Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/616

592 whence he wrote to Mr. Pigot, that he should at any time hereafter be ready to wait on him with his troops, if they could agree upon the terms.

On the 30th, intelligence was received from Captain Wood, that he had marched with his garrison of Covrepauk to Arcot, and found the Sepoys of Zulphacarjung strongly posted in the streets of the town; he nevertheless attacked them, and after much firing drove them from their stands, with considerable loss on their side, and little on his own. They retreated out of the town, as the garrison in the fort did not want their service. On the 31st, the army, which had moved by two successive divisions, encamped near Arni, where they were rejoined by the detachment sent with Captain Stephen Smith, who had taken the party they had been sent after, which was much less than had been represented, consisting only of 20 Europeans and 50 Sepoys, escorting two brass field-pieces, which Mr. Lally had ordered from Arcot. Captain Smith had likewise picked up three commissaries, who were travelling to Pondicherry in their pallankeens. The next day, which was the first of February, Colonel Coote, with the first division of the army, joined Captain Wood in the town of Arcot, having left the second with Major Monson, to attack Timery, which lies in the road. This fort being very small, although well built, only shells were fired, which before the evening reduced the garrison to surrender: they were one serjeant commanding 20 soldiers, and 60 Sepoys, with five pieces of cannon. The next day Major Monson arrived at Arcot, and all immediately set to work in erecting batteries, for which Captain Wood had prepared the materials, and had nearly finished one on the north face of the fort.

The defences of the fort had been greatly improved since it was defended by Captain Clive, against Rajahsahib, in 1752. The English had contributed most; but the French finished what was intended, but left undone by them, when they abandoned the fort on Mr. Lally's approach to Madrass. The ditch was mostly in the solid rock, and had every where been dug to man height: the faussebray