Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 25

JANUARY, 1917)
THE CYCLONE AT PONDICHERRY, 1761
21
way. Do. loos'd the topsail and backed a stern, not baving room to wear.. past ... the foresail and Mizen Topsail Blew all away to peices, Carried away the head of the Foremast in the wake of the Fore Yard Jibb Boom and Main Topmast and Main Yard Arm, Brought too and Carry'd away the Mizen Topmast. People employed pumping of the Ship. Found She made a Great Quantity of Water ... Do. Found the Ship to Strike very heavy. Do. Cutt away the Main Mast and Mizon Matt. We her, the Sea makeing a Free passage over Us. Description of the Storm of 1st January 1761, in a letter from (Brigadier General) Richard Smith, 40 to his Sister.
[25th January 1761.) MY DEAR SISTER,
The glorious sixteenth of January has crowned all our hopes! has given us the Aocomplishment of all our Wishes ! has finished a Ten Years War by a total Expulsion of our Enemies ! and this by the Reduction of Ponticherry, which is now an English Conquest ! Colonel Coote is the Favorito of Fortune. This grand Event has been brought about by Prudence and good Conduct. Nine Months were they blockaded, the four last very closely. Providence seemed to favour our Desigas. Our Army was by no means equal to a regular Attack. We were certain the Place must fall, if not relieved by a French Squadron, and we had no Idea of an Enemy's Fleet that could appear before ours. The 8th December we opened some Batteries of Cannon and Mortars, more to amuse, than from any Expectations of Suocess. These continued playing untill New Years Day. Perhaps we had been too sanguine in our Hopes, but that Night gave a Damp to all our Expectations and convinced our Army that without the Almighty is on our side, the Race is not always to the Swift nor the Battle to the strong. About Ten at Night there arose such a terrible Gale of Wind that surpassed the Memory of Man. In Camp all the Tents and Huts were demolished, our Batteries ruined, and many poor Objects died thro' the Violence of the Wind and Rain. But dismal as was such a scence, our Army had no Thouglats for themselves. Their Attention was ingrost for their Naval Friends. With how much Impatience did they wait for Morning. Too soon it came to discover such a scene of Horror! The Newcastle of 60 Guns," the Queenborough Frigate and Protector fireship were stranded on the Beachthe Crews saved. The Sunderland of 60 Guns, the Duc D'Aquitaine of 64 Guns foundered just without the surf; only two or three souls escaped. The Duke, a Country Vessel landed with Stores for the Siege, fouadered. The America, Medway, Falmouth and Panther of the Line, and the Liverpool Frigato dismasted. Admiral Stevens in the Norfolk, stood early out to Sea, and escaped. The rest of our Fleet were fortunately not returned on the Coast. Here was a scene of Distress, and at a Period, too when we were on the Point of accomplishing our Wishes. However, a few days made us appear formidable again at sea. Admiral Stevens returned ; Admiral Cornish with his Division arrived; the dismasted Ships got up Jury Masts, and we bad by the 10to Eleven Sail of the Linc. Our Damages by Land were soon repaired. On the 10th a Battery of Ten Pieces was opened with in six hundred Yards of the Walls. On the 13th We began our Approaches, and in that and the succeeding Night accomplished such a prodigious Task of Trenches and raised another Battery of eleven Pieces
40 Richard Smith, a purser's mate, entered the Company's service as Ensign, became Captain in 1758 (and A. D. C. to General Stringer Laurence) and Major in 1762. See Love: Vestiges of Old Madras (Indian Records Series ), II. 423 n.
4 Affleck's list, ante, has 50 guns.