and, being in daily expectation of the arrival of a body of troops which were coming by sea from Pondicherry, had concerted, that the army of observation, joined by this reinforcement,