Dupleix that Nasir Jung had arrived from the Deccan with an immense army, and was already in possession of Arcot. Thereupon they retired at once to Pondicherry. The Council assists the son of Anwur-ood deen. Advance of Meanwhile the Council of Madras had fallen into great per Perplexity at plexity as to what course they should pursue. Was it Madras. preferable to remain neutral, or to take a part in the war? This question was in some degree decided by the im petuosity of Mahomed Ally, son of Anwur-ood-deen, who, after his father's death, had fled to Trichinopoly, where the family and treasure were deposited, and urgently besought assistance; 120 European soldiers were sent to him, but at the same time, by a strange inconsistency, the fleet of Admiral Boscawen was permitted to depart for England. The Council were, however, committed in their policy by the succour of Mahomed Ally; and as Nasir Jung, with his huge army of 300,000 men, advanced upon Pondicherry, they sent to his camp 600 Europeans under Major Lawrence, and Mahomed Ally also joined it with 6,000 horse. On the other hand, Dupleix augmented his force, with his allies, to 2,000 Europeans; but some disagreement, the cause of which has never transpired, existed between the French officers and Dupleix; they refused to fight, and with their men were sent to Pondicherry. On this, Mozuffer Jung surrendered himself to his uncle; but Chunda Sahib, fighting bravely, escaped. It might be supposed that the French combination was now broken up. Nasir Jung returned to Arcot, and Major Lawrence, unable to effect any object favourable to the English interests, returned to Madras. Dupleix, however, was as active in intrigue as ever. He dis Dupleix's intrigues. He attacks and allies defeat Mahomed Ally. covered, through an agent, that there was great discontent in the camp of Nasir Jung, and that the Patán chiefs of Kurnool, Cuddapa, and Savanoor, were in secret mutiny. He now sent an expedition by sea to Masulipatam, Masulipatam. which was carried by assault. Mahomed Ally, with whom was an English detachment under Captain Cope, after some The French desultory movements, refused to pay its expenses, and it was withdrawn to Madras; upon which the French, in company with Chunda Sahib, attacked and routed him with great slaughter, and the reduction of Ginjee followed. Nasir Jung, now alarmed by these active movements negotiates and successes, sought to treat with Dupleix; but the with Dupleix. French were now again masters of the situation, and Dupleix's demands rose in proportion. Mozuffer Jung was to be set at liberty, Masulipatam and its dependencies His demands ceded to the French, and Chunda Sahib invested as Nawab of the Carnatic. Nasir Jung would have resisted Nasir Jung accepted. army of these hard terms, and ordered his army to fight; but it was one thing to order and another to execute. The army was wellnigh immovable, and Nasir Jung, having in vain tried Dupleix's to advance for the recovery of Ginjee, was obliged to demands accept the demands, heavy as they were, and to draw up the treaty. But there had been delay: and delay was intolerable to M. Dupleix. He had no assurance that the treaty would be executed, and he ordered an advance of his forces at Ginjee to enforce it; they amounted only to 800 Europeans and 3,000 Sepoys, who marched from Ginjee on December 4, to the attack of an army believed to be upwards of 300,000 strong, with 100 guns. When they neared the camp, which Dupleix extended for eighteen miles, they were led, by a guide attacks the from their confederates, to the division occupied by Nasir Jung. Nasir Jung, and attacked it at night. Early in the morning Nasir Jung mounted his elephant to ascertain the progress of the fight, and soon discovered he was betrayed. Upbraiding Nasir Jung the Nawab of Kurnool with his treachery, he was shot shot. dead by that chieftain as he spoke, and the conflict was at an end. Mozuffer Jung was at once proclaimed Soobahdar of the Deccan; and accompanied by M. de la Touche, the French commander, proceeded to Pondicherry, where M. Dupleix, more than ever triumphant, and Chunda Sahib, gav Dupleix's him a magnificent reception. While it lasted, indeed, the result of his policy was more magnificent than Dupleix, in his wildest dreams, had ever perhaps contemplated. He had Is appointed not only created a Nawáb of the Carnatic, but a governor of Soobahdar of the Deccan. He was appointed governor India. of all the Moghul territory south of the Krishna; Chunda Sahib was to be subject to him; the coinage was to be struck at Pondicherry, and to the French nation was ceded Masulipatam and its dependencies, with other portions, yielding probably five lacs, or 50,000l., per year. For his own share of Nasir Jung's treasure he was to receive twenty lacs, or 200,000l., and the expenses of the war; and gratuities to the officers were provided for on equally liberal terms. But these were not the only claims Demands of which Mozuffer Jung had to satisfy. The three traitor the Patan Nawabs made their own demands. The territories they had usurped were to be confirmed; they were to be exempt from payment of tribute, and half the treasury of Nasir Jung was to be bestowed upon them. Mozuffer Jung, as well he might be, was afraid of these turbulent feudatories, and would not trust himself with them without a French escort. Bussy, therefore, the ablest officer at Dupleix's posal, was detached with him in command of success. Southern Nawabs. M. Bussy M. detached dis with Mozuffer 300 Jung. Europeans and 2,000 Sepoys, and Mozuffer Jung marched for Hyderabad on January 4, 1751. On entering the territory of the The Nawab of Kurnool kills Mozuffer Jung. Admirable conduct of Bussy. Nawab of Kurnool, an ambuscade was discovered; the French troops attacked and carried the defile, but in pursuing the Patáns, the Nawáb of Kurnool, finding escape impossible, turned upon Mozuffer Jung, whom Bussy had been unable to restrain, and slew him, himself being immediately killed. Instant action was necessary: and Bussy, without hesitation, sent for Salabut Jung, the third son of Nizam-ool-Moolk, and caused him, with the consent of the army, to be proclaimed Soobahdar of the Deccan. By this measure, tranquillity was at once restored; and it is impossible not to award to M. Bussy the highest meed of honour for his ready presence of mind, and great ability and vigour of conduct. He was not exacting in his demands on the new soobahdar. He Mozuffer Jung's agreements might have required and exacted many additional concessions to his nation, and no opposition would have been made to them; but he was content with the confirmation of what had already been confirmed by Mozuffer Jung, and with this even M. Dupleix was satisfied. are confirmed. CHAPTER V. THE PROGRESS OF THE ENGLISH AND WAR IN THE CARNATIC Complication affairs. (concluded), 1751 To 1754. A STRANGE Complication of affairs had now ensued. The English and French in the Carnatic, though their nations were of Carnatic at peace, had taken up different sides of native politics; and the real question at issue, the eventual local superiority, was to be fought out under cover of them. After the departure of Mozuffer Jung, the English would probably have acknowledged Chunda Sahib as Nawáb, if their ally, Mahomed Ally, were secured in Trichinopoly; but to this Dupleix would by no means consent: and Chunda Sahib's first act, after Trichinopoly taking possession of Arcot, in February 1751, was to Sahib. advance to the siege of Trichinopoly with his own forces and 800 French auxiliaries. The former weak garrison of English soldiers sent to the aid of Mahomed Ally from Madras, has been already mentioned: and Lieutenant Clive was now despatched with a further reinforcement; but Mahomed Ally, perhaps distrustful of them, and under apprehension from the superior forces of his rival, called in the aid of the Mahratta chief, Moorary Ráo of Siege of by Chunda Arcot. Gooty, Nunjeráj, the regent of Mysore, and the troops of Tanjore. Meanwhile Clive, whose daring spirit and military Clive's extalent were becoming more and more developed, con- pedition to ceived the bold design of seizing Arcot while the troops of Chunda Sahib were drawn off for the siege of Trichinopoly; and, on his return to Fort St. David, laid his plan before Mr. Saunders, the governor of Madras, who at once appreciated the boldness and strategetic utility of the measure. 200 European soldiers, 300 Sepoys, and ten field-pieces, were all that could be spared; and with these Clive marched directly upon Arcot, through a tremendous storm of wind and rain, possession of reached it on August 31, and took possession of it, unopposed by the garrison, who had fled. It was almost an open town; but the fort was tenable, and by strengthening the defences, and scouring the country around for supplies, he made the position very formidable. He takes the city. As he had supposed, his movement at once attracted the attention of Chunda Sahib, and a force was detached from Arcot Trichinopoly for the siege of Arcot. It is impossible besleged. to follow the details of this siege, which forms one of the noblest exploits of Clive's remarkable life; but for seven weeks, Clive's noble relief from Madras having failed to reach him, he defence. bravely withstood the efforts of 10,000 native troops and 150 French. The fort was breached in several places; the scarcity was so great that the native troops drank the water in which rice. was boiled, while they gave the rice to the Europeans; and the danger of capture seemed so imminent, that Clive despatched a messenger to Moorary Ráo, whose camp was about thirty miles distant, to come to his assistance. On November 14, however, the troops of Chunda Sahib, under their commander Rajah The assailSahib, advanced to the storm. There were two prac- ants are ticable breaches, and the defenders were reduced to eighty Europeans and 120 Sepoys; nevertheless the assailants were beaten back with great loss, and during the night evacuated the town. In the evening a reinforcement, under Captain Kilpatrick, arrived from Madras, and any further attack by the enemy was impossible. Clive now assumed the Clive takes offensive, and was joined by about 600 Mahratta horse, the field. his own force being 200 Europeans and 700 Sepoys. With this, however, he defeated a combined French and native army under Rajah Sahib, at Arnee, and following up his advantage, His suc gave them another severe defeat at Caverypauk, where cesses. he captured twelve pieces of artillery. He would now have advanced to the relief of Trichinopoly, on which the strength of the French was concentrated; but the arrival of Major Lawrence beaten and evacuate the town. from England placed him in a subordinate position. Never before, however, in India, had British troops fought as they had under Clive, and never had native Sepoys so bravely emulated them. They had beaten the French in every encounter, and had risen immensely in native estimation. Military The French surrender to Chunda Sahib The operations begun under Clive were successfully continued under Lawrence, who advanced to the relief of Trichioperations at nopoly, against which the French and Chunda Sahib Trichinopoly. had effected very little. Mahomed Ally's allies from Mysore and Tanjore, with those of Moorary Ráo, augmented his forces to an equality with those of Chunda Sahib, and in addition there were the English under Lawrence. After a series of operations, which are interesting and well repay the perusal of the student,' the French and Chunda Sahib were shut up in Seringham in the fortified pagoda of Seringham on an island in Lawrence. the Cavery, opposite to Trichinopoly. Here they were summoned to surrender at discretion, and M. Law, their com mander, agreed to the terms offered. 600 Europeans with 300 Sepoys laid down their arms, and became prisoners of war, and thirty pieces of cannon with a large quantity of military stores were taken possession of. Chunda Sahib had previously obtained permission to depart, and had fallen into the hands of Monajee, the Tanjore general. His fate is thus related by Major Lawrence, who states in his narrative that at a council on the is beheaded. subject, at which the native chieftains could not agree, 'I proposed that we should have the charge of him, and keep him confined in one of our settlements; this was by no means approved, and we parted without coming to any resolution; but some of Monajee's people put an end to the dispute by cutting off his head, which was done on June 3, 1752,' and it may be added that Major Lawrence was in no position to prevent the act. The war did not, however, end with the death of Chunda Sahib. The Mysore and Mahratta troops joined the French, for Mahomed Ally had failed in all his agree ments with his allies, and most notably in respect of surrendering Trichinopoly to the Mysore troops, as he had promised to do. Lawrence urged that the whole of the Carnatic should be first cleared of the enemy; but this opinion was overruled by Mr. Saunders, who sent a totally inadequate force against the great fort of Ginjee, which proved a miserable failure. This raised Dupleix's hopes for a time, and his troops took the field; defeated at but they were encountered at Bahoor, near Fort St. David, on August 27, and totally defeated by Lawrence Continuation of the war, 1752. The French Bahoor. 1 Vide War in the Carnatic, 1761, Orme's History,' Mill's History,' vol. iii.; Beveridge's History,' vol. i. &c. |