Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/569

Book XI The army, by detachments, entered the pettah, on the 4th of December, and were exposed to some fire from the fort, which killed a grenadier. The attack was confined to the north front, which, besides the two round towers in the angles, had the usual voluminous defences of a gateway, and a square tower on each hand of it; in all five projections. On the 6th the army had finished, and began to fire from a battery of two eighteen-pounders, opposite the square tower next the round one in the angle on the left of this front. One of the guns fired to breach in the angle of the curtain on the left of the square tower, and the other to take off the flanking fire of the round: but the fire of the fort was much superior; for besides several old guns long belonging to the fort, the French had nine excellent pieces well mounted, which they brought to this face; and embrasures not only in the gateway, but in the two towers on the right of it, commanded the battery; to oppose which another battery for two guns was raised on the left of the first, which opened on the 7th in the morning, and the eight-inch howitz was planted in the N. w. part of the pettah, which firing dead shells in ricochet enfiladed in its whole length the rampart of the front attacked. At noon of this day the breach appeared practicable, and Colonel Coote summoned the commandant, Colonel O Kenelly, an Irishman, and an officer of reputation in Lally's regiment, signifying that if he persisted, the garrison would be exposed to the same treatment as had been inflicted on the troops taken by assault at Seringham. O Kenelley answered, that as the letter was not directed in French, he had not opened it; and as soon as the trumpet who brought it had reached the pettah, recommenced the fire. It continued hotly on the 8th and 9th; when Colonel Coote advanced a zig-zag from the breaching battery. On the 10th in the morning, there only remained shot for two hours; and more had been sent for from Chinglapet; but before the batteries ceased, a flag of truce, little expected, appeared on the walls. Time was at this time of more importance than any thing but the disgrace of a repulse, and Coote granted almost all that was asked. The garrison, which consisted of 100 Europeans, including officers, marched out with their arms, two rounds