Page:History of the French in India.djvu/568

 542 THE LAST STRUGGLE FOR EMPIRE. c ^ p - during the first twenty days of the siege were sufficient —v—* to break the spirit of any ordinary man. Very many of 1758. the soldiers, instead of working in the trenches, em- ployed themselves in searching for treasure in the de- serted houses of the Black Town and in making them- selves drunk with the proceeds. Several of the officers, far from checking their men, or doing their duty in the field, were themselves engaged in guarding the contents of the shops which they had appropriated. Multitudes from Pondichery swarmed into the Black Town, many of them forging the general's signature in order to obtain boats wherewith to carry off their plunder. Even the artillery cattle were employed by some officers in conveying furniture and property to Pondichery. It was impossible for Lally alone to put a stop to this state of things. In fact, the paucity of skilled officers rendered it necessary for him to be always in the trenches. Of five engineer officers who had come out with him from France but two remained ; one of these, the senior, was idle and useless ; the other had, under Lally, the charge of the trenches. Of six officers of artillery, three were killed in the first three weeks of the siege ; of the others, two were with the artillery park, and the third was a boy. The superior officers of the army were engaged with their several brigades. Upon Lally, therefore, devolved the main charge of directing the operations of the siege, and he devoted himself to it with a zeal and energy that could not have been surpassed. For he had, it must be remembered, other matters to attract and engage his attention. The English had not been slow to use the advantages offered to them by the possession of Chengalpat. The force that guarded that post issued frequently into the field to attack the French in their flanks and rear, and to disturb their communications with Pondichery ; and not only this, but Major Calliaud, sent to Tanjiir, succeeded in obtaining from the Raja, and bringing into the field