Clive reports on his first military action, 1749

Early in the beginning of the year 1749, a young man who had resided some time at Fort St. David, under the English protection, asserted that he was the lawful heir to the Crown of Tanjore, and accompanied this assertion with a very probable story, which being laid before Admiral Boscawen and Governor Floyer they resolved to support him with a military force to recover his right, and accordingly in the month of March, 4 Companies of Europeans, a detachment of Artillery with 4 field pieces, some cohorns and 1000 sepoys were ordered upon this service under the command of Captain Cope. The young Pretender accompanied this little army, with great promises that as soon as it entered the Tanjore Country it would be joined by great numbers and his Right to the Throne acknowledged by thousands. The forces being encamped on the banks of Porto Novo River, about 12 miles inland of that Town, we were overtaken with such a dreadful Storm, which began at about 8 o'Clock in the Evening and continued till 4 o'Clock the next morning, as entirely disconcerted the expedition for some days. The tents were all blown to rags, many of the Tumbrills were overset by the violence of the storm, and the military stores in general much damaged; this obliged the Commanding Officer to make the best of his way with the Troops to Porto Novo. To remember (sic) the ravages of the storm at this place we received the melancholy News of the loss of the Namur, Pembroke, and Apollo. A few days having put the army in condition, it resumed its march for Tanjore, passed Chellambrum, and arrived on the Banks of the Calderoon, where the Commanding Officer encamped and entrenched waiting for Intelligence from the opposite shore, which not being satisfactory, and there not being the least appearance of our being joined by any of the forces on the opposite shore, numbers of which we saw constantly in motion on the banks of the river, the Commanding Officer did not think himself strong enough, and wrote for another reinforcement which was accordingly sent him. Being joined by this reinforcement we crossed the River in sight of the Enemy without much opposition; the object of this first Expedition was the taking of the Fort of Devi Cotah, in order to make it a Place of Arms for carrying on our future designs against the Capital of Tanjore. As we entered further into the Country our difficulties seemed to increase, the Country became very woody and the Enemy annoyed us very much from the Bushes; the Enemy's army now appeared in full view in our Rear and Flank upon the Plains, being very numerous; this being our first Expedition the Men and Officers were a little staggered at the appearance of so great an Army; however, the brisk firing of our field Pieces kept them at some distance and gave us time to recover that confusion which we were thrown in by our situation. We then changed our situation and drew up on the Banks of the river; our flanks were covered by our Field pieces and our Rear by the river. The Commanding Officer then held a Council of War whether to proceed or wait for better advice, when he received orders from Mr. Boscawen to continue his march and attempt the Fort of Dave Cotah, let what would be the Consequence. Fortunately for us we discovered a Road by the river side which at the same [time] that it covered our left flank disengaged us from a very close and woody Country through which we must have marched 10 or 12 miles back, frightened and harrassed most of the way. We met little or no interruption on this road and encamped near a Pagoda at the distance of about a mile from Dave Cotah. Here we expected to have heard of the ships with more forces and military stores, in order for the attack of the Fort, but such was the singularity of our condition, and so totally ignorant were we of the Country, that we could not receive the least intelligence of them or they of us, altho they were at Anchor near the mouth of the river at the distance of about 4 miles from us. We had not three days Provisions with us, all supplies by land being cut off by the Enemy, and by sea we could not receive any for the Reasons recited above: our Artillery were only Field pieces, so that we could only try the Effect of a few Cohorn Shells, which we threw into the Fort all night, which had no manner of Effect. It was proposed to advance the field Pieces and endeavour to batter the Gates, but this was disapproved of by the Commanding Officer as attended with too much risque, and two days after we came before the place the Forces began their march back again, which the Enemy being apprized of, took possession of some woods which lay upon our flank, and fired upon us with artillery and musquetry; this obliged us to advance some platoons of Europeans to dislodge them, or keep them at a distance, that the army might pass a Nullah which, tho not breast high when we passed it, was now by the rising of the Tide above our heads. This inconveniency was not foreseen till the Cooleys with the Baggage had entered into the Nullah, and those in front being prest upon by those in the rear and fired upon by the Enemy from the adjacent Wood near 400 of these poor wretches were drowned and with them we lost great part of the Baggage. The Nulla falling, we passed over without further interruption from the Enemy and continued our retreat all that day, passed the Calderoon in the afternoon, and arrived at Chellambram much fatigued late at night. The next day we continued our march to Fort St. David, and thus ended this fruitless Expedition by Land."

From: Sir George Forrest. The Life of Lord Clive. Vol. I. London and New York: Cassell, 1918, 86-88.