the regiment dressed the wounds of these unfortunate men, and showed them the same care and attention as he had it in his power to bestow on the men of his own regiment. In return for which kindness, M. Dupleix wrote a long protest against Major Lawrence, for making French subjects prisoners in time of peace. But the poor gunners, who had been so disgracefully abandoned by their commander, were more sensible of the obligations they were under to the British, and willingly acknowledged it was entirely owing to them their lives had been saved. During this affair the regiment was not engaged, and took no active part, beyond rescuing the French gunners. The British Artillery replied to the French guns as long only as they kept firing. There was nothing like fighting; the conduct of the Soobah's troops was cruel and barbarous in the extreme, in slaughtering an unresisting enemy. A large detachment of Mahratta cavalry, under Morai Row, were sent in pursuit of M. D'Auteuil. They came up with him next day. The French formed square, which the Mahratta charged, and broke with only fifteen men, thinking that the rest of his men were following him: looking round, and seeing his danger, he with his handful, when surrounded, boldly pushed for it, and broke through the other side. Six of his men got away with him, the rest were bayonetted inside the square. Had Morai Row's men followed him, the battalion would have been utterly destroyed; as it was, nine

teen men were killed in this attack. The Mahrattas continued harassing the enemy until they got inside the boundary hedge of Pondicherry; and were only prevented inflicting a further loss, by the devoted gallantry of Chundah Saib's cavalry. Shortly after this, much against Lawrence's advice, the Soobah proceeded to Arcot, and the British retired towards Madras.

In July, 400 of the regiment, under Captain Cope, Lawrence being acting governor until the arrival of Mr. Saunders,-again marched with the Nabob to join the Soobah; but French intrigues prevailing in that prince's camp, they were soon obliged to return to Madras, when, the night after their departure, the French and Chundah Saib attacked the Nabob in his camp, and completely routed him, he with much difficulty escaping to the Soobah's camp. The French immediately marched and took Gingee. This at last roused the Soobah, who advanced to retake it; but, being attacked by the French, he was assassinated by the nabobs of Cuddapah and Condanore, and his nephew, Murzafa Jung, proclaimed Viceroy of the Deckan in his stead. The Soobah's tents were plundered by the French, and an immense treasure found, by which many, particularly M. Dupleix, made very large fortunes.

Until January, 1751, the British remained inactive, but from the turn affairs took after the assassination of the Soobah, they again decided upon

rendering Mahomed Ally assistance at Trichinopoly; and the same month, Captain Cope was dispatched to that city with 280 Europeans, including artillery of the battalion, and 300 Sepoys. He reached Trichinopoly the beginning of February, at the same time that Chundah Saib left Pondicherry with an army of 8000 men, and a battalion of 800 French, and proceeded to Arcot.

On the arrival of Captain Cope at Trichinopoly, he found Mohamed Ally's troops in a state of dissatisfaction, and his country in the neighbourhood in open revolt, particularly at Tinnevelly and Madura. A detachment of his troops, under the Nabob's brother, consisting of 2500 cavalry and 3000 infantry, were dispatched to Tinnevelly, accompanied by 30 Europeans of the battalion under Lieutenant Innes. No resistance was made by the people of the country, but much difficulty was experienced in preventing the Native troops from mutinying, Lieutenant Innes and the men of the battalion being the only check upon them. them. Madura was in open revolt, and, at the desire of Mahomed Ally, Captain Cope marched to reduce it, with 150 Europeans, one battering gun, three field-pieces, and two cohorns, accompanied by 600 of the Nabob's cavalry. Lieutenant Innes' detachment, on its return from Tinnevelly, having joined them, the united force proceeded to invest the fort. Madura was surrounded by a square double wall and ditch; the outer being ruinous in many places, the inner was

easily breached through it, and in two days rendered practicable, had fascines been procurable. Difficult, indeed impracticable as the breach was, there was no alternative, and as all the shot of the great gun was expended, it became necessary either to storm or raise the siege. As the Nabob's troops showed every inclination to mutiny, an immediate attack was ordered; the Sepoys having received some money, and the promise of more, if the place fell, gallantly followed their European comrades. The first wall was passed without resistance, and although the storming party was severely annoyed with arrows, stones, and matchlocks, and the forlorn hope had some difficulty in despatching several men in complete armour, who for a short time defended the breach with their swords, yet the bayonet prevailed, the breach was mounted, and the parapet gained. Here the enemy had, however, on each side of the entrance, raised a mound, and laid the stems of palm-trees horizontally along it to some height; and, leaving spaces between each tree, they thrust their long pikes through these intervals with such effect, that every man who mounted was severely wounded. At the bottom of the wall, within the breach, a strong intrenchment, with a deep ditch, had been made, behind which about 4000 of the enemy kept up a hot fire from matchlocks and arrows, and appeared prepared to defend the intrenchment with spears, and all other kinds of weapons. Ninety of the Europeans being rendered

hors de combat with wounds, and four killed, the attack was relinquished. The Sepoys suffered much more than the Europeans, upwards of two-thirds having been disabled, and four of their officers mortally wounded. The Nabob's troops rendered no assistance; and, being encouraged by this reverse, 500 horse, and 1000 peons, immediately went over to Allam Khan, the governor of the fort: and, two days afterwards, nearly 3000 horsemen likewise deserted to the enemy. Captain Cope, after destroying the battering-gun, which had been injured, (he was unable to carry it away) returned to Trichinopoly with all his wounded and baggage. This reverse reduced the dominions and army of the English ally to the lowest ebb.

At the same time these transactions occurred, intelligence was received that Chundah Saib and the French were on their march from Arcot to besiege Trichinopoly. Mahomed Ally strenuously represented his distresses to the Governor of Madras, earnestly requesting assistance, and offered to cede a large territory near Madras for the same; and, further, to defray the expences of the war. In the beginning of April, 1751, this assistance, on his own terms, was granted: 450 of the European battalion, fifty of the battalion mounted as dragoons, 100 Caffres, and 1000 Sepoys, with eight field-pieces, took the field, under Captain De Gingens, of the battalion, and were ordered to remain near fort St. David, until joined by Mahomed Ally's troops from

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