HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
45* 
country, filled with manufactures, fell into the hands of the English; while the 
French commerce was confined to Pondicherry, and some places in that neighbour¬ 
hood. The conquered country reached to the province of Bengal, from whence 
the French were entirely driven by Colonel Clive. These successes were in a small 
degree balanced by a failure of Major Brereton in endeavouring to dislodge M. 
Lally and his confederates from a very strong post that they occupied. This check, 
which happened in September, i 759, cost the English between three and four hun¬ 
dred men, killed and wounded, and encouraged M. Lally to make preparations for 
the siege of Trichinopoly; but Colonel Coote, on the goth of November following, 
took Wandewash, one of the most important forts of that coast, and made the gar¬ 
rison prisoners of war. Ten days after, he possessed himself of Cosangoly, which 
the garrison were obliged to evacuate. These successes determined M. Lally to 
risk a decisive engagement, in order to retake Wandewash, which he besieged with 
two thousand Europeans and nine or ten thousand native soldiers. Colonel Coote 
arrived there most fortunately with his army, consisting of about seventeen hundred 
European, and three thousand Black troops, at the moment when M. Lally was 
about to enter by a breach he had made in the place. A battle immediately ensued, 
in which the French were put to the rout, with the loss of a thousand men left on 
the field of battle: several of the principal officers were also killed, wounded, or 
taken prisoners, and M. Lally retired to Pondicherry with the remains of his army. 
The loss of the English was about two hundred, and unfortunately Major Brereton 
was of the number. Colonel Coote did not delay a moment in pursuing the advan¬ 
tages he had acquired, and marched directly against Chitiput, which he took: he then 
laid siege to Arcot on the 8th of February, which is the capital of a large province 
of the same name: This place surrendered to him on the 10th, and he made three 
hundred Europeans prisoners of war. 
The operations by sea in India were pursued with equal vigour, and crowned 
with equal success. On the 4th of September, 1759, an engagement took place 
between M. D’Ache and Admiral Pocock; when the French commander was 
obliged to retire. The English Admiral then directed his course to Pondicherry, 
and was joined there by Admiral Cornish. On the 6th of April following the for¬ 
tress Karical, as well as several other places of less importance, surrendered to 
the English; so that the far greater part of the French forces in India was shut 
up in Pondicherry. 
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