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296
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1899.
that lay'd cross to yo Redoubt to recower tbe Ditch and killed 4 Europeans. We had no. further molestation from them] that Night, nor any further Intelligence than that they Occupied the Esterly corner of the Black Town from Onychaunds Garden to the Bread and cheese Banglo, [and] that the Nabob himself had taken possession of Dumdum House for his Head Quarters.
The 17th, in ye Morning, we planted 2 small pieces of Cannon in ye Goal House to sconr the Different Roads, which terminate at the Place, and which way we expected the Enemy would advance : likewise sent 12 Military and Militia and 40 Buzeries to take Possession of it, under the Command of Monsr. Le Beaume, a french Officer who had taken the Protection of our Flag sometime before, and fortified the house with Loophous [loop holes]. The enemy did not appear in sight of any of our Batteries this Day; but the Plunderers ravaged all ye Black town. We had numbers of Prisoniers brought in by our Baxeries; but their Accounts of the Nabobs situation and Strength varied so much, that we could not lay any stress upon it. Onr own Intelligence all along from our Spies was Equally so. These Prisoniers in General told as that he had all the Cossinbuzars Cannon, and 10 or 15 pieces, which he brought from Muscadabad of a Larger Size, besides numbers of Swivils and Wallpieces mounted on Camels and Elepbants; that his Troops Consisted from 20 to 30000 Horse and foot. This night our Peons and Buxeries, to the Number of 500, deserted us, as did our Lascars and Cooleys some days before ; that we had not a Black Fellow to draw or worke a Gun, not even to carry s Cottin Bale or Sand bag on ye Ramports; and what work of that kind had been done was by the Military and Militia. This want of Workmen at Last, and Scarcity at ye Beginning, harras'd us Prodigeously and prevented our doing several Works that could have been necessary.
The 18th, pretty early the Enemy began to make their appearance in all quarters of ye Town ; but did not seem as if they would advance Openly against our Batteries, rather as if they were resolved to make their approaches by taking possession of the Intervening Houses. We accordingly fortified such houses as we thought commanded our Batteries with as many men as could possibly be spared. They first advanced towards the Goal by the road that leads to perrins through the black town, and brought 2 pieces of Cannon against it; one of them by the Size of the Ball not less than an 18 Pounder. We were likewise advised by onr Spies and Prisoners that the Nabobs Artillery was commanded by a French Renegado, who had been an Officier at Pondecherry and gave him self the Title of Marquis De St. Jaque, and had under bis Command 25 Europeans and 80 Chittygan Fringees.
On their Advancing their Cannon against the Goal, we detached from the Battery Han Officier. 20 men and ye 2 field pieces, to reinforce Mr. Le Beaumes Fort, who maintained it from 11 to 2 in yo afternoon, exposed to every warm fire from 2 pieces of Cagnon and a Quantity of Musquetry. The Enemy having lodg'd themselves in all ye Houses that surrounded the place, and ] Monsr. Le Beaume and Ensign Curstains, the Officer who was advanced to support him, being both wounded, and several of their Men killed, they had Orders to retire with their 2 field Pieces. The Enemy took immediate Possession of yo Place, as soon as we abandoned it; as they did off [=of] Mr. Dumbletons, Alsops, ye Play House and the Houses behind ye St., Lady Russels, from which Places, and every hole the[y] could creep into, under any sort of cover, they keept a very close fire on the battery and houses, whenever they Baw any of our men Lodg'd. By firing our Cannon on such Houses as they conld bear apon, We obliged them often to quit them ; but fresh Supplies came up to relieve them. We must in this manner have destroyed Numbers, tho all we could do, from ye Cannon of the Batteries and Forts, and our small Arms from the Tops and Windows of the different Houses we Occupied, was of no Effect in Retarding their progress. Had our Shells been properly sery'd, they must have been of greater Use for this purpose than all our Artillery ; but such as we tried either burst as they quitted the Mortars or before they got half way.
