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affembled at Wallyabad, was in force fulficient, I ordered him to march forward and encamp within a few miles of Pondicherry; and as I knew all the ground well, from having ferved as fecond in command at the last fiege; and from having commanded myfelt in Pondicherry fome months, I directed him, as his force increafed, to occupy the Pagoda of Villenore, lying fouth-west of the fort, and the village of Arian Coupang to the fouthward, which would prevent the garrifon from drawing fupplies from thofe parts of the country from which they had been in the habit of drawing them chiefly, and to distress them as much as he could in that way, but to give cowl, or protection, to the villages in the French districts that applied for it, and fhewed any difpofition to affift the army; I alfo informed Colonel Floyd of the ground I intended to take up with the army, which, having become an entire foreft, I directed him to clear, and forwarded a supply of tools to him for that purpose.

In the mean time, the Admiral in the Minerva frigate, reinforced by three Indiamen, blockaded the port most effecfually, and took a veffel from the Inlands, on board of which were fome fhot and hells, and gave chace to the Sybille frigate, which, however, efcaped, and never appeared more: the intention of this frigate, as we learned from Tranquebar, was to land fome further fupplies, and an officer of artillery with about 150 men, and the preventing this was a fervice of much importance.

By means of the post at Arian Coupang, which is near the mouth of the river, and fome boats furnished by Mr Kentworthy, the refident of Cuddalore, the means of a direct and speedy communication with the Admiral was eftablished.

While these things were doing, our preparations in the Ordnance Department went briskly on, and Government took moft active measures to fecure fufficient fupplies, by making large purchates of rice on the company's account, and by calling on his Highness the Nabob and the Rajah of Tanjore, both of whom, it is but juftice to fay, fhewed much zeal to forward the fervice, by ftriking off all customary duties, and holding out every encouragement to their respective countries to furnifh fupplies to the army; and as no tax or impofition of any kind was allowed in the camp, she army was abundantly supplied.

Having feen every thing fo completely brought forward, I joined, and took the immediate command of the army on the 28th of July. The Grand Park of artillery from the Mount was but little behind me, great part of the ftores had arrived in camp, and large depots of them well advanced on the road, and arriving daily.

I immediately rode over the ground on which I intended to encamp, and had every reason to be satisfied with the progrefs that had been made in clearing it, as it was nearly fufficiently cleared to admit of our encampment. On the 30th the grand park of artillery, under the conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Giels, halted a few miles in my rear; and, on the 31ft, I moved forward with the whole, and took up my ground on the Red Hills.

I then prepared a letter of fummons to the Governor, Colonel Profper de Chermont, which I communicated to the Admiral, propofing that he should also fummon the place. The Admiral did me the honour to approve my fummons, and returned it to me, accompanied by one from himself, both of which I fent in with a flag.

I immediately reconnoitred the fouth face of the fort, which, I found greatly improved and much extended fince I faw it before, and that by this extension of it very little ground was left on that fide to attack it, on account of the contiguity of a branch of the river and fome falt works, and that that ground was very low, and liable to be flooded, if any heavy rain fet in; and in this opinion the Chief Engineer, Lieutenant-Colonel Maule, concur red: I however determined upon a poft at a house and a garden on the bank of the river, about 1,200 yards from the fort, which I refolved immediately to occupy, and in fome measure fortify, and brought forward to it Major Petrie's corps, confifting of the flank companies of his Majefty's 71ft and 74th regiinents, which had been ftationed at Arian Coupang, where I ftationed a fmail party now fully fufficient for all our purposes. I caufed gabions and fafcines be brought down to the new poft, fo that they could be feen from the fort, to deceive them into an idea that I meant to attack that fide; and it had the effect, for they brought more guns to that face, and kept up a continued fire, not but they ftill fir ed in every direction where they faw any body, expending feveral fhot even at individuals. Į eftablished picquets, detached V

guards,

guards, and patroles of horse, which kept up an uninterrupted communication beween thefe pofts and the main-picquet in front of the army, which was well advanced towards the Villenore gate of the fort, under cover of a village and a large garden-houfe. On the next day I reconnoitred the north face of the fort, which was not fo ftrong as when I had feen it before, the works here being much lower, though other wife of the fame conftruction as thofe we had deftroyed after the laft fiege, and I found the ground contiguous most favourable for an atrack, a very light foil, and fo high as convinced me it must be perfectly dry, even in a Monfoon; and cauled two of the engineer corps to embark on a country boat, and reconnoitre the fea face, and particularly the flockade and defen ces behind the N. E. angle baftion; and every thing concurring to determine me, I approved, with very little alteration, a plan of attack of the north face, calcula ted to work round the north-eaft angle into the fort, fuggefted by the Chief Eagineer.

I established the engineer's park in the rear of the village of Mootalpettah, on the bank of a creek on the fea fide, under cover of Major Vigor's corps, confifting of the flank companies of the Hon. Company's ift and 2d European battalions, cauled the village to be traverted, and every thing well fecured, and from this I extended picquet guards and patroles as on the right, to keep up a communication with the main picquet; and thus the place was completely invefted from fea to fea. The engineer's poft was fo fituated as to land every thing moft conveniently from the fea, and was diftin guished by a St George's flag, of which notice was given to Madras and Cudda, Jore, and large quantities of the rice pur chafed by government, and great fup plies of fafcines and gabions, prepared at Cuddalore by the activity of Mr Kentworthy, the refident, were foon fent to it, with a fupply of boats to facilitate their landing, and to this end the Governor of Madras also very politely fent me a further fupply of boats.

The pioneers were put under the chief engineer, and all the artificers and detachments of working men furnished from the different corps, to the amount he defired, to collect and make up materials, and the progrefs was reported to me daily; and on the roth I found that we might begin, with a certainty that no want of materials could poffibly prevent

us from following up the attack with vigour. I therefore refolved that night to begin a battery, on the weft face of the fort, on a pot previously determined: It was to confift of eight twelve pounders and two eight-inch mortare, and at a diftance of abour 800 yards; was well calculated to enfilade the works of the face of the fort, against which our attack was directed, and to keep down the fire of them; and, under cover of this battery, which I expected would be ready in forty-eight hours, I meant to break ground to the northward: But the fcite of this battery, pitched upon by the engineer to anfwer the purpofe of a complete enfilade, was in a low, moift ground, and the foil an obitinate, ftill clay; and thefe caufes, with the rains, which unfortunately fet in at this time for a few days, occafioned the progress to be very flow indeed, and gave the enemy fo much time and leisure to get the exact distance, that we confequently fuffered fome lots. I found it impoffible to get on with this battery with any degree of celerity; and, as every thing was prepared to cominence the attack to the northward, I determi ned to break ground on the 12th at night, and made the neceffary arrangements; relieving the flank corps from their ftations they had occupied by other corps, and encamped them on the left of the line, fo as to be moft ready to fupport the attack, and for any duty; and appointed a strong detachment, for tire purpose of covering, and ordered down Lieut. Colonel Maxwell, who commanded the left wing, to make the proper difpofitions, and to command the whole during the night, but to return to camp in the morning, leaving the whole under the field officer of the trenches. The difpofitions were made with very great judgement, and a very great work was carried on without interruption; for though the enemy fhewed blue lights, and threw feveral fire balls, probably from hearing fome noife, it is evident they did not dilcover the party, as they fired only a few shot, and thofe ill direc ted; and their main fire and attention was ftill directed against the enfilading battery and the poft to the fouthward, which they evidently wished to diflodge, and where I had that evening made more fhew.

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and well directed; and we fuffered fome Jofs from it, and particularly on the 15th at night, when the Chief Engineer was killed returning from the trenches, till the 20th at noon, when I was at laft able to open the enfilading battery, against which the enemy had kept up an inveterate fire; but from the moment that opened, it was vifible their fire greatly flackened, and was fo ill directed, that every fhot paffed confiderably over. They however continued to ply the works with fhells from mortars, covered by epaulments, and their fhells were generally well thrown.

On the 20th, in the courfe of the night, (Captain Trapaud, who was now at the head of the engineer department, having carried on the works with great spirit) a battery, which I had ordered to be erected to the right, and had called the Royal Battery, was completed to receive fourteen twenty-four pounders, and I meant to have opened the 21ft; but the exertions of Lieut. Colonel Giels failed, and the guns could not be got into it that night. On the 21ft, the enemy plied it very briskly with thells of fourteen inches diameter, and damaged two of the merlins and two of the platforms; but these were expeditiously and well repaired in the courfe of the night, the battery rendered very complete, and the guns got into it; and on the 22d in the morning, at day-break, I went down and had the fatisfaction to see it opened with great effect. The enemy's fire was now quite confused, and gun after gun was withdrawn, and their embrafures filled with fand bags, and after nine o'clock they fired no more, except now and then a gun from the moft diftant works to the north-eaft, and fome few fhots from the fouth-weft, intended for the enfilading battery, and they threw but few fhells, while on our part an inceffant fire kept up, and about noon a mortar battery of four ten-inch mortars, at a fmall diftance to the left of the Royal Battery, was opened upon the enemy, and well ferved. At half an hour past four in the afternoon, flags of truce were exhibited on all the faliant angles of the fort; upon which orders were given for our fire to cease every where, and the town-major came out with a flag, and a fhort letter from the Governor, defiring to capitulate, and to be allowed twentyfour hours, to reduce the terms into form. In my reply I refufed this, and demanded that the place fhould be furrendered at difcretion, at eight the next

morning, till when I would cease to fire, but not to work, and I immediately dif patched an exprefs to the Admiral, who was going to Cuddalore for water, with copies of the Governor's letter to me and my reply, which the Admiral did me the honour to approve. In the night a deputation came to me from the Fort of the fecond in command, Col. Teufreville, and the town-major, who brought a fecond letter from the Governor, and they ftated that the great alarm that my anfwer had occafioned, and the univerfal dread of all claffes of people of the confequences of a furrender at difcretion, and conjured me to abate fomewhat of the rigour of that determination, and hold out fome affurance of fecurity for life and private property.

Upon this I thought it neceffary to advife with Colonel Floyd and Lieut. Col. Maxwell, whom I fent for, and finally dictated thofe terms, upon which the place furrendered the next day to Col. Floyd and Lieut. Col. Maxwell, who, with detachments of cavalry, artillery, and flank companies from every corps in the lines, entered the place by the Villenore and the Madras gates. They were punctually adhered to by the French Governor, fo far as he was able. The place was furrendered and evacuated by all the troops, but they did not march out under that difcipline I had preferibed; indeed they were all much intoxicated; and the Governor had fent to prefs forward the arrival of our troops, left the people in this state should again have recourfe to their arms, and commit outrages, and our troops haftened their march; but nothing of the kind happened, and great part furrendered themlelves peaceably without the gate, to the party ordered to conduct them to Arian Coupang,. and the reft were foon collected and fent thither. Much anarchy and confufion feem to have prevailed in the place, and the various departments appear to have been latterly not fubject to much method. I have the honour to enclofe your Lordship a copy of a return of the firength of the garrifon at the time it furrendered, figned by the Governor. This comprehends the whole, except the Gardes Nationales, compofed of the inhabitants, armed, cloathed, and difciplined, and which amounted, I am told, to between two and three hundred. Alfo copy of a list of the ordnance and ftores collected by our Deputy Commiffary-General, figned by himfelf: but fome trifling articles have fince been found, and many chefts of

fmall arms; and more are ftill expected to be found. The colours of our 12th native battalion, which garrifoned Cuddalore when it was taken last war by the French, have been found in the arfenal; and thefe I mean to return to that battalion: alfo a return by the casualties in the army I had the honour to command. The lofs on the fide of the enemy was very trifling; for, from the time our fire opened there appeared to have been but few people on the works.

I cannot more fully or ftrongly express my fentiments to your Lordship, with regard to the army. I had the honour to command, than by repeating, what I iffued in orders on the furrender of the place, which I requeft leave to quote to your Lordship: "To thank corps or individuals, in an army fo fully intitled to his warmeft thanks and approbation, cannot be attempted: He thanks and approves the whole with all his heart, and will not fail to fpeak these his fentiments to his fuperiors."

To your Lordship, however, it is unneceffary, as you are fo well acquainted with the characters which compofed this army, the zeal, unanimity, and fubordination, has been fuch as muft lead to

fuccefs.

This packet will be prefented to your Lordship by Captain Braithwaite, my firft Aide-de-Camp, who has had the honour to ferve under your Lordfhip, and whom I beg leave to recommend to your Lordship's patronage.

I have the honour to remain, &c.
John Braithwaite.

General State of the Military Establishment

at Pondicherry, Aug. 23, 1793. Europeans.-Officers, 4 Colonels, 7 Lieut. Colonels, 38 Captains, 32 Licu tenants, 35 Second Lieutenants, 5 Navy officers. Soldiers, 22 Serjeant Majors and Quarter Mafters, 45 Serjeants of Brigade, 85 Corporals, 437 Grenadiers and Gunners, 7 Muficians.-49 Sailors. -Total, 645-Sepoys. Officers, 29. Non-commiffioned Officers and Privates, 985. Total, 1014.

(Signed) Augufte Seguin. [Here follows a return of the ordnance found in Pondicherry, amounting to 170 pieces of cannon of different calibres, and a vafi quantity of shells, muskets, &c.] General Return of the Killed, Wounded and Miffing of the Army, during the Siege of Pondicherry.

Lieutenant Colonel George Mule, Chief Engineer, killed. Royal Artillery,

1 bombadier, 3 gunners, wounded. Ift battalion Coast Artillery, 2 matroffes wounded. ad ditto, & matroffes killed; I wounded. Major Petrie's flank companies, 2 privates killed; Lieut. Murray, ferjeant, 5 privates wounded. Major Vigor's flank companies, 1 private killed; 3 privates wounded. His Majefty's 36th regiment, 1 ferjeant, 4 privates killed; 9 privates wounded. 52d regiment, Lieut. Lane, 2 privates killed; 5 pri vates wounded. 72d regiment, 8 rank and file killed; 14 privates wounded. 73. regiment, Capt. Galpine, Enfign Todd, Lieut. M'Gregor, 7 rank and file killed; 3 rank and file wounded. 3d European battalion, I private miffing. European pioneers, 4 killed. 1ft Native battalion, 2 Sepoys killed; 8 rank and file wounded. 2d ditto, Lieutenant Cawthorne, 6 rank and file killed; 12 rank and file wounded. 6th ditto, 3 Sepoys killed; 5 rank and file wounded. 7th ditto, 1 Jemedar, I drummer, 1 fifer, 7 Sepoys killed; I drummer, 9 rank and file wounded. 8th ditto, 5 Sepoys killed; 8 rank and file wounded. 17th ditto, I Sepoy wounded. 19th ditto, 4 Sepoys killed; 3 Sepoys wounded; I miffing. 23d ditto, i Sepoy killed; 3 Sepoys wounded. 24th ditto, 2 Sepoys killed; 10 rank and file wounded. 25th ditto, Sepoy killed; Lieutenant Fenwick, I ferjeant, 1 Jemedar, 8 Sepoys wounded. Lafcars attached to the Royal Artillery, I tindale, 3 lascars miffing. Ditto at-. tached to the first battalion of Artillery, 12 lafcars killed; 14 lafcars wounded. Ditto attached to the 2d battalion, 5 lafcars killed, 2 lafcars wounded.

Na

tive pioneers, 5 pioneers killed; 1 Jemedar, havildar, II pioneers wounded.

Abftra&.-Europeans, 1 Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Captain, 3 Lieutenants, I Enfign, I ferjeant, 30 rank and file killed; 2 Lieutenants, 2 ferjeants, 46 rank and file wounded; I rank and file miffing.

Total 88.- -Natives, 1 Jemedar, 2 drummers and fifers, 53 rank and file killed; 2 Jemedars, 1 Havildar, 94 rank and file wounded; 5 rank and file misfing. Total 159.

From the London Gazette, Feb. 11. Whitehall, Feb. 11. On the 9th inftant his Majefty's Principal Secretaries of the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of State, received difpatches from the Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, dated the 15th of December, 1793, containing intelligence, that Major Grant, Commandant at Cape Nichola Mole, had accepted the furrender of the parishes of St Marc

ánd

and Genaives, in St Domingo, to his Majefty, upon the fame terms and conditions which have been granted to Cape Nichola Mole and the Quarter of Jeremie; and that the British flag was, in confequence, flying on all the forts and batteries in the above-mentioned parishes.

Admiralty Office, Feb. 11.

On Sunday the 9th inft. a letter was received from Commodore Ford, commander in chief of his Majefty's fhips at Jamaica, addreffed to Mr Stephens, dated the 7th of December, 1793, of which the following is an extract, with copy of the letter to which it refers:

"I requeft you will be pleafed to inform the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that fince my letter of the 24th of November laft, by the Antelope packet, nothing material has happened to the fquadron under my command, except the capture of the Inconftant French frigate, by the Penelope and Iphigenia, the particulars whereof are ftated in Captain Row ley's letter to me herein inclosed; and to which I fhall add, (in juftice to the commendable zeal, activity and enterprize of thofe officers on all occafions, and the high condition and difcipline of their fhips) that in my opinion, either of them alone would have accomplished what fell

to their united efforts."

Penelope, Port-Royal Harbour, Jamaica, SIR, Nov. 30, 1793. I beg leave to acquaint you, that I failed from Mole St Nichola on the 20th inft. having received intelligence that the Inconftant frigate was expected to leave Port au Prince, to convoy a large armed merchantman. On the day following I fell in with his Majefty's fhip Iphigenia, Capt. Sinclair, to whom I gave orders to keep company, and was proceeding to Port au Prince, when I was informed from Leoganne, that the Inconftant had failed with two fmall veffels for Petit Trou, but was daily expected back.

1 immediately made fail, with intention of trying to take or deftroy her in the harbour; but on the night of the 25th we had the good fortune to fall in with her, and, after exchanging a few broadfides, the ftruck her colours to the frigates.

The Penelope had one man killed and feven wounded; amongst the latter is Mr John Allen, midshipman. The Inconftant had fix killed, amongst whom was the First Lieutenant; and the Capt. and 20 wounded, three of whom are fince dead.

From the gallant behaviour of Lieut. Malcolm,the officers and fhip's company, I have every reafon to flatter myself, that had either of his Majefty's frigates been fingle, they would have been equally for tunate in capturing her.

I beg leave to add, that Captain Sinclair's very favourable report of the conduct of his officers and fhip's company is fuch as does them the greatest honour.

I remain, &c. B. S. Rowley John Ford, Efq; Commodore, &c.

Admiralty Office, Feb. 12, 1794. Rear Admiral Macbride, in his letter to Mr Stephens dated the 3 rft ult. mentions, that Sir John Borlafe Warren, Captain of his Majefty's fhip Flora, being on the coaft of France, had captured, and fent to Portsmouth, a French Republican brig named La Vipere, of 16 fix pounder guns and 105 men, quite new coppered, and only four days from Havre.

[Here end the Gazettes.]

London Feb. 3. As the Royal Family the firft time this feafon, a moft afflictwent to the little Haymarket Theatre for ing fcene occurred at the opening of the ties prefence drew the ufual crowd, and doors. The expectation of their Majef in with impetuofity. There is unfor on opening the doors, the torrent broke tunately at every theatre an ill-contrived defcending ftair to the pit; on this fome of the foremost of the multitude loft their feet and fell; the crowd preffed over them with that thoughtlefs fury which in fuch a moment no compaffion can touch, no eloquence foften. Our readers will hear it with horror! in this way, fourteen or fifteen human beings were trodden to death! The confufion lafted for half an hour, and for that time no poffible aid could be given to the victims. As foon as poffible the bodies were carried to the adjoining houfes; feven of them. to Mr Winch's the druggift, two or three of them to Meffrs. Longman and Broderip's, and the reft to other houfes near, where all the means recommended by the Humane Society were tried to reftore animation in vain. But one person out of all the victims were recovered. Several of them were immediately recognized as having lived in the neighbourhood, and nine were taken to St Martin's Workhoufe, where four of them were owned.

Newcale. A few days ago, a very me.. lancholy accident happened in a coal-pit, near Newcattle, by holing an unexpected old wafte, charged with inflammable air,

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