Page:History of the French in India.djvu/307

BOTH PARTIES MARCH ON VOLKONDAH. 285 But this time Dupleix was resolved there should be no chap. such mistake. To the native army of Chanda Sahib, VIL consisting of from 7,000 to 8,000 men, he added there- 175^ fore a European detachment of 400 men, a few Africans, and some artillery — the whole under the command of M. d'Auteuil. These left Pondichery in the month of March, 1751. Meanwhile the English, recognising and rightly recognising that their only chance of safety lay in their sustaining the cause of the anti-French pretender to the government of the Karnatik, had resolved to support Muhammad Ali with all the means at their disposal. In the early part of February, therefore, they despatched Captain Cope at the head of 280 Europeans and 300 sipahis to aid in the defence of TrichinapalH ; at the end of March following, they ordered a force of 500 Europeans, 100 Africans, 1,000 sipahis, and eight field- pieces to march from Fort St. David, for the purpose of co-operating in the field with the troops that still adhered to Muhammad Ali, and which were expected from TrichinapalH. This force was commanded by Captain Gingens, and, serving with it as commissariat officer, — the second time we have met him, — was Hono- rary Lieutenant Robert Clive. The first detachment,— that under Captain Cope, — had during the same month made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the city of Madura, held for Chanda Sahib by AHm Khan, and had returned dispirited to TrichinapalH. Captain Gingens, for his part, having been joined in the middle of May by Muhammad Ali's troops, 1,600 in number, had at once marched on the pagoda Verdachelam, about forty miles from the coast, and commanding the communications between Fort St. David and TrichinapalH. Taking and garrisoning this, and having been joined by a further detachment of 4,000 men from Muhammad Ali, and 100 Europeans despatched to his aid by Captain Cope, he moved forward to inter-