England in the October following, and were the richest fleet that had ever entered the Thames at one time.
The two armies had continued in their respective encampments, their advanced guards in full sight, and continually alarming one another; and on the 27th at day-break, the French cavalry, with 50 of their infantry, attacked a post of Sepoys and black horse, killed six or seven of each, and wounded more; and lost themselves two hussars killed, and their officer, with several wounded.
Nothing of consequence passed for several days after, and in the night between the first and second of May, the whole French army decamped from Perimbé, and retreated close to the bound-hedge, leaving only an advanced post with two guns about half a mile in front of the main body. Colonel Coote went in the afternoon, with his usual escorte of horse and Sepoys, to reconnoitre their position, and, advancing too near, several of his Sepoys were killed by the fire of the cannon from the advanced post.
Major Monson with his division, and the Nabob with his troops, arrived before Verdachelum on the 26th. This place stands 60 miles N. N. w. of Chillambrum, and 60 s. w. from Valdore. It is extensive, and was originally a pagoda, and although converted into a fort by the addition of towers at the angles, and projected masses of masonry in each of the sides as gateways, still continued of very feeble defence against cannon. It seemed therefore only to acquit his military honour, that the commanding officer refused to surrender on the first summons; for the next day, on the appearance of the two eighteen-pounders in battery, he of his own accord threw out the white flag, and surrendered at discretion. His garrison were, besides himself and another officer, 13 Europeans, and 150 Sepoys. This place as well as Chillambrum was delivered over to the Nabob, who gave them in charge of his own Sepoys, and put both garrisons under the command of Kistnarow. He was here joined by his brother, Maphuze Khan, who when least expected, had left the Pulitaver in the beginning of January, and joined Mahomed Issoof at Tinivelly; from whence he was sent, with an escorte, to Puducotah, the principal town of the polygar Tondiman
