Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/654

630 in Karical. Captain Joseph Smith, with the rest of his command from Tritchinopoly, of which 30 were artillery-men, remained, as did half the marines from the squadron; the other half, with all the battering artillery, were re-embarked. The Nabob with his troops, likewise accompanied Major Monson. They moved on the 10th of April, and continued by the road along the sea-shore, until they came to the mouths of the Coleroon near Devicotah, when they struck to the west, and passed the river in its single channel opposite to the pagoda of Chilambarum. At the passage, they were joined by Kistnarow, with his party of horse, who a few days before had intercepted two companies of Sepoys, escorting three tumbrils of ammunition to Chilambarum, which he took, having killed and dispersed all the Sepoys, and gathered up their arms. Major Monson summoned this place on the 19th; and on refusal, two eighteen-pounders were disembarked from the squadron, which was at anchor off the bar of Devicotah. There were brought on catamarans up the Coleroon, and joined the camp the next day. The slender walls of the pagoda would not have resisted a single shot, and, although the French had projected redoubts at the four angles, and one in the middle of the north, and another of the south wall; these works had only been carried up a little way in earth, and could only serve for cannon fired in barbette: scaffoldings had been erected for musketry, and there was a gun in each of the towers at the angles. In the twilight of the evening, the garrison perceived the artillery-men of the camp bringing fascines to the spot where the battery was intended, and mistook the fascines for scaling-ladders; on which the officers held a consultation, which did not resolve until midnight; when the camp, to their great surprize, saw a number of torches held out together upon the wall, and discovered amongst them a white flag, which the torches were illuminating. The signal of surrender was accepted; some troops advanced to the gate, and were admitted on the promise of good treatment to the garrison; which consisted of eight officers, and 40 other Europeans. The next day, the marines were sent to Devicotah, to be re-embarked on the squadron; and Kistnarow, with his horse, was detached to