Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/527

Book XI nevertheless, with the 80 Sepoys, and his peons and matchlocks, in all not exceeding 500 men, ventured to attack the enemy in possession of the pagoda, and was repulsed with loss, but the blood shed in the attack did not unsanctify the pagoda.

In the latter part of June, three of the usual ships arrived from England, with 200 recruits, sent by the Company; and brought intelligence, that the 84th regiment of 1000 men, in the king's service, were coming in other Ships, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Coote, the same officer whom we have seen serving in Bengal with the rank of Major; he was appointed to the command of the Company's troops in Bengal; but with permission to stop and serve with his regiment, if more necessary, on the coast of Coromandel. The satisfaction arising from this intelligence was in some measure impaired by a resolution of the Court of directors; who, dazzled by the wealth acquired in Bengal from the revolution of Plassy, and by representations of its sufficiency to supply their other presidencies, had determined to send no more treasure to any of them until the year 1760; but for every reason this intelligence was kept within the council.

At this time likewise, 200 English prisoners were received from Pondicherry, in exchange for the same number of French released at Tritchinopoly; but more than one half of the English were seamen, taken in the frigates stranded at St. David's, and other vessels; who were immediately sent away to the squadron, which was cruizing to the southward. However, these additions to the army enabled the Presidency to extend their attention to objects they had been obliged to neglect, in order to make head in the adjacencies of Madrass: and 90 Europeans, of whom 20 were invalids, and the others not the best men, were sent to Tritchinopoly, proceeding by sea to Negapatam, and from thence through the country of Tanjore. Three companies of Sepoys had been sent to bring away as many of the French prisoners as they could guard from Masulipatam. As the sea was adverse, they marched by land, and were joined on the road by 100 horse of Nazeabulla's, from Nelore. They arrived at