Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/711

Book XIII the revenues of the country reduced exceeded 300,000 rupees a year, the devastation of the auxiliary horse and foot which could not be restrained, left no contributions to raise. Captain Smith, therefore, returned with a part of his command to Tritchinopoly, and on the way sent off a detachment to reinstate two polygars, who had been driven out of their pollams by the troops of Dindigul, from whom the detachment met no resistance, as the governor of Dindigul had received orders, in consequence of the capitulation of Caroor, to cease hostilities against the possessions of the Nabob. By this time the troops of Madura had taken five other forts between Batal Gunta and Dindigul, in all seven, and continued to keep possession of them until farther orders, encamping their main body at Batal Gunta, and keeping slight guards in the others. Captain Smith arrived in the beginning of October at Madrass, to give an account of his expedition, and the state of the conquered country; and soon after returned to his command in Tritchinopoly. As soon as it was ascertained that the Mysoreans had quitted the province, Colonel Coote, to save the heavy expence of the black cavalry, discharged 500 of them, mostly those brought by Maphuze Khan, which reduced the number to 800, of which 500 were with Preston, and the rest with himself in the camp. A party, with some bullocks, advancing from Gingee, arrived on the 2d of October at Malamoodi, a village twelve miles from Pondicherry between the river of Ariancopang and the Panar, intending to push into the town in the night under the protection of St. Thomas redoubt On intelligence of their approach, Colonel Coote detached all the cavalry in the camp, which, besides the black, were one of the two troops of Europeans, to lie in their way: of which the party got intelligence, and, leaving their bullocks, returned during the night, and in their return three officers, who lagged behind in their palankins, were taken by some black horse and Sepoys, which Captain Preston had detached to harass the party from Ratalgrammon. The army had hitherto continued on the ground between Oulgarry and the river of Ariancopang, where they had encamped immediately after the success of the bound-hedge. This ground is always