Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/559

Book XI there had been a strong force in the French fort of Karical. With this reinforcement the garrison had 250 estimated Europeans, most of whom were invalids, deserters, or Topasses, and 3000 Sepoys; and the Nabob still maintained his 1000 horse, which had afforded parties sufficient to secure the revenues of the districts of Tritchinopoly south of the Coleroon, of Seringham on the other side, and even farther on to Volcondah, before the detachment with Fumel had extended the authority of the Frengh government as far as Utatoor. The intermediate villages, of which the French had lately taken possession, had remained for many months before unmolested, and were flourishing; and, as soon as it was known that Fumel was returning from Volcondah to Pondicherry, Captain Joseph Smith detached Captain Richard Smith, with 180 Europeans, four guns, 800 Sepoys, and 500 of the Nabob's horse, to recover the country that had been lost. They marched on the 18th of September; but had only crossed the Coleroon, when news of the arrival of the French squadron at Pondicherry alarmed the Nabob so much, that to quiet his apprehensions, all the Europeans, with 600 of the Sepoys, were recalled into the city; but the horse, with the other 200 Sepoys, went on to Utatoor. Colonel Brereton, when determined to march against the French at Vandiwash, had enjoined Joseph Smith to undertake some enterprize which might draw off a part of their force from their stations towards the Paliar, and oblige them to detain to the southward, what might he at this time in those quarters; his letters arrived on the 6th of October. J. Smith had for some time meditated an attempt to retake Devi Cotah by surprize, to give the squadron a certain, station, from which they might be supplied with water and provisions, without begging leave, as it were, of the Danes and Dutch. The opportunity was at this time probable; for, confiding in the remoteness of its situation from any of the English stations, and wanting troops in other parts, Mr. Lally had reduced the garrison to 30 Europeans and 100 Sepoys; and the Coleroon, which disembogueth into the sea near Devi Cotah, was at this time full and rapid. On the night of the 9th, Captain Richard Smith, with 140 Europeans and Topasses, 300 Sepoys, two petards, and some scaling ladders,