Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/648

624 produced less than 30,000 pagodas a year, sufficient for the expence of the garrison. As the fort was too small, all the European inhabitants had their houses in the pettah, which were well built, as were many of those belonging to the natives, and room was left and marked for more to both. The Nabob derived no advantage by this success, beyond the detriment it occasioned to his enemies; for a member of the council of Madrass had been sent in the squadron, to negotiate with Tanjore for the redemption of the districts.

The absence of Colonel Coote and Major Monson had left the main army to the command of Major Robert Gordon, who moved with it from Alamparvah on the 28th of March, and on the 1st of April encamped at Killenore, from whence he sent forward a detachment of observation, to take post at Manoor, within five miles of Valdore. The sweep of country to the westward of Killenore as far as Villaporum, which lies 20 miles due west of Pondicherry, abounds in cattle, and is as fertile as any part of the Carnatic, and remained at this time, as the French territory became every day more circumscribed, their last resource for provisions. All the countries, which had been reduced to the south of Chittapett and Vandivash as far as Permacoil, had been let by the Presidency of Madrass to a Malabar, named Ramalinga, who accompanied the army ready to rent more, and kept several companies of irregular Sepoys with him, to place as guards in new districts, as reduced. By his advice, Major Gordon resolved to send a detachment against Villaporum. The distance was 35 miles, and the way lay between the garrison of Gingee on one hand, and of Valdore on the other. The detachment consisted of 200 black horse, and five companies of Sepoys, under the command of Captain Wood, and the renter accompanied with his people. They marched from Kiilenore on the 3d of April, a little after sun-set, and passing through Vicravandi, Captain Wood, with the horse, arrived before Villaporum at ten the next morning, but the Sepoys did not come up until two in the afternoon. The best intelligence that could be obtained, reported, that there were 300 Sepoys and 400 horse in the place; and at six, as soon as the Sepoys were refreshed, Wood led them to the attack, which could