pany's governments to derive every poffible advantage from his communication, that he declared himself refponfible in his public character for the truth of the information, and affured them that they might act upon it with confidence; adding, that all the British and Dutch veffels in the ports of France had been feized.

Upon the receipt of this intelligence all the finall factories belonging to the French on the continent of India, as well as their fhips in our ports, were taken poffeffion of; and the government of Fort St. George proceeded immediately to make preparations for the attack of the important fortrefs of Pondicherry, which place was in full as good a state of defence as when it was attacked at the breaking out of the last war.

It was reported at Pondicherry that confiderable reinforcements were expected from the Ifle of France, under the convoy of the Sybille of forty guns and three fmaller frigates; and we were in fome doubt whether admiral Cornwallis, who blocked up the place by fea with the Minerva frigate and three Indiamen, would have been able to prevent the fuccours from being landed; but the Sybille, which was the only fhip of the enemy's that appeared during the fiege, went off immediately upon being chafed by admiral Cornwallis, and has not fince been heard of on this coaft.

I was very defirous of giving my perfonal alliftance in carrying on the laft piece of fervice that was likely to occur during my ftay in India, and embarked on board a imail French vefiel, that had been feized and armed in Bengal, as foon as I could avail myfelf of the convoy of the Woodcote Indiaman, which had been taking in new maits at Calcutta, and without which I did not think I could with prudence hazard the voyage, at least while I held the office of governor general. The Triton Ind aman, which admiral Cornwallis, and fir Charles Oakeley fent, at my requeft, on account of the difficulty and uncertainty in equipping the Woodcote, arrived a few days before we failed and returned with us.

By the great and meritorious exertions of the government of Fort St. George, in tranfporting the ordnance, ftores, &c. for fo confiderable an undertaking, and those of colonel Braithwaite, and of the troops under his command, in carrying on the attack, our batteries were opened against the place fooner than I expected; and the mutinous and daftardly conduct of the

garrifon obliged the governor to furrender the forts feveral days before my arrival and before the arrival of twelve companies of lafcars, which I had embarked on board of the Woodcote and three other veffels, which were likewife employed in bringing rice, on government's account to this prefidency.

I fhall beg leave to refer you, for the particulars of the operations against Pondicherry, to the inclofed letter, and the accompanying papers, which I have received from colonel Braithwaite, and to his aid-de-camp, captain Braithwaite, of the 72d regiment, who will have the honour of delivering to you my dispatches; and who likewife carries to England the colours that were taken from the enemy, I have the honour to be, &c.

CORNWALLIS.

Right hon. Henry Dundas, &c.

To, the Moft Noble Marquis Cornwallis,

K. G. Lieutenant General of his Majetty's Forces, Commander in Chief in India, &c.

My Lord,

As foon as colonel Floyd, under whose command the forces moft contiguous were affembled at Wallyabad, was in force fufficient, 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 laft ficge, and from having commanded myself in Pondicherry fome months, I directed him, as his force increafed, to occupy the pagoda of Villenore, lying fouth-weft of the fort, and the village of Arian Coupang to the fouthward, which would prevent the garrifon from drawing fupplies from those parts of the country from which they had been in the habit of drawing them chiefly, and to diftrefs 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 also 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 fupply of tools to him for that purpofe.

In the mean time the admiral in the Minerva frigate, reinforced by three Indiamen blockaded the port moft effectually, and took a veffel from the islands, on board of which were some shot and shells, 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-im, portance.

By means of the poft at Arian Coupang, which is near the mouth of the river, and Tome boats furnished by Mr. Kentworthy, the refident at Cuddalore, the means of a direct and speedy communication with the admiral was established.

While thefe things were doing, our preparations in the ordnance department went brifkly on, and government took mof active measures to fecure fufficient fupplies, by making large purchases of rice on the company's account, and by calling on his highnefs the nabob and the rajah of Tanjore, both of whom, it is but justice to say, fhewed much zeal to forward the fervice, by ftriking off all cuftomary duties, and holding out every encouragement to their respective countries to furnish fupplies to the army; and as no tax or imposition of any kind was allowed of in camp, the army was abundantly fupplied.

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 stores 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 reafon to be fatisfied 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 fummon to the governor, colonel Profper de Chermont, which I communicated to the admiral, propofing that he fhould alfo 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 Aag.

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 extention 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 some salt 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, concurred: I however determined upon a poft at a house and 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 regiments, which had been itationed at Arian Coupang, where I fta tioned a fmall party now fully fufficient for all our purposes. I caufed gabions and fafcines to be brought down to the new polt, fo that they could be seen 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 still fired in every direction where they faw any body, expending everal fhot even at individuals. I eftablished picquets, detached guards, and patroles of horfe, which kept up an uninterrupted communication between thefe ports and the main picquet in front of the army, which was well advanced toward the Villenore gate of the fort, under the cover of a village and a large garden house. On the next day I reconnoitred the north face of the fort, which was not fo ftrong as when I bad feen it before, the works here being much lower though otherwife of the fame conftruction as thofe we had deftroyed after the last fiege, and I found the ground contiguous moft favourable for attack, a very light foil, and fo high as convinced me it must be perfectly dry, even in a monfoon; and I caufed two of the engineer corps to embark on a country boat, and reconnoitre the fea face, and particularly the stockade and defences 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, calculated to work round the N. E. angle into the fort, fuggefted by the chief engineer.

I eftablished 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 honourable company's firit and fecond European battalions, caufed the village to be traversed and every thing well fecured, and from

a ftrong detachment, for the purpose of covering, and ordered down lieutenantcolonel 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 of ficer of the trenches. The difpofitions were made with great judgment, and a very great work was carried on without interruption; for though the enemy fhew

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 10th, 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 fpot previoufly determined it was to confft of eight twelve-pounders and two eight-inch mortars, and at a distance of about 800 yards; was well calculated to enfilade the works of the north face of the fort, against which our attack was directed, and to keep down the fire of them; and under coyer of this battery, which I expected would be ready in forty-eight hours, I meant to break ground to the northward; but the feite of this battery, pitched upon by the engineer to answer the purpofe of a complete enfilade, was in a low, moift ground, and the foil an obftinate, ftiff clay; and thefe caufes, with the rains, which unfortunately fet in at this time for a few days, occafioned the progrefs to be very flow indeed, and gave the enemy fo much time and leisure to get the exact diftance, that we consequently fuffered fome lofs. I found it impoffible to get on with this battery with any degree of clerity; and, as every thing was prepared to commence the attack to the northward, I'determined to break ground on the 12th at night, and made the neceffary arrangements; relieving the flank corps from the ftations they had occupied by other corps, and encamping them on the left of the line, fo as to be molt ready to fupport the attack, and for any duty; and appointed

probably from hearing some noise, it is evident they did not difcover the party, as they fired only a few shot, and those very ill directed; and their main fire and attention was fill directed against the enfilading battery and the poit to the fouthward, which they evidently wished to diflodge, and where I had that evening made more fhew.

In the morning, however, they clearly difcovered our intention, and began to fire very brifkly from all the works, on the north face of the fort, on our approaches; and this fire was continued, and well di rected; and we fuffered fome lofs 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 openthe enfilading battery, against which the enemy had kept up a very inveterate fire ;. but from the moment that opened, it was visible their fire greatly slackened, and was fo ill directed, that every fhot paffed confiderably over. They however continued to ply the works with fhells from mortare, 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 fpirit) 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 lieutenant-colonel Giels failed, and the. guns could not be got into it that night. On the zift, the enemy plied it very brifkly with fhells 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 fatil faction to fee it opened with great effect.

The

The enemy's fire was now quite confufed, 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 most diftant works to the north-east, and fome few fhots from the fouth-weft, intended for the enfilading battery, and they threw but few thells; while on our part, an inceffant fire was kept up, and about noon a mortar battery of four ten-inch mortars, at a small distance 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 twenty-four hours to reduce the terms into form. In my reply I refused this, and demanded that the place should be furrendered at difcretion at eight the next morning, till when I should ceafe to fire, but not to work; and I immediately difpatched an exprefs to the admiral, who was gone 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, colonel Toufreville, and the town major, who brought a second letter from the governor, and they ftated the great alarm that my anfwer had occafioned, and the univerfal dread of all classes 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 dome affurance of fecurity for life and private property. Upon this I thought it neceflary to advife with colonel Floyd and lieutenant-colonel Maxwell, whom I fent for, and finally dictated thofe terms, upon which the place furrendered the next day to colonel Floyd and lieutenant-colonel Maxwell, who, with detachments of cavalry, artillery, and flank companies from every corps in the lines, entered the place by the Villenore and Madras gates. They were punctually adhered to by the French governor, lo far as he was able. The place was furrendered and evacuated by all the troops, but they did not march out in that order, or under that difcipline I had prescribed indeed, they were all much intoxicated; and the governor had fent to press forward the arrival of our

troops, left the people in this state should again have recourfe to their arms, and commit fome outrages, and our troops hastened their march; but nothing of the kind happened, and great part furrendered themselves peaceably, without the gate,' to the party ordered to conduct them to Arian Coupang, and the reft were soon 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 inclofe your lordship a copy of a return of the ftrength 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, clothed, and difciplined, and which amounted, I am told, to between two and three hundred. Alfo copy of a lift of the ordnance and stores collected by our deputy commiffary-general, figned by himfelf; but fome trifling articles have fince been found, and many chefts of fmail arms; and more are still 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 these I mean to return to that battalion : alfo a return by the cafualties 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 exprefs 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 request leave to quote to your lordship: To thank corps or individuals, in an army fo fully entitled to his warmest 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, to mention, that the zeal, unanimity, and fubordination, has been such as must lead to fuccefs.

This packet will be prefented to your lordship by captain Braithwaite, iny first aid de-camp, who has had the honour to ferve under your lordship, and whom I